Silchar: A team of professors from the Department of Linguistics, University of North Texas, United States, visited southern Assam’s Cachar district on Monday to collect details about language, tradition and history of various tribes, which are apparently facing the threat of getting extinct.
The two-member team of linguists from the US, accompanied by a 35-member group of the Department of Linguistics, Assam University including teachers, research scholars and students, went to Aimol Punjee (Balucherra), around 32km from Silchar, under Nayabil GP under Dholai assembly constituency in Cachar district, and met people of various small tribes.
US-based linguists Shobhana Chelliah and Mary Burke interacted with local residents who belong to different tribal communities like Aimol, Sairen, Kuki and Rongkhal, and learnt about their languages, culture and history.
The residents told them that their tradition and culture are on the verge of getting extinct because of lack of study and interest by people. A local resident named Jahan Aimol, who is a graduate in history, claimed, “Most of the tribal communities came to Silcoorie in Cachar district from Manipur in the 18th century. From there, they first migrated to Dargakona (Cachar) and later to Balucherra where they settled and former Aimol Punjee.”
He said people of one of the tribes settled in Naksatilla, Dwarbond, while most other tribes remained in Aimol Punjee. “Initially, they practised Hinduism, but later converted to Christianity. They speak in Aimol language in their village, but converse in Hmar language in religious and social functions. Though they introduce themselves as belonging to the Aimol tribe, they are not properly aware about the history of their forefathers. Memorials of many of their predecessors are there in multiple places in and around the Punjee, but they do not have the knowledge about their identity,” he said.
The linguists were also introduced to Sairem, Rongkhal and Kuki tribes and learnt that their languages and cultures have various similarities with that of many other tribes of the Northeast. However, due to lack of study and discussions, the languages and tradition of these tribes are gradually fading.
The linguists along with Assam University members also visited another place near Dwarbond and spoke to the local people.
Sharing their reaction, Shobhana Chelliah and Mark Burke said they had interactions with people of different tribes and came to know about many new aspects of their history, culture and lifestyle.
“People across the world have become very much dependent on technology and rely heavily on finished products for various purposes in this present era, but inhabitants of such areas (people of various tribal communities) have knowledge about many remedies and useful things which are available in nature. It is important to preserve the tribes’ language so that their knowledge and studies exist in the future,” Chelliah and Burke said.
They said a four-day international workshop on the topic related to history and culture of various small tribes was held under the aegis of Department of Linguistics, Assam University, and the Department of Linguistics, University of North Texas, US, at Assam varsity from April 1-.
Dr. KH Dhiren Singh, head of Department of Linguistics, Assam University, and professor Monali Langlaimaio, who were present, said the four-day workshop was a successful event and it was organised with the objective to exchange information and ideas to preserve the language of various small tribes which are facing the threat of getting extinct in the future.
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