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They Ask If We Eat Frogs: Garo Ethnicity in Bangladesh

In recent times, ethnicity has perhaps emerged as one of the most significant social issues in South Asian studies. Literatures and debate have appeared to study a range of issues – from tribal discourse to ethnic identity – in a comparative and contemporary perspective. Attempts have been made to relate the ethnic identity with the cultural richness of this particular region. However, these literatures and debate have neglected partially to address the historical magnanimity of these issues for which they were known or meant to be. Ellen Bal’s study on Garo Ethnicity reveals the social identity of a tribe in Bangladesh which has a connotation of being marginalized and fixed. Refuting to accept totally the conventional vis-à-vis theoretical and practical notion of tribe, which is commonly known as ‘Indigenous Peoples’ or Adivasis, the study deals with the complex social relations between South Asia’s minorities and their neighbours, their self-perceptions and claims for their own identity. Through this, the author offers a contextual case of how ideas and images can become strong social realities. It examines the historical evolution of Garo identity/ethnicity in progressive cultural parameters that support a sense of ‘Garo-ness’, in the discipline of a complex study of tribes in South Asia. An argument emerges that different tribal ethnic groups of Bangladesh and their historical background, economic activities, social structure, religious belief and festivals make them distinct and special. Precisely, highlighting the historical richness of Garo tribes’ vis-à-vis Adivasis in Bangladesh, Ellen Bal delivers the complex dynamism of ethnic groups in connection with the contexts in which Garos came into existence and their intended social tasks for which the community was responsible for. In larger context, it highlights the discourse of why and how tribalist has come into being, and how representations of tribes/tribals have served particular agendas. It goes on to present an investigative analysis of the tribes in South Asia, their existential self-perceptions, identities, and development. Being ethnically homogenous, Bengalis comprise 98% of the total Bangladesh population. The remainder are mostly migrant Bihari’s and indigenous tribal groups like Santhals and Garos. At present, the Garos constitute little less than 10% of the ‘other peoples’ of Bangladesh. The presence of Garos is widely prevalent in most parts of Bangladesh. Importantly, there is a clear description about the Garos in the Banglapedia. Most of the Garo population is concentrated in the Modhupur area, at least fifty km from the Indian border. Garos in Bangladesh today present a different sect and identity altogether from other ethnic communities of Bangladesh. The author explains in one of the chapters, titled ‘Garo Narratives of Self’, that though the contemporary Garos are very conscious of their ethnic identity, a wide variety of Asian Ethnicity Vol. 10, No. 3, October 2009, 297–303