ABSTRACT
Identity manifested through cultural assertiveness is an early sign of autonomy movements. In Northeast India, this is apt in the context of successful, partially successful and ongoing autonomy movements. Northeast India has an ample number of small tribes and communities with distinct cultural heritage and pride. Some of the tribes like the Bodos, Karbis and Mishings could preserve their cultural heritage throughout and succeed in ensuring political autonomy. Some other communities became mainstream too early and lost their cultural heritage in course of time. The Chutias is one of them, which was a ruling tribe along with the Kacharis when the Ahoms entered Assam. The Chutias have been strongly demanding for tribal status, mildly for Sixth Schedule status considering their old capital Sadiya as a new bastion. Seeing the success of autonomy movements based on cultural consciousness, a momentum for cultural revisionism emerged in communities like the Chutias who lost their past glory in course of time. The essay would examine why the momentums for autonomy movements were different between the Bodos and the Chutias, despite both being solely strong and ruling tribes of Assam during the arrival of the Ahoms.
