A STUDY ON SONOWAL KACHARI TRIBE AND THEIR TRADITIONAL FOLK-LIFE

Assam is the hub of different indigenous people of India. ‘Sonowal Kachari' is one of the old indigenous tribe in Assam. The settlements of these people are mainly scattered in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and other districts of Upper Assam. Sonowal Kachari is a tribe who are rich in characteristics in art and culture. In the area of folk-life Sonowal Kacaris are significantly rich in folk dance among all the folk traditions. According to Dorson one of the major parts of the folk-life is the performing folk arts. Among the Sonowal kachari, their own characteristics are observed in the performing folk arts. The notable folk dances of the Sonowal Kacharis are - Bohua dance, Hugra dance, Haidang dance, Leseri Dance, Log Bihu, Kulabudi Dance etc. It is important to note that in the past, these dances were performed only during festivals or pujas, in accordance with strict rules and regulations. However, in recent times, it has been observed that the policy has been relaxed and measures have been taken to perform these dances in front of everyone. These people have taken such steps for the purpose of preserving and disseminating the endangered cultural elements among the Sonowal Kacharis. This paper is trying to discuss about the Sonowal Kacharis and their folk-life through special reference on folk-dance