The Ethnic People of Assam: A Study of their Historical Background and Multicultural Features

அசாம் மாநில இனக்குழுக்களின் வரலாற்றுப் பின்னணி மற்றும் பன்முகக் கலாச்சார அம்சங்கள் குறித்த ஓர் ஆய்வு

Abstract

Culture is all about people. Culture includes a group’s history, tendencies, characteristics, knowledge lineages, ways of life, social structure, language, food, music, and beliefs. The culture of any particular society cannot develop overnight. It is very difficult to pinpoint the exact date of its origin. It takes hundreds of years for a culture to establish itself. The word culture is derived from the Latin word ‘cultura’. Understanding culture is like trying to understand people and their varied perspective towards life. When we examine the historical evolution of Assamese culture, we can see that the rich culture of Assam has many elements and a long history across centuries of migration and settlement. To acquire knowledge about Assamese culture it is necessary to first study its history. How did Assam become home to various ethnic groups originating from south and Southeast Asia? How did the amalgamation of various ethnic group cultures inhabit the state of Assam result in the formation of a composite culture in the region? This article explains the historical background of the ethnic groups living in Assam, one of the north-eastern states of India, and their multi-cultural features.