Economy
As regard to their economic life, their main occupation is agriculture and they practise shifting cultivation (Loi). Each year before they start sowing their millet, rice, maize etc. the villagers observe ‘Chichoi’ or ‘Burit-in-om’ for one day. The day is spent by praying to God to ensure good crops and good luck. The Biate have many kinds of festivals; NuldingKut, PamcharKut, LebangKut, FavangKut etc. for different occasion. They no longer practise or observe those festivals except ‘NuldingKut.’ The NuldingKut festival means ‘renewal of life’ which is observed in January every year by singing, dancing and playing traditional games, after the Priest (Thiampu) pray to Chung Pathian for blessing them in every spheres of life. They have also different kinds of dances such as, Darlam, Sikpui-Zollam, Buantrum lam, Lampalak, Kolrikhek lam, Rikifachoi, Ar-ekinuai lam, Meburlam, Sul-ribum lam, Tuipuilenthluk, Chichoi-lam, Parton lam, TuiholSirphaiaChitu-a lam, and Saluaih-lam; etc. The year is also divided into four main seasons, Khothral-Spring, Fur-Summer, Favang-Autumn, Phalbi-Winter.
