Colonial versus Cultural Construction of Alcohol Consumption in the Tea Garden Society of Assam, India.

Abstract

Alcohol drinking in the tea gardens of Assam is mainly associated with colonial period and culture of the communities working within it. During the colonial period or the British’s period, there arose a shift from cultural to commercial consumption of alcohol. Although, cultural consumption of it still has its significance surviving through rituals and ceremonies. Cultural consumption of it is associated with drinking within cultural sphere. But, due to economic profit, the Britishers tried to normalize the drinks among the tea garden workers in their work life. Both of the factors have influence on the normalization of alcohol in the tea garden society of Assam. In this regard, cultural construction and colonial construction of alcohol consumption can be seen as two phenomenons related with the normalization of it. Alcohol consumption in Mancotta tea estate or garden is a common thing like the other tea gardens of Assam. So, this tea garden is purposefully selected for the study. To understand the relationship between alcohol and culture, the data related to the use of alcohol in the rituals and ceremonies of the dominant tribal communities such as Oraon, Munda, Santhal and Savar were necessary. Alcohol is socio-cultural as well as work stimulant in this tea garden society. This paper tries to compare mainly the colonial and cultural construction of drinking in the tea gardens of Assam.