ABSTRACT
India is the second-most populous nation of the world. It is a multi-cultural and multiethnic country. Being a multiethnic country and a nation of diversified landscape, India has a rich cultural variability. Culture is the determinant of human life. The cultural norms, values, and customs are keenly related to the surrounding environment. Within this multiethnicity, the tribal population has their own identity and heritage. If we look into the formation of Indian society and civilization it can be found that before the invasion of the Aryans, non-Aryans were predominant throughout the entire country. Thus, if we want to know India’s national culture, then the cultural heritage of the tribals must be kept in mind. These people are scattered from east to west and north to south in all corners of India. Mostly they live in the hilly, forested, and isolated areas. They have their own dialects, cultural practices, as well as cultural heritages, and these are very much interrelated with their ecological habitat and their mode of occupation. Naturally their dialect has a great influence on their traditional cultural practices. But particularly because of the access to modern facilities of lifestyle and the gradual influence of urban culture, modernization, and globalization, the dialect and traditional cultural practices of the tribals are not getting adequate importance. This is especially common amongst the younger generation. As a result, the traditional dance, music, and other cultural practices are losing their importance among these people. The whole of north-east India is a zone rich with tribal cultural heritage, and this area is especially well-known for the culture of Mongoloid-originated tribal people. This essay is an attempt to discuss how the practices of folk culture of the ethnic minorities are facing a serious challenge in this era of globalization; this issue has been examined among the few tribes of North Bengal.
