Language:
The Karbi's mainly speak their native language, i.e. The Karbi language and the Assamese language. However, Karbis are well versed in Assamese which they use as a lingua-franca to communicate with other indigenous Assamese communities. Many of the Plain Karbis even use Assamese as their mother tongue. Several Assamese loan words have made their way into the Karbi Language and this is apparent in most parts. For example, Kaam (Assamese Origin word) is used in place of sai to mean 'Work'. There are also minute variations in native Karbi language that can be observed in different geographical regions inhabited by the Karbis. For example, the Plain Karbis and Hill Karbis.
Festivals:
The Karbis celebrate many festivals. Among them Hacha-Kekan,Chojun, Rongker, PengKarkli, ThoiAsorRitAsor, BotorKekur are such festival held around the year and some of them at specific time of the year. Botorkekur is celebrated for the purpose to request to god to grace the earth with rain so that crops could be sown. Rongker is celebrated either on 5 January or on 5 February as per the convenience of the villager as a thanksgiving to God and asking their assurance to protect them from any evil harm that may happen to the whole village.
Clothes:
Karbis have a wide range of textiles which are produced with the help of the "traditional backstrap loom". There are gender and age specific clothing with culturally coded motifs which give a distinct appearance and meaning to the young men and women, married couple and older male and female folks who wear them. The dress includes Choihongthor, Peseleng,Poho, Rikong, Chepan, Jambili, VorajuAni, Pelu, Jarong/Jamborong, Mulajin, Pekok, PiniKamphlak, Rumpan or Vamkok,Jirík, Jiso, Piba, Peum, etc.
Musical Instruments:
Karbis regard music as a gift from the heavens. It is therefore intimately associated with their day-to-day life. The numerous sacred life-giving worships to unseen spirits and sacred prayers, social interactions across time honoured customs and traditions are all expressed through poetically structured verbal performances.
According to Karbi lore, RangsinaSarpo, the Divine Musician, was sent from the heavens to teach Karbis songs and dances. His name is immortalised in Karbi folklore and sacred prayers. The sacred verses of ‘LunseKeplang’ (Origin of Singer), performed at important cultural and religious rituals, eulogises the Divine Musician, Rangsina the Great.
Traditional Jewelleries:
Jewellery is undoubtedly one of the oldest of the decorative arts which answers to the deephuman love of intrinsically beautiful materials, to the deep human wish for bodily beautification, and to the superstitious need for reinforcing human powers by things that seem…more lasting and more mysterious than man.
In Karbi folklore, there are frequent mentions of the use of ‘lek-roi’, literally ‘necklaces and bangles’, which collectively stands for jewelleries. And folk poets still recall a certain ‘LoéKroBini’ who is credited to have popularised the use of ‘lek-roi’.