 In religious matters, the Garos were animists, focusing on placating the spirits to appease their wrath and satisfy their demands.They believed in a supreme God, but felt that He was detached from men and was not to be much concerned with, either for good or ill. Ramke himself was a devotional person and, while he was an animist, he was very earnest in catching little animals or birds and sacrificing them to the spirits.In 1847, the British, who were extending their rule in India, invited boys from the Garo tribe to come down to Goalpara in the valley and receive an education.