54. Understanding Bodo Identity in Their Handloom

According to S. Endle, the Bodos are one of the largest ethnic communities among the Indo-Mongoloid origin of Tibeto Burmese language family and the largest single speaking ethnic community in North-east India. The community has significant traditions of visual culture, particularly of wood carving, handloom and textile, craft works, horticulture, and folklores. The community also had wide knowledge in weaving garments from grasses, fibers and cotton, what they grew from silk, both wild and domesticated. It is significant that the silk of sericulture was introduced in north-eastern states of India, many centuries before the arrival of Vedic Aryans by the ancestors of Bodos (Endle 1997). However, the new generation of the Bodo community rarely follows the ancient cultural practices due to lack of preservation, documentation, and research of about the art and artefacts of this community. “Considerable amount of changes has taken place in the dress outfits not only the male section but the female section as well. Similarly, the art of dying yarn and cloths which was a community secret of the tribe is gradually fading out”. (“Tribe of Assam Part- I” by Bordoloi et al. [Bordoloi B.N., Sharmah G.C., Saikia M.C.: Tribe of Assam. Part-I. B. N. Bordoloi, Guwahati (1987)]) So, this paper evolves from the research gap through a critical review of the limited literature available in the field of Bodo handloom design, understanding of Bodo community, and philosophy of the culture.