Khamyang people

The Tai-Khamyangs (Thai:ชาวไทคำยาง, Chao Thai Kam Yang) also known as Shyam, represent a brethren of Great Tai/Thai family of South East Asia. They are numerically tribal group found in Tinsukia, Jorhat, Sivasagar and Golaghat districts of Assam as well as adjacent parts of Arunachal Pradesh. Their population totals about 7,000 of which only a small minority speak the native Tai Khamyang language. The Khamyang are followers of Theravada Buddhism and are closely related to the Tai-Khamti. They maintain good relations with other Tai Buddhist tribes of Assam.

The Khamyangs, who are popularly known as Noras, are of Tai-stock. Nora is the name by which Hiing Xang Shans (Tais) of Myanmar are known to Ahoms. "Khamyang" itself is a Tai word, deriving etymologically from "kham" (gold) and "yang" or "jang" (to have), and meaning "people having gold". They ruled an independent principality in Mungkong until the end of the 18th century.

Many Khamyang have historically used "Shyam", which is a cognate with "Siam", the old word for Thailand, as a surname. The modern trend is for mostly their family names: Thaomung, Chowlu, Chowlik, Tunkhang, Wailong, Pangyok, Chowsong, Pangyok and Chowhai.