Today is #WorldIndigenousDay and on this occasion I would like to tweet a few sentences on the indigenous communities of North-East region in India.

India is a land of diversity, and nothing exemplifies it more than the NE region. NE comprises of 7 (now 8) states. (1/n)

The NE region of India is merely a geographical location and does not signify cultural or linguistic homogeneity.

Each state has its own distinct language, culture & heritage. Even within the state's there is more diversity than other regions of India. (2/n)

For example, #Assam alone has 18 indigenous tribal communities. Each one of these communities has their own language, religion, cultural identity, tradition etc. It is said that in relative size there is more diversity in #Assam than anywhere else in South Asia. (3/n)

There are a total of approximately 92 indigenous tribal communities scattered across the 7 (now 8) states of NE region.

The region is home to the largest concentration of linguistic and ethnic minorities in India.

Now how does this affect the dynamics vis-a-vis others? (4/n)

The NE region became a part of East India Company post 1826. #Assam was merged after the Treaty of Yandaboo.

#Manipur was then known as #Kangleipak and became a British Protectorate in 1824. Through Doctrine of Lapse Manipur was annexed in 1891. (5/n)

#Tripura was never formally annexed by the British Empire, but it 1809 it had entered into a Subsidiary alliance with the Company.

The Garo, Khasi, Jayantia, Lushai, Nagal hill areas as well as North East Frontier tracts gradually fell under British influence. (6/n)

The region was merged with bengal Presidency, and British style of administration was implemented. The Company had imported cooks, personal servants, peons & clerks from other parts of their Empire to assist in the administration.

But that was not all. (7/n)

#Assam at the turn of the 18th century was depleted by the #Moamoria rebellion. In the second decade of the 19th century it faced Burmese invasion from 1822-1826, which nearly extinguished #Assam

The depopulation was so severe that the Company had to import labour. (8/n)

The imported labour, who would mostly be used in the tea industry, were sourced from Jharkhand, Orissa, & bengal. They are known today as "bagani", after the tea gardens

Throughout the 19th century the influence of bengal on Assamese society would be prevalent. (9/n)

In 1836 the Company had imposed bangla on the state in lieu of Assamese language. This was done on the recommendation of the clerk's who had then dismissed Assamese as a dialect of bangla.

Assamese was restored as the state language only in 1873. (10/n)

This was possible due to the tireless efforts of Assamese scholars as well as Christian Missionaries.

Missionaries like Nathan Brown, Miles Bronson, and many others did Yeoman service to preserve Assamese language. (11/n)

On hindsight the dismissal of an indigenous language of the people seems catastrophic. But it was a different era where the Company genuinely believed Assamese to be a dialect.

In 1848, Nathan Brown published his work "Grammatical notes of Assamese language" (12/n)

The book was published in the American Baptist Mission Press in Sibsagar. Such literary works, and publication of Arunodai, revived an interest in Assamese language which helped in the restoration of Assamese linguistic identity in Assam. (13/n)

Linguistic imposition was not the only challenges faced by Assam during the colonial era.

It is already been mentioned that the Company had to import labour from other parts of their Empire. But the labour was not limited to the tea tribes. (14/n)

To maximise their profits in #Assam , the company required more labour. There was a shortage of labour in Assam because of the previous conflicts.

To tide over the crisis the Company encouraged the settlement of traders, farmers, artisans etc. in the state. (15/n)

This new "import" was in addition to the tea tribes & domestic help, already hired by the Company and settled in Assam.

However the numbers had swelled so much that they nearly equalled the indigenous communities. To ease demographic pressure "Line System" was imposed. (16/n)

The "Line System" was devised by the British in around 1916 to safeguard Indigenous interests.

Areas were demarcated where the settlement of migrants was allowed, and those areas reserved exclusively for indigenous communities.(17/n)

The Line System was implemented around 1916-1920 in the Kamrup and Nagaon districts of Assam.

Due to the turbulent political atmosphere of those times the Line System was deeply resented by migrants. Especially farmers from Mymensingh, then east bengal (18/n)

By 1947 the spectre of partition loomed. It was clear that partition was inevitable. What had made it worse for Assam was that due to Cabinet Mission proposal Assam was merged with east bengal.

If Assam today is a part of India the credit goes to Gopinath Bordoloi. (19/n)

The inclusion of Assam with East Pakistan was avoided due to the tireless efforts of Gopinath Bordoloi.

The after effects of the partition, however, affected Assam long after 1947. And some would say it continues to affect even today. (20/20)