A team of researchers has decided to visit Myanmar in search of a lost clan of the Deoris, a plains tribe of Assam, after preliminary investigation pointed to the tribe’s presence in the neighbouring country.
“The Deoris, a plains tribe of Assam has four clans — Dibongia, Borgoyan, Tengaponia and Patorgoyan. While Deoris belonging to Dibongia, the Borgoyan and Tengaponia clans are found in Assam, the Patorgoyan clan was reported to be missing or lost. Some experts claim that the Patorgoyan clan assimilated with the Tiwa tribe in central Assam but there has been no scientific evidence to support the claim, which prompted a section of Deoris to begin a search. A preliminary investigation from September 30 to October 5 under the aegis of Jimachaya Giyan Aru Juktibadi Samaj has given positive indication of the presence of Deori people in Kachin province and near Yangon in Myanmar,” Phiju Kumar Deori, one of the team members, told The Hindu .
Dr. Joganto Kumar Deori, Bogaram Deori, Dadul Devakrishna Barua and Lakhyapati Deori are the other members.
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“We believe that the Deori people living in Myanmar could be from the Patorgoyan clan. We will be able to identify them based on the deity they worship. The existing three clans worship three different deities — Bura Buri by Dibongias, Bolia Baba by Tengaponias and Kameswari by Borgoyans,” Mr. Deori said. Deoris, numbering about two lakh, are spread over seven districts of Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Sonitpur and Dibrugarh.