Bodo
From WikiAssam
The Bodos are an ethnic group that belong to the greater Bodo-Kachari cluster. They are mostly concentrated in the northern bank of the river Brahmaputra. Mythologically, according to Suniti Kumar Chatterjee, a well-known linguist, they are "the offspring of son of the Vishnu and Mother-Earth" who were termed as Kiratas during the Epic period.
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Artisanship
Silk
The women of community weave dreams on their looms. The Bodo Dokhona' Fali, Aronai and Endi clothes are superb example of artistic finis in handlooms.
Mahatma Gandhi, on his visit to Assam, rightly observed that the women of Bodo women weave dream in their loom. From time immemorial, the Bodo women have spun cotton, Endi and Muga silk for sell use of herself and her family members. Muga was for the noblemen and Endi products for the commoners. The word Muga seems to have been derived from the word Mugasong. The Mugasong (Sowalu tree in Assamese or Litsala Polyantha) is a plant where the wild Muga worm converts itself to pupa inside a cocoon. The word Muga prevalent in Assamese had no origin in Sanskrit or other language. The Bodo weaver derived his choice of color from natural herbs to obtain wide range of colors and tastes.
There motives and designs are obtained from their natural surroundings. The names of such designs and motives are Phareu Megon (Eye of Pigeon), Khaseo Bikha (Chest of Tortoise), Mufur Afa (Toe of a Bear), Shikhri Agar (Butterfly pattern), Ding-khia Agar (Fern pattern), Daorai Mwkhbeb (Blinking of Peacock Eye) etc.
Handicraft
The Bodos are well versed in bamboo and cane handicraft. Bamboo has its own use in urban areas for plaque panelling, ceiling, lampstand, mattress, scroll, tapestry, tray, etc. Some bamboo varieties are used for making mats, baskets, some for decoration and others as garden bush.
Cane is another ally of bamboo. Fine canes are used for furniture, umbrella handle, walking stick, baskets, mat and even for tying elephants.
But indiscriminate destruction of forest wealth-herbs medicine plants etc. have resulted in the extinction of various species.
Culture
Bodo folk dances and songs have received high acclaim.
Language
Bodo Language, Bodo Literature
Unrest
Despite all these peculiarities and strength, the Bodo culture and artistic tradition are relegated to non-entity in the blind race of modernism. However, Bodo artisans have been able to retain their originality to some extent primarily because of their interior location and lesser intervention by outsiders. There is a need to integrate these peculiarities with the rest of India to strengthen the good old traditional craft and culture for the mutual benefit of the Bodo people and the nation at large.
The Bodo Movement yielded to the Bodo Accord in 1993, signed between the Union Government and the ABSU for the formation of the Bodo Autonomous Council. Militant demands for autonomy ended with the the signing of Memorandum of Settlement between the Union Government, the Assam Government and the Bodo Liberation Tigers in 2003 for the establishment of the Bodo Territorial Council. Militancy demanding secession continued under the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, which was weakened considerably by the Bhutan army operation against Indian militant groups in December 2003.
