'Cultural identity' as unifying factor for Assamese people highlighted

Guwahati: The 'cultural identity' of the Assamese community, which is divided into many tribes and sects but bind together by shared legacy ranging from history to food, can be the unifying factor for the people of the state, eminent personalities of diverse fields opined.

They maintained that perspectives on the community by non-resident Assamese with connections with the state will help in a better understanding of the issues facing the state and its people.

"We need more writings by people who have roots in Assam and are connected with the happenings here but have been staying outside for various reasons. When things are viewed from a distance, new perspectives emerge," litterateur and former director general of Assam Police Kuladhar Saikia said.

An ex-president of Assam Sahitya Sabha, he mentioned of initiatives taken by the literary body to connect second-generation non-resident Assamese with their language when he was at the helm of the sabha.

Saikia was speaking at the launch of a book, 'The Assamese ' A Portrait of a Community', by journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty here on Friday.

Underlining the importance of language for a community to strive, Saikia said 'economics of language' is a vital concept in this regard.

"Dominance of a handful of languages in the internet could sound the death knell for other languages," the retired top cop added.

Writer Ratna Bharali Talukdar maintained that culture can play the most crucial role in bringing the Assamese community together, which is divided into many tribes and non-tribes.

"We have to downplay the linguistic differences and explore the power of cultural identity as a unifying factor," she said, adding that there was also a growing discussion on 'ecological identity' having the power to bring the entire North Eastern region together.

Pisharoty, sharing an outline of her book, said she has endeavoured to present an 'insider's view from an outsider's perspective'.

"We, the Assamese people, have a rich legacy which binds us together. From our food habits to the jewellery we wear to our history, it all contributes to the forming of our community.

"I have tried to delve into the history and origins of several of such aspects, and find the common thread that binds us together," the Delhi-based journalist added.

Emphasising on the 'cosmopolitan outlook' of the Assamese society, another panelist and author Kaushik Barua maintained it was an inherent aspect of the state.

"Assamese people have been used to living and experiencing different religions, languages, etc and have been accepting and assimilating. It has given us a cosmopolitan outlook," a recipient of Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar said.

Noted novelist Arupa Kalita Patangia, sharing her perspectives on the emergence of Assamese literature and its journey to the global forum, exuded hope that books written in Assamese language will reach the world readers in greater numbers.

While noting that not many Assamese language books have been translated into world languages, the Sahitya Akademi awardee also emphasised on the need for literature to be able to transcend geographical boundaries through its own merit.

Celebrity chef Atul Lahkar, who has been promoting Assamese cuisine, dwelt on how food habits of a community have a common origin, which also plays a unifying role.

He urged writers to delve more into the origin of Assamese cuisine and document it as it would also serve as a reservoir of the growth and changes of the society as a whole.