Tea tribes of Assam are specific communities. They reside across the vibrant tapestry of lush tea gardens within the state. The origin of different tea tribes of Assam can be dated back to the British Raj in India. During the early 1820s, these communities had to migrate as the colonists exploited the immensely huge economic potential of tea plantations in Assam.

Unravelling Identity, Culture, & Tradition of Different Tea Tribes of Assam

1. History of Tea in Assam and its linkage with major tribes

Tea Tribes of Assam were formerly known as “Tea Garden Communities”. This was during the 19th and early 20th centuries. They were brought up in Assam by British colonists from different parts of India. This was so that they could be made to work in the burgeoning tea industry. Most of the people from these tribes were from states like Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Madya Pradesh.

These tea tribes of Assam were the labourers who were the first to work in the very first tea industry. It was founded by Robert Bruce in 1823. This led to the discovery of tea and the popularity of its overall economic, social, and cultural uses. This then flourished all across the nation and later around the world. With time, the community formed by the colonists settled in the region. Presently, they resemble themselves as the tea tribes of Assam.

2. A Brief Description Of Lush Green Tea Garden Background and its People

The history of the tea tribes of Assam states that the community had the Adivasis as the first of all its members. They were initially brought to Assam so that they could assist Britishers as plantation labourers in 1821. Assam has always been known as the major tea-producing state in India.

Therefore, to fulfil the amount of labour required for excessive tea production, more people were brought. They belonged to different provinces of the nation. This led to an increase in the tribal population in Assam. They were made to work as indentured labourers. And now, they currently represent the tea tribes of Assam.

3. All About Adivasi Background and Their Importance Within The Tea Tribe Community

Presently, the tea tribes can be found in specific districts of Assam. Some of those districts are Darrang, Sonitpur, Nagaon, Jorhat, Golaghat, Cacher, Karimganj, and many more. Some of the members represent themselves as “ex-tea garden tribes”. They represent communities that have settled down now as casual labourers. Such tea tribes live close to different tea estates in Assam. Let’s explore more on culture, tradition, and lifestyle of the Adivasi background in Assam below – 

4. Asur Tea Tribe in Assam

The Asur tea tribe in Assam belongs to the 36 tea Tribe ST list. They are a very small Austroasiatic ethnic group. They were once hunter-gatherers and also worked in shifting agriculture that was brought to Assam primarily from Jharkhand. Asur Tribes in Assam speak the Mundari language, which is among the several forms of tribal languages that exist within the state.

5. Bhumij Tea Tribe in Assam

The next teat tribe on the list are the Bhumij Tribe that are represented as a Munda ethnic group of India. The primary origin belongs to West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand. Like any other ex-tea tribe, people from the Bhumij tribe were brought to Assam to support the tea plantation business in the state.

6. Chik Baraik Tea Tribe in Assam

Chik Baraik tea tribe was originally a community from the Chota Nagpur Plateau, which is known as Jharkhand. They were brought into Assam by the British Colonists like other tea tribes in the nation. The particular tea tribe are also part of the 36 tea tribe ST list. They are governed under the authority of the Assam Tea Tribe Welfare Department. The welfare department looks into the fulfilment of all labourers associated with the Tribal population in Assam.

7. Gowala Tea Tribe in Assam

Gowala or Goala were the tribes that originated across West Bengal, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh. Later, like different tea tribes, this tea tribe in Assam were brought into the state with the ambition to increase the overall labour force. Likewise, the people from the tea tribe are also given opportunities like tea tribe scholarships and other benefits from the Tea Tribe Welfare Department.

8. Gour Tea Tribe in Assam

The origin of the Gour tribe is rooted in the history of the Gour Kingdom. It existed across the Sylhet region during the medieval period. However, the region belongs to Bangladesh. Thus, the Gour tea tribe in Assam are the people who were brought from the neighbouring nation for the sake of tea plantation activity and business in the state.

9. Jolha Tea Tribe in Assam

Jolha is another tea tribe in Assam that belongs to the community associated with the tea plantation business within the state. The people from the particular tribe are said to be working as tea garden labourers within an ethnic Bhramaputra Valley identity.

10. Karmakar Tea Tribe in Assam

The Karmakar tea tribe is a Bengali-Hindu caste that has been spread across Assam, West Bengal, and Bangladesh. People from the particular tribe are also part of the 36 tea tribe ST list and are eligible for the same Tea Tribe Scholarship benefits. Originally, the Karmakars were traditional blacksmiths by trade however, now people from the tribe living in Assam work as tea garden labourers.

11. Malar Tea Tribe in Assam

Other major tribes of Assam include the Malar Tribes who belong to the Sonitpur district of Assam. There are a total of 318 families that are said to be the part of Malar tea tribe in Assam. People from the particular tribe represent the major tribal population in Assam.

12. Purja Tea Tribe in Assam

Purja tea tribes in Assam also fall on the list supported by the Tea Tribe Welfare Association in the state. They were the initial descendants of the Ghond tribes who were also brought for the tea plantation business in Assam.

13. Raut Tea Tribe in Assam

A large portion of the tribal population in Assam also includes tribal people from Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharastra. They are titled the Raut tea tribe whose traditional occupation was herding.

Conclusion

From the explanation of the different tea tribes of Assam, it can be said that people from the 36 tea tribe ST list have been excellent in their jobs. Since the Tea Tribe Welfare Association is supporting these tea tribes with benefits like the Tea Tribe Scholarship, their motivation to prosper in life remains firm.