Identity Formation and Political Assertion among the Deoris

Abstract

Sub-regionalism or communalism, as we all know is a sentiment of similarity, amongst the people belonging to the same group. It means a sense of common consciousness or peoples under the same political organization. We know that there are different responsible causes for the resurgence amongst the tribal groups of North-East India and they have different natures, for example; aspiration for separate identity, aspiration for establishing an autonomous council, development council, creation of a new state and many more. Assam is a part of the North-Eastern region of India, a district inhabited by aboriginal tribal communities in this state, viz; the Bodos , Karbis, Dimasas, Mishings, Deoris, Rabhas, Sonowal Kacharis etc. They are distinguished from each-other societies by certain modes , behavior, character such as dress code, food habits ,socio-cultural rituals and religious belief. The Deoris are one of the major ethnic plain tribe of Assam. They have their own language to converse amongst themselves, own religious beliefs, living styles etc. Their present population is approximately two Lakhs According to census report of Deori autonomous council (DAC) . The Deories are settled mostly in the Districts of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sibsagar, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sonitpur and Tinsukia of Assam and some villages are also situated in the Districts of Changlang, Lohit and Tirap of Arunachal Pradesh. The Deori Autonomous Council (DAC), a political organization of Deoris, established in 2005, to fulfill their socio-economic development. The aspiration of the Deori people for a separate identity is not a new concept. It has some longest historic stages. It was seen that the struggle for a separate identity was began during the time of eighty decade, under the banner of the All Assam Deori Student Union (AADSU), which formed in 1959. In this present article, we attempt to focus the aspiration of the Deori peoples and their struggle for a separate identity.