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ABSTRACT
This paper articulates the issue of ethnicity and identity formation among the Misings of Assam. It navigates the life graph of the community and unearthed the subtlety involved in their identity formation, articulation and assertion. The nuances involved in their identity formation and the subsequent intra-community ethnic fragmentation reflect the fact that the case does not purely fit into a singular theoretical framework of either ‘primordialism’ or ‘constructivism’. Rather it necessitates the call for traversing through different theoretical frameworks. On a descriptive note, the paper tends to examine the role of social, political and historical forces influencing the Mising identity narratives. Besides delineating the historical trajectories of Mising identity in different historical periods, – pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial – the study has explored the multiple processes of identity formation vis-a-vis migration, politics of (re)naming, role of middle class organisations and the vitality of script and language.
KEYWORDS:
Acknowledgments
The research of this paper pursued as a part of doctoral research entitled ‘Interrogating Identity: Ethnicity and Class among the Misings of Assam’ of the first author Partha Pratim Borah, at the Department of Sociology, Tezpur University, Assam (India). We are grateful to the editor and anonymous reviewer for critical observations on the earlier drafts of the paper.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Correction Statement
This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.
Notes
1. Saikia, “Ethnic Mobilisation and Violence in Northeast India,”119.
2. Mackenzie, “History of the Relations of the Government with the Hill Tribes of the North-East Frontier of Bengal,” 543.
3. Brass, “Ethnicity and Nationalism: Theory and Comparison,” 19.
4. Ibid.
5. Phadnis and Ganguly, “Ethnicity and Nation Building in South Asia,” 23.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid., 24.
9. Penrose, “Reification in the name of change: The Impact of Nationalism on Social Constructions of Nations, People and Place in Scotland and
the United Kingdom,” 28.
10. Jackson and Penrose, “Introduction: Placing “Race” and Nation,” 1–2.
11. Barth, “Ethnic Groups and Boundaries: The Social Organisation of Cultural Difference,” 9.
12. Ibid.
13. Hobsbawm, “Introduction: Inventing Tradition,” 9.
14. Brass, “Ethnic Groups and Ethnic Identity Formation,” 85.
15. Ibid.
16. For details see Gurr, “Why Men Rebel.”
17. Ibid. 123.
18. Hutchinson and Smith, “Ethnicity,” 8–9.
19. Mipun, “The Mishings (Miris) of Assam: Development of a New Lifestyle,” 1.
20. Doley, “Quest for Identity and Autonomy among the Misings,” 438.
21. Taid, “The Religious Culture of the Misings,” 15.
22. Doley, “A Brief History of the Origin and Migration of Mising,” 121.
23. Ibid.
24. Dalton, “The Descriptive Ethnology of Bengal,” 32f, 29 as quoted in Nath, “The Misings in the History of Assam,” 35.
25. Hunter, “A Statistical Account of Assam Vol 1,” 239.
26. Misings have rich source of folk literature like ‘folk songs, folk tales, legends and proverbs. The rich folk songs of Misings include A:bang (religious songs), Oi ni:tom (love songs), Kaban (song of lamentation), Koni:nam (lullaby), Moman (Nursery rhymes). For details see Kuli, “Mising Language and Literature a Glimpse,” 261.
27. The Ahom Chronicles or Buranjis mention that the Ahom Rulers (1228–1826) came into contact with Misings in Northeast India from the 17th century. Misings came into relations with Ahom rulers in the beginning of 18th century and were recruited to Ahom administration like Miri Sandikoi. See Doley, “Mising Agom Kebang-Its History and the Language,” 258.
28. Sankardev, the neo-Vaishnavite social reformer of Assam mentions the name Miri along with other non-Aryan tribes of the region in his ‘devotional poetic work’ named Kirtan-Ghosa. The name ‘Miri’ is also found in the Nama Ghosha written by Madhabdeva. See Nath, “The Misings in the History of Assam,” 31.
29. Nath, “The Misings in the History of Assam,” 31.
30. Nath, “The Misings in the History of Assam,” 56; as cited in Loying, “Migration and Socio-Economic conditions of the Misings in Assam: A Study,” 161.
31. Ibid.
32. Loying, “Migration and Socio-Economic conditions of the Misings in Assam: A Study,” 161.
33. Mackenzie, “History of the Relations of the Government with the Hill Tribes of the North-East Frontier of Bengal,” 542.
34. Mipun, “The Mishings (Miris) of Assam: Development of a New Lifestyle,” 17.
35. Taid, “Glimpses,” 276.
36. Ibid., 277.
37. Taid, “Use of the Spelling “Mising”,” 155.
38. Kamal Chandra Doley, who teaches at Purana Para L.P. School and associated with various Mising organisations like TMPK, MMK etc., argues that the ‘Miri’ is better term as people do not have much knowledge about the term Mising. Even the term ‘Miri’ is mentioned in the constitution. Interview was taken on 21-08-2016.
39. Dalton, “Descriptive Ethnology of Bengal,” 29.
40. Taid, “Use of the Spelling “Mising”,” 156.
41. Ibid.
42. Pegu, “Autonomy Movement of the Misings,” 147.
43. Doley, “A Brief History of the Origin and Migration of Mising,” 123.
44. Ibid.
45. See note 42 above.
46. Ibid., 148.
47. Ibid.
48. Sharma, “Mapping the Trajectory of a Contemporary Ethnic Identity Movement: The Case of the Misings of Assam,” 4.
49. Ibid.
50. Ibid., 16.
51. Doley, “Quest for Identity and Autonomy among the Misings,” 453.
52. Ibid.
53. Doley, “TMPK: History-Dream-Struggle and Achievement,” 20.
54. Ibid.
55. Ibid.
56. Pegu, “Role of Socio-Cultural Organisations of the Misings,” 135.
57. Ibid.
58. Doley, TMPK: History-Dream-Struggle and Achievement, 21.
59. Ibid.
60. Ibid.
61. Pegu, “Role of Socio-Cultural Organisations of the Misings,” 136.
62. Ibid.
63. Doley, “TMPK: History-Dream-Struggle and Achievement,” 21.
64. Ibid., 22.
65. Ibid.
66. Ibid., 23.
67. Doley, “Quest for Identity and Autonomy among the Misings,” 455.
68. Ibid.
69. He is working as Field Publicity Officer. He is actively associated with Mising Agom Kebang. Interview was taken on 01-05-2018.
70. He is a retired Assistant Professor of Jengraimukh College, Majuli. Interview was taken on 27-01-2018.
71. He is a teacher at Purana Para L.P. School. He is associated with various Mising organisations like TMPK and MMK and mainstream political party Congress. Interview was taken on 21-08-2016.
72. Ali-Ai-Ligang is the sowing festival of the Misings.
73. Doley, “Quest for Identity and Autonomy among the Misings,” 454.
74. Ibid.
75. Doley, “TMPK: History-Dream-Struggle and Achievement,” 22.
76. Pegu, “Role of Socio-Cultural Organisations of the Misings,” 136.
77. Doley, “Quest for Identity and Autonomy among the Misings,” 465.
78. Pegu, “Autonomy Movement of the Misings,” 151.
79. Saikia, “Ethnic Mobilisation and Violence in Northeast India,” 127.
80. Ibid.,128.
81. Ibid.
82. Ibid.
83. Ibid.
84. Mising Autonomous Demand Committee (MADC) worked closely with MBK for the cause of the Misings. It is alleged that the state patronaged the formation of MADC with an aim of creating conflict within the strong identity assertion movement among the Misings of Assam.
85. Pegu, “Autonomy Movement of the Misings,” 156.
86. Ibid., 157.
87. Ibid.
88. Ibid., 158.
89. Ibid.
90. Brass, “Ethnicity and Nationalism: Theory and Comparison,” 20.
91. Ibid., 15.
92. Ibid., 22.
93. Ibid., 22–23.
94. Taid, “Glimpses,” 279.
95. Doley, “Mising People and Language,” 248.
96. Kuli, “Mising Language and Literature a Glimpse,” 257.
97. Ibid.
98. Cited in Kuli, “Mising Language and Literature a Glimpse,” 257.
99. He is the Principal at Gogamukh Junior Girls College. Interview was taken on 21-08-2018.
100. For some people, Akhomia represent linguistic community and for others, Akhomia represent all people living in Assam.
101. He is Head Teacher of Kamala Miri High School. He is President of Gogamukh Ba:ne Kebang. He is also the Cultural Secretary of State Bane Kebang. Earlier, he was associated with TMPK. He is also member of Ganashakti and MMK. Interview was taken on 01-05-2018.
102. Changghar is important part of Mising culture and habitat which is a bamboo made hut that stands on bamboo pillars.
103. Interview was taken on 11-09-2016.
104. Doley, “Mising People and Language,” 249.
105. Some of the important works are A Dictionary of the Abor Miri Language with illustrative sentences and notes (1907) by J.H. Lorrain, Outline Grammar of the Shaiyang Miri language as spoken by the Miris of that clan residing in the neighborhood of Sadia (1885) by J. F. Needham etc.
106. See note 104 above.
107. Taid, “Glimpses,” 282.
108. Ibid., 283.
109. Ibid.
110. Ibid.
111. Kuli, “Mising Language and Literature a Glimpse,” 258.
112. Ibid.
113. Taid, “Glimpses,” 283.
114. See note 111 above.
115. Seniram Morang, Kalinath Panging are some prominent personalities, working for the development of the language, are raising such voice.
116. In the districts of Jorhat, Golaghat, Sonitpur, Sivasagar, TInsukia, Dibrugarh, Majuli and Kamrup.
117. Bora, “Mising Movement in Assam: Awaited Accord and Unanswered Questions,” 71.
118. See note 39 above.
119. See note 117 above.
120. Ibid.
121. Ibid.
122. He is a Thengal Kachari living in a village inhabited by Misings. Interview was taken on 06-01-2018.
123. Interview was taken on 30-04-2018.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Partha Pratim Borah
Partha Pratim Borah is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Sociology, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam, India. He is pursuing his doctoral research at Department of Sociology, Tezpur University, Assam on ‘Interrogating Identity: Ethnicity and Class among the Misings of Assam’. His areas of interest include Sociological Theory, Sociology of Development, Sociology of Northeast India, Identity Politics.
Rabin Deka
Rabin Deka teaches Sociology at the Department of Sociology, Tezpur University, Assam (India) where he is currently holding the position of Professor and Head. His areas of interest are Social Movements, Social Exclusion, Agrarian Studies and Sociology of Northeast India. He has published papers on the areas such as Peasant Movements in Colonial Assam, Bhakti Movement of Sankaradeva, Conceptualising Northeast India, Agrarian Questions of Assam and Northeast India and Contemporary Ethnic Mobilisation in Assam.
Ankur Jyoti Bhuyan
Ankur Jyoti Bhuyan is an Assistant Professor at the department of Political Science, Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit & Ancient Studies University, Nalbari, Assam. His areas of interest include Institutions and Processes in Indian Politics, Ethnicity and Identity politics in North East India.