INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY ON BODO CULTURE: A CASE STUDY OF THE BODO CHRISTIANS IN ASSAM

Abstract

Bodos, one of the early settlers in Assam, India, are agriculturists. The tradition and the culture of Bodo are two sides of one coin that is they are interlinked to each other. For centuries Bodos have been influenced by other neighboring cultures and vice versa, yet they are able to preserve their main culture and language. The influence of Christianity is another significant impact on Bodos and their culture, which contributed Bodos towards social and cultural assimilation and development. Out of total population in Assam, 1.58 million belong to Bodo tribe and 9.40% have accepted the Christianity and 90.31% still follow the animism or Bathousim. The acceptance of Christianity by Bodo people can be mirrored in two opposite angles. One as insider’s perspective, the culture has been influenced by western teaching hence intercepted by other culture and taken away from the main culture and as outsider’s perspective it has been enriched to take forward for development towards transformation. Education is one of the examples where otherwise Bodos would have to still combat few more years to compete with other tribes in Assam. The impact of Christianity on the Bodo culture cannot be kept aside if history of the Bodos is to be ever kept alive. Cultural development as well as ceases of the practice of certain social customs due to the coming of Christianity among Bodos have to be examined with great consideration if we want to know the present and the past states of the Bodos..