THE PEOPLE
Since its beginnings, the Aienla Project has conducted various cultural and linguistic research programs in the region, which in the past have included photographic documentary of ceremonial attire, recording of village languages and dialects, sketching tattoo variances across tribes, interviewing tribal elders about inter-village relations, and photographic inventory of material culture. Racing against time to gather knowledge before it is lost over the generations, these research programs are the foundation stones for cultural preservation. Research programs typically are conducted in the northeastern Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh (NEFA), Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and various states in Myanmar.
Previously studied tribes include the Adi, Angami, Ao, Apatani, Chakesang, Chang, Garo, Hashi, Heimi, Khampti, Khasi, Konyak, Lainong, Lhota, Makuri, Mara, Hill Miri, Plains Miri, Mishmi, Mizo, Monpa, Nyshi, Pami, Ponyo, Rengma, Rongmei, Sema, Singpho, Tagin, Tangkhul, Tsaplo, Yimchunger, Zemi.