Hi there Utpal, That was a pretty good explanation of the sentiments of Bodos or other ethinic groups in the NE for purposes of identity.
> For the Bodos of today, establishing a Bodo identity more important than > anything else. I agree. I only wish that any State, religious, caste, language, or ethinic group in India did not have to resort to identifying ourselves. IMHO While identities have become so important, and in some cases even of the very survival of an ethinic group, ultimately most times, I think, these identities only cause further divisions whether in a state or the country as a whole. --Ram da On 6/30/05, Malabika Brahma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > This is Utpal Brahma using his wife's id. > > I am a half Bodo (father Bodo, Mother Assamese) who is married to an > Assamese from Nowgong. And I consider myself to be a human first then a Bodo > and then an Assamese - in that order. > > For the Bodos of today, establishing a Bodo identity more important than > anything else. Whether Bodos are Assamese, an interesting question. There > are Bodos in North Bengal, Nepal, Bangladesh, Tripura and Myanmar. Would you > call a Bodo from Nepal an Assamese ? Or for that matter would a Bodo from > Nepal call himself an Assamese ? Not in your wildest dreams !! > > Would a Bodo like to get classified as Assamese Bodo, Bengali Bodo, Nepali > Bodo, Myanmarese Bodo ? You bet not . A Bodo is a Bodo regardless where he > comes from and thats the way the Bodos of today would like to see. That is > why you see a greater effort by the likes of Bodo Sahitya Sabha , Bodo > Thunlai Afat to seek more active participation from Bodos living beyond > Assam. > > While the Bodos should live in harmony with all communities in Assam and > for that matter in Nepal, North Bengal, Tripura and Myanmar, they should be > bonded by a Pan Bodo brotherhood. Establishing a separate identity of > Assamese Bodo, Bengali Bodo, Burmese Bodo, Tripuri Bodo would further divide > a community which has already seen much division in the form of Sonowal, > Dimacha, Sarania etc etc. Not to speak of the political fractions. > > > > > > Ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Below is quite a detailed analysis in trying to define who an Assames > is. I think the author has gone in-depth into this question and > considering numerous factors. Unfortunately, the author is listed as > 'anonymous'. > > --Ram > ___________________ > Who is an Assamese? This question has been plaguing different sections > of people for quite some time and more so after the central government > has put this question to Assam government. Different people are > concocting different definitions ignoring the ground realities. > Assamese intelligentsias and other leaders would usually try to paint > a utopian picture of Assamese as most of us are still suffering from > "Bor Asom" syndrome. Literary organizations have come up with a > convenient definition saying that all the people speaking Assamese or > one of the native languages of the state are Assamese. Or! many of us > are content with the simplistic definition that all the people living > in Assam are Assamese. Political parties are coming out with > definitions based on cut off years. > > The first point to be noted is whether we are looking for a definition > based on ethno-linguistic basis or on geographical basis. All people > living in Assam dubbed as Assamese (qualified based on some cut off > years) fall under the later category of definition. It can be a > definition convenient for the government machinery but the irony is > that this definition will be meaningless for multitudes of communities > living in Assam. To most of these people, a simple definition based on > factual truth is that an Assamese is any person speaking the language. > He may be an Ahom, a Bamun, a Koch, Kalita, Kachari, Chutia, Deori, > Sarania, Bagania, a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or a Bodo, Rabha, Tiwa, > Mishing, Karbi, Tai etc speaking the Assamese language. This > definition based on lan! guage will immediately raise the question- who > > then are the Bodos speaking Bodo language or the Karbis of Karbi > Anglong or the Dimasas of NC Hills? Are not they Assamese? These are > the three big tribal communities demanding separation from Assam. Many > of us will still try to tag these communities as Assamese dismissing > the fact that they speak a language totally intelligible to Assamese > speakers. Present day reality is that a Bodo speaking Bodo language > would not identify himself as Assamese in the same way as a Khasi > would not consider himself as an Assamese. Here only difference is > that the Khasis have a state of their own and the Bodos are settling > for an entity slightly short of a full fledged state. Same will be the > case with Karbi, Dimasa or for that matter any of the numerous tribes > like Zeme, Hmar, Biate, Hrangkhol, Thadou, Chakma, Garo, Naga etc > living in Assam away from the mainstream Assamese speaking community. > Ask the leaders! of these communities whether they consider themselves > Assamese without any qualifications. Most will assert their own ethnic > identity and would like to be seen as one of the indigenous > communities of Assam and not as Assamese. > > Independence handed over to us a state of Assam which was very > heterogenous even after severing of Sylhet. So there was this futile > attempt to create a homogeneous Assamese state and Khasis, Nagas, > Lushais all were considered part of greater Assamese society. With the > formation of new states these communities no longer were cited as part > of the greater Assamese community. Now almost similar situation hold > good for Bodos, Karbis and Dimasas as they have also got some sort of > autonomous politico-administrative unit or aspiration for totally > separate states having to do nothing with Assam. > > If we cling to the old broad definition, the state of Assamese > community starts resembling an unhappy marriage with unwilling > partners. The process of Assamese nationality building has to some > extent come to a halt with the rising ethnic and linguistic > aspirations of those very communities who were contributing formation > of Assamese community. Karbis and Dimasas are clamouring for separate > state to go the Khasi, Naga, Mizo ways. Bodos have attained something > short of separate state. Formation of BTAD is also a step in that > direction. Bodo language is an 8th schedule language just like the > Assamese. So instead of unilaterally trying to define who is an > Assamese, time has come to probe who considers oneself as Assamese. > And this may shatter many myths we have been holding about our greater > Assamese society. It is high time we start appreciating the > discomfiture many of the communities have on being dubbed as Assamese. > It will also redefine the social boundary of Assamese community. This > realistic definition may seem to be parochial to those who dre! ad that > such narrow vision of Assamese community which seems to turn Assamese > into a minority community. Let us not forget that demographic dynamics > and the process of assimilation are always taking place on other > fronts also. Today a Bangladeshi Muslem who came to Assam some 30 > years ago or a tea community member whose forefather came to Assam > some 150 years ago feel closer to Assamese society than Bodo speaking > brothers. > > _______________________________________________ > Assam mailing list > Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > Mailing list FAQ: > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > To unsubscribe or change options: > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > > > ________________________________ > Yahoo! Messenger NEW - crystal clear PC to PC calling worldwide with > voicemail > > > _______________________________________________ > Assam mailing list > Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > Mailing list FAQ: > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > To unsubscribe or change options: > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > > > _______________________________________________ Assam mailing list Assam@pikespeak.uccs.edu http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam Mailing list FAQ: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html To unsubscribe or change options: http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam
