Bodo culture
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Bodo culture, the culture of the Bodo people in Assam is a semi-tribal agrarian culture with a strong tradition of sericulture. It has been influenced by recent social reforms under Brahma Dharma, and the spread of Christianity. The attitudes are deep independence and pride in the Bodo identity giving rise to political assertions in recent times. The Bodos are a very old community in the region, and have contributed to the cultural traditions of the Assamese and others in the region.
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[edit] Music and dance
[edit] The Bagurumba
The Bodos traditionally dance the Bagurumba.This dance is accompanied by the Bagurumba song which goes like this
Bagurumba, Hai Bagurumba
jat nonga bla khun nonga bla
thab brum homnanwi bamnanwi lagwmwn kha
hwi lwgw lagwmwn kha...
[edit] Musical instruments
Among the many different musical instruments, the Bodos use:
Siphung: This is a long bamboo flute having only five holes rather than six as the north Indian Bansuri would have and is also much longer than it, producing a much lower tone.
Serja:This is a violin-like instrument.It has a round body and the scroll is bent forward.
Tharkha:It is a block of bamboo split into two halves for clapping.
kham :It is a long drum made of wood and skin of goat.
[edit] Cuisines
Oma Bedor:Pork is called oma bedor by the boros.The boros make pork of different flavours.The first type is the usual one where they will just make pork fry(in pan or direct fire) or pork gravy.The second flavour is made by roasting the meat in the sun for sevaral days and cooking it.The third one is their favourite which is called oma khaji.It is cooked by mixing blood and meat.
Napham:Napham is a special dish which greatly distinguishes bodo cuisines from that of the other races.It is made by grinding roasted fish,different leaves and a special powder in an ual and keeping the mixture in a sealed bamboo trunk.Then after some weeks this raw napham with a strong odour becomes ready for frying.
Onla:This is also another distinguishing cuisine of the bodos.Onla is a gravy made from rice powder and slices of bamboo shoots.Generally, chicken or pork are also put in onla.
Ju Mai:It is a type of rice beer made by the bodos mainly during the festivals like bwisagu and domasi.It is of two types-gishi(wet) and gwran(dry).Gishi is made by fermentation of a mixture of emou(a mixture of basic ingrediants needed for making wine) and mibra(a strong alocoholic breed of rice).Gwran is made by distillation of the same type of mixture.The Bodos test the strength of the beer by throwing a cup of beer in the fire.A flash of fire indicates the strengh of the beer.
Narzi:This is a type of bitter gravy made from dried leaves of jute plant.A good amount of animal fat preferably fat from pork is required for a better taste.
