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Dynamics of Identity Among the Bhutia of Sikkim

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Dynamics of Identity Among the Bhutia of Sikkim DYNAMICS OF IDENTITY AMONG THE BHUTIA OF SIKKIM: AN ANTHOPOLOGICAL STUDY A SUMMARY WRITE-UP OF THESIS SUBMITTED To Sikkim University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy By SANGAY DIKI BHUTIA Ph.D Registration No: 15/Ph.D/ANT/01...dated16.05.2016 Department of Anthropology Sikkim University CONTENTS 1. Dynamics of Identity among the Bhutia of Sikkim 2. Significance of Research study 3. Research Methodology 4. Objectives of the Study 5. Major Findings Conclusions 1. DYNAMICS OF IDENTITY AMONG THE BHUTIA OF SIKKIM Anthropological research on community identity has gained importance as scholars have focused on the content of communities’ identity (Barth, 1969, Epstein, 1978, Cohen, 1985). Community identity situates a particular community in a given social space as it is a matter of construction and mobilization. Such constructions eventually become part of social representations and therefore end up influencing the nature of social interaction of communities in a given region. Further, Identity is what makes an individual uniquely different or identical, it is understood in many ways, an individual can be recognized from different identities, and hence we can differentiate identity as multi-layered. Though, individual will have a single personal identity but have different social identities like caste identity, class identity, cultural identity, community identity, gender identity, educational identity, above all the national identity of an individual comes at the initial level. Identity discourse has gained significantly understanding the concept of "Identity" by exploring different cultures, classes, social categories, etc. The research study accounts on the social change and the experiences of individual members from a Bhutia community in Sikkim which has been there home for centuries. The concept of identity has approached us to analyze a social formation from various historical periods and capture the ongoing social change. To grasp the change of past decades, the anthropological approach to study on "Identity" is very helpful. To define Identity, it is something which is not given naturally but are culturally defined and constructed through ways of people lives. 2. SIGNIFICANE OF THE RESEARCH STUDY Anthropologists are interested to study communities from a historical perspective particularly to trace the social change that has occurred in any given place. The study on trajectory of a community will inform us the important transformation that has taken in a various socio-cultural aspects. The contextual social life has a significant bearing on how it was organized in the distant past. Bhutia are one of the smaller ethnic communities settled in all the four districts of Sikkim with their own distinct culture, language, festivals, etc. Having such unique characteristics Bhutia community often failed to bring themselves in the limelight. One of the major challenges is that, there is not much detailed ethnographic studies conducted on Bhutia and also much attention has not been paid to their regional local practices. Today, as the modernization process has spread the advancement of education among the Bhutia, has increased in their literacy rate brought some social mobility among them. Even though majority in the rural areas are still practicing agriculture, but they are well acquainted with the outside world. Many of them are working in government services, while and some are in business sector. These educated professionals are trying to bring about cultural revival of Bhutia community, until recently, there is a realization that they have lost and slowly are transferring some of their traditional practices and adapted different measures for cultural revivalism. Hence, the grievance has been made by the concerned members these days among them where they have been adapting different measures. Bhutia community members have started by forming different organizations and often conduct meetings for the benefit of the community. Bhutia community is also in a way to preserve their language which is in the verge of extinction; the one of the major focus of this research study is to know how language plays an important role and what measures have they adopted to protect their language in different domains. It is important to examine how identity is constructed by a community and what it means within different social groups with reference to Sikkim. The research study is on Bhutia identity with reference to its cultural process from historical times to the present context. The research study take on processual approach in delineating the cultural boundaries, objective identification such as language, religion and cultural practices of Bhutia community. The research study conceptualizes identity as something that accures a sense of being integrated and continues though there is change due to the modernization process. The recent upsurge in intermarriages and political assertion within the state has given rise to new forms of identity assertion. The present research study is posed to examine the patterns of social change and continuity of the Bhutia community identity. With rapid urban development, migration process, Bhutia community have come to the realization that, the fusion of different cultures might draw a division of line which will lead to an eradication of their traditional, age old cultural practices and heritage. For that Bhutia are in a wake of conscious stage, putting their efforts to preserve cultural heritage. Therefore, this research study intends out to examine how the Bhutia community is striving towards to retain their own socio-cultural practices in the present times. As per the constitutional amendment of 1978, there are eight other communities’ which falls under generic term ‘Bhutia’ category, but for the benefit of the present research study, the later additions of the constitutional amendment of 1978 of the Sikkim government the other eight communities are not specifically chosen for study. Only Bhutia (lhopos) are particularly chosen for this research study. 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY The tradition of doing ethnographic fieldwork for a certain study has influenced the content and course of anthropological inquiry. For this research study emphasis is mainly on observation, more particularly participant observation, interview, case study and historical sources. The present research study is an ethnographic which endeavor attempt in recording the identity of Bhutia community. Ethnographic research process has taken a deeper aspects on how individual members assign meanings in their everyday life. The research study is empirical and qualitative in nature. The research data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. In the secondary data, historical documents like the archival records, books, journals and related magazines are gathered. For the primary data, the researcher herself, as a participant adopted the qualitative techniques like interview, observation, and case studies from the selected sample villages where predominant Bhutia community exists. The research was carried from 2016-18 periodically in the following selected villages of Sikkim. 1. East- Sang, Sumin and Simick Lingzey 2. West-Pelling, Chongpung and Singyang 3. North- Phodong 4. South- Ralang, Namchi The sample includes Bhutia community’s elders, women and the youth. Village Buddhist Monasteries and their functionaries have been covered for the research study. Further, the research study collected data from the villages, semi urban areas and urban areas with the snowball technique. Focused Group Discussions were employed in the research study to understand the magnitude of the chosen topic. As the researcher herself belongs to the Bhutia community, Reflexive process from an auto-ethnographical account has incorporated in the research study towards understanding various forms of cultural change and identity formation. 4. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY • To know how Bhutia community has been influenced by different social classes in the pre and post-merger phases. • To study the role of Buddhist Monastery among Bhutia society. • To investigate the contextual processes of Bhutia community in reaffirming cultural autonomy. • To unravel how Bhutia community practice cultural boundaries with other communities in rural and urban areas. • To understand the process of social change among Bhutia community in linguistic revivalism, education and employment. • To find out how the present generation is acting out culture and identity 5. MAJOR FINDINGS • The examination of identity construction has been done among the Bhutia of different geographical locations, being living in the different villages and exposed to different forms of culture from other communities, the research study highlights the similarities and cultural changes currently practicing by the Bhutia community members all over Sikkim. The Bhutia community, are currently negotiating the process of transition, at this scenario, an attempt is being made by the members to search for new symbol to connect the past history with present traditions. This evident as the Bhutia community's practice in showcasing their territorial religious symbols and religious identity. • The notion of identity is widely discussed in anthropological enquiry, as it is theorized in a fragmented, multiple and fluid manner. Thus, the identity denotes the social dimension of human existence. Through the passage of time, Bhutia community have undergone many changes and transformation
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