Page 85 - Changing Living Spaces

Living Spaces of Ethnic Groups and their Relationship with the Ecological Environment

In considering the current settlement patterns of each ethnic group,
it is important to note the historical background of their migration.
Until the eighteenth century, the district was sparsely populated with
the Asamiyas from western Assam and the Mishings from the hills in
Arunachal Pradesh. The Asamiyas lived in the plains, while the Mishings
lived near the rivers. In the nineteenth century, the Ahom migrated from
the southern bank of the Brahmaputra and established villages in the
plains. At the same time, the tribe of Ex-Tea labour came to work in the
tea gardens established by the British in the piedmont area. Finally, in
the twentieth century, immigrants from Nepal and Bangladesh migrated
to the region (Gopalkrishnan 2000, 257–76). There was little unoccupied
land left for those who later migrated to the district.

Interaction Between the Ahoms and Mishings
The ethnic groups in the study area live in different ecological environ-
ments and have different livelihoods that allow them to interact with
other groups through the exchange of agricultural products and labour
services. Here, the Ahoms and the Mishings are taken as an example and

Figure 3 Mishing Woman Working in the Ahom Village

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