BarbaraMajeski6: minor update

2026-02-20T23:58:22Z

minor update

>Marcocapelle: /* Notes */more specific categorization

2021-07-06T21:57:01Z

Notes: more specific categorization

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Deori people
| total_ref =
| popplace = [[Assam]], [[Arunachal Pradesh]]
| langs = , [[Deori language|Deori]]
| rels = ''<small>Majority</small>:'' [[Folk religion]]
| related = [[Bodo-Kachari peoples|Bodo-Kachari]], [[Assamese people]], [[Boro people]], other [[Sino-tibetan languages|Sino-Tibetan group]]
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
}}

{{Culture of Assam}}

The '''Deori ''' are one of the major indigenous communities of [[Assam]] and [[Arunachal Pradesh]]. They historically lived in the area of Sadiya, Joidaam, Patkai foothills and in the upper plains or also called as the hinterland of the [[Brahmaputra Valley]]. Concrete documented records about the history of the tribe is very limited. Scanty information was found in few books and official records. The Deori community belongs to the [[Sino-Tibetan]] language family. The community has maintained their racial traits, language, religion, folktales and traditional beliefs through the centuries.<ref>Sharma, S.K. ''Discovery of Northeast India: Volume 2''. Mittal Publications,2005, p. 81.</ref> They were divided into ''Jimochayan''/''Dibang-Diyongial''(Dibongia), ''Midoyan''/''Tengapania'', ''Luitugan''/''Borgoya''.<ref>[http://www.ijrssh.com/images/short_pdf/Jul_2013_LADE%20JAYANT%20DEORAM.pdf Deoram, L.D.,''Study of Mishing and Deori Community'',p. 50.]</ref> The native language is retained only by the Dibongia group.

==History==

===Origin folklore===

Although the Deori tribe today form a separate community with [[Scheduled Tribe]] status and an autonomous council, the folklore of the Deori people connects their past with the Chutia kingdom. As per the origin folklore of the Deori tribe,<ref>Report on the Census of Assam 1881: Chapter 6, p.76</ref><ref>Deka Ratul, ''A comparative study of the folktales of the Mising and Deori tribes in Assam in terms of structuralist narratology'',p.149</ref> once goddess Tamreswaree took the form of a huge stone and floated in the water of Dibang River. The king(which they refer to as Bhismak) had sent many people in order to bring the stone to its assigned place but everyone failed. Four Deori people came forward for the task. With a great sense of loyalty and devotion they started praying the goddess. The goddess became satisfied and the stone become automatically light. The four people brought the stone and placed it in the temple. The King became satisfied and appointed them as priests. They are the
fore father of the four clans of the Deori people.

===Migration===

The homeland of the Deoris was in the eastern regions of undivided Assam. As per the folklore of the tribe, they are settlers of the area of Joidaam and Patkai foothills and upper valley of Brahmaputra. During Burmese (Maan as called by Deoris) aggression (1817-1826) the tribe lost a lot of lives. Many slaughtered and many taken as captive. Again the destructive earthquake of 1869 devastated the whole community. The uncertainty about future prevailed amongst those who floated down in the river using bamboo and banana plant made raft. They migrated to different places alongside the rivers they floated down. As they entered and landed in their new territory, they took the name of that particular river as their clan name. Deoris under the ruler of the new land had followed the law of the land. Those Deoris who migrated to places with less interest and influence of the outside rulers had followed their culture and traditions and continued their dialect.

Some experts, like [[Bishnu Prasad Rabha]], claim that the [[Pator-goya]] clan assimilated with the [[Tiwa (Lalung)|Tiwa tribe]] in central Assam but there has been no scientific evidence to support the claim, which prompted a section of Deoris to begin a search. A preliminary investigation from 30 September to 5 October under the aegis of ''Jimachaya Giyan Aru Juktibadi Samaj'' has given a positive indication of the presence of Deori people in [[Kachin State|Kachin]] province and near [[Yangon]] in Myanmar. A team of researchers has decided to visit Myanmar in search of the lost clan.<ref>http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/to-myanmar-in-search-of-a-lost-clan-of-the-deoris-tribe-of-assam/article6485876.ece</ref> Most of the people of Dibongiya class can speak their own mother tongue along with Assamese, but the rest of the 3 other classes/clans ( except few elderly persons) only understand and speak Assamese as their mother tongue. The three classes of Deoris live in the districts mentioned above.

==Language==
The [[Deori language]] is one of the languages of the [[Sino-Tibetan]] language family. Deori language is mainly spoken in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Over the years, Deori speakers, barring the [[Dibongia]] clan which uses it rigorously, have shifted to speaking the Assamese language, which can be attributed to the [[Language shift]] phenomenon.

==Deori society==
===Deori clans===
The people of Deori tribe are mainly divided into four groups or clans, namely [[Dibongia]], Borgoya, [[Tengaponiya]] and [[Pator-goya]]. The entire people of each main clan or main group are again subdivided into several sub-clans or sub-groups. The word "sub-clan" or "sub-group" is called "Boja" or "Bahor" in Deori language. Some of the commonly known sub-clan are like Ariya, Kumotaya, Bihiya, Naroda, Sundhariya, Patriya, Dupiya, Marangya, Chariya, Lagasuya, Chitigaya, Mehedaya, Kuliya, Khutiya/Buruk, Machiya, Bikomiya, Phaporiya, Fagimegia, Senaboriya, Chakucharu, Ekacharul/Busaru, Simocharu, Hizaru, Popharu, Gucharu etc.<ref>http://www.deori.in/Sociallife.html</ref> Each Deori people wants to know or wants to inform about their main clan and sub-clan (sub-group) in their first introduction. Otherwise, their introduction remains incomplete.

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

{{Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh}}
{{Hill tribes of Northeast India}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deori (Tribe)}}
[[Category:Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Tribes of Assam]]
[[Category:Hindu ethnic groups]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Northeast India]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in South Asia]]

Deori people - Revision history

BarbaraMajeski6: minor update

>Marcocapelle: /* Notes */more specific categorization