LAW RELATING TO THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL IDENTITY OF THE INDEGENIOUS PEOPLE OF THE BRAHMAPUTRA VALLEY FROM THE FANGS OF ABSOLUTE DEVELOPMENT
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Date
2022-11
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National Law University and Judicial Academy, Assam
Abstract
Indigenous people have long been victims of discrimination and oppression as being part of
marginalized and non dominant sections of the society. Thisnotion holds good in the context
of almost all countries of the world , India being not an exception. This is merely because of
the fact that they have an unique way of life, culture and traditions which is considered as
separate and looked down upon by the rest of the society. The specific identity of the
indigenous people is best expressed in terms of their culture, ways of sustenance and
community feeling. The basis of their culture and traditions is the greater relationship
which they share with the land and resources around which they have lived and evolved for
centuries. This can be inferredfrom the fact that their claim to land, territories and
resources have the essence of preservation of the ecosystem in which they dwell.
Description
The indigenous people share a bond with the place they dwell in terms of their
identity, culture, language and livelihood. Their traditional way of life is quite rich
considering them as heterogenous group but many a times they are not considered to be
at par with people of dominant cultures. The uniqueness in the way of life and the rich
cultural heritage is the only way to make these group people distinct from the other
dominant cultures and also preserve their identity. To the sad state of affairs, it is seen
that due to the present rate of development in the name of modernization, the rich
cultural heritage of the indigenous people is in the threat of danger. Environmental
degradation is affecting these people and they are forced to migrate from their land and
territory.
Indigenous people are distinct social and cultural group belonging to a particular region
who share an unbreakable relation with the land, territory and carry on an unique way of
life. The habitat and the surroundings have a very important role to play inmoulding their
culture , traditions, occupation and other day to day activities. Their distinct way of life
is not the result of today or tomorrow but have been inherited by them from their
ancestors and carried on from time immemorial. They are a close knit group who
heterogeneously stay together with some amount of autonomy in various aspects of life
and strong relationship with nature.
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Citation
Gohain, Monmi (2022)