Published Paper Details:

Cultural identity is the characteristic of the individual and the culturally identical group of members sharing the same culture or upbringing. Its importance in preserving uniqueness and distinctiveness amidst cultural diversity in a country like India can never be undermined. Cultural identity of a community is marked by its culture and tradition which includes festivals, costumes, religious faith, food habits, music, dance forms, etc. Assam, the most prominent of the North-Eastern states, takes pride in its rich cultural heritage. Inhabited by a large number of tribes and communities, the state is marked for being a rich storehouse of multiple culture and tradition. Among those tribes and communities, the Tai-Ahoms and the Misings occupy an important place. The festivals Me-Dam-Me-Phi of the Tai-Ahoms and Ali-ai-Ligang of the Misings have given them distinct cultural identities. The present paper is an attempt to trace the cultural identity of the Tai-Ahoms and the Misings through our study of the concept of cultural identity and the rituals of the festivals Me-Dam-Me-Phi and Ali-ai-Ligang.