The Transmutation of Ethnic Politics of the Mataks of Assam: Pre Colonial and Colonial Scenario

Abstract

“Ethnic politics is a normal phenomenon in the day to day politics of developing
countries like India, which is a home to various ethnic groups. Ethnic politics in simple words
refers to the politics related to ethnicity and ethnic groups. It is a situation in which people are
mobilized on the basis of their ethnic identity whereby people tend to extend their support
towards the leaders and elites of their respective ethnic groups with a view to maintain their
distinct ethnic identity as well as to obtain certain privileges and benefits in the society, from the
government. The Mataks are one of the aboriginal ethnic tribal groups of people of Assam that
are subjected to numerous discriminations and deprivations and are on the verge of becoming
identity less in contemporary period. As such an attempt has been made in this paper to discuss
about their ethnic politics and its transition in the pre-colonial and colonial period in Assam with
a view to revive their lost glorious history which got diluted with the passage of time.