MY IMPRESSIONS OF ASSAM

VERRIER ELWIN

In this chapter Verrier Elwin draws our attention to

the hill people of Assam whom he had studied
during his stay of about four months in the state. He
found beauty in hill areas and their people. Through
his writing he focuses on what he saw and implores
everyone to preserve the traditional and the natural
heritage. Elwin praises the friendliness and
hospitality of all the people of Assam, and especially
of the hill folk. He then discusses about the Kaziranga
National Park and expresses his excitement on
coming across a dozen of rhinos within a brief period
of two hours of his visit, in contrast to the parks of
East Africa. However, he says that East African parks
were well maintained because of the cooperation of
the people and also poaching was unheard there,
unlike the parks of Assam where no animal was safe.
He appeals to everybody to do something to protect
wildlife in these parks.
Elwin then comes to the main issue of his interest --
the hill people of Assam. He rues the absence of a
museum to record and display the art of these
people. He put forward an example to reflect this
aspect -- a death chant sung by the kabuls ( Naga
tribe) which is very enchanting, but which is not
recorded and will be lost in oblivion in the years to
come. He also says that the immense treasure of folk
tales will also disappear, unless they are written and
stored for the future generations. This loss is due to
the present youths' preference for western music.

Elwin then says about the beauty present in other

arts of the hill people, such as in wood carvings, in
colour schemes of woven materials, in items of
personal decoration, etc. He says that it is
remarkable how the tribal people have a natural
sense of colour, tone and balance to produce
harmony in all they do. He stresses on the need to
preserve the natural good taste of the hill people and
not let it disappear with the day - by - day
progressing world. He implores the tribes of hills not
to be ashamed of their culture and not to let it
disappear, and also tells all the people of Assam to
appreciate the simplicity and natural beauty of their
villages, to preserve this treasure which if once lost
can never be recovered.