Turung people
Total population
10,000
Regions with significant populations
 India (Assam
Arunachal Pradesh)
Languages
Assamese, Turung (former)
Religion
Buddhism
Related ethnic groups
Singpho, Bamars

The Turung people or Tai Turung,[1][2][3] are a numerically small Buddhist community in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. They speak their own Turung language.[4]

They originally migrated from Upper Burma and settled in Assam in the latter part of 18th century. During migration, they were captured and made slaves by the Singpho people and hence have had a lot of Singpho influences on their culture, language, and lifestyle.

Theirs population was counted as 301 in the census of 1891.[5] The present population of the community is unknown but is believed to be around 10,000.

Origin

Although the origin of the word Turung is not known, many believe that it is derived from the name of a river in Patkai region named Turungpani. Another school of thought is that the word Turung is derived from the word Tai Long meaning Great Tai since these people were of Shan origin.[6]

Distribution

They presently reside in certain pockets in Upper Assam in the districts of Golaghat, Jorhat and Karbi Anglong.[7]

References

  1. ^ International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics. Department of Linguistics, University of Kerala. 2004. p. 131.
  2. ^ Daoratanahong, Lakana (1998). Introduction to Tai-Kadai People: The International Conference on Tai Studies, July 29-31, 1998, Royal River, Bangkok. Institute of Language and Culture for Rural Development, Mahidol University. p. 38. ISBN 978-974-661-349-1.
  3. ^ Saikia, Yasmin (2004-11-09). Fragmented Memories: Struggling to be Tai-Ahom in India. Duke University Press. p. 245. ISBN 978-0-8223-3373-9. These Tai people, such as the Phakey, Aiton, Khamyang, Turung, and Khamti, were ambivalent about the Tai-Ahom movement. Their in- terest, or lack thereof, was very much dependent on two factors: their level of association with Tai-Ahom leaders and the physical proximity of their village to a Tai-Ahom village. For example, the Khamyang Goan in Salapathar (which is not far from Patsako) was interested in the Phra Lung movement.
  4. ^ Diller, Anthony; Edmondson, Jerry; Luo, Yongxian (2004-11-30). The Tai-Kadai Languages. Routledge. p. 211. ISBN 978-1-135-79116-2. British records from as early as the mid 19th century suggest that the Turung, which he calls Tairong, were a Tai speaking group who ...
  5. ^ Daoratanahong, Lakana (1998). Introduction to Tai-Kadai People: The International Conference on Tai Studies, July 29-31, 1998, Royal River, Bangkok. Institute of Language and Culture for Rural Development, Mahidol University. p. 33. ISBN 978-974-661-349-1. Population The number of Turung counted in the census of 1891 was 301. The approximate number of Turung population in all the villages did not exceed two thousand during ...
  6. ^ International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics: Volume 33. Department of Linguistics, University of Kerala. 2004. p. 126. word ' Turung ' is differently interpreted by the linguists . " Turung ' is also called Tai - rung or Tai ... Tai groups have got almost a similar script derived from the Brahmi Script of India . This is known as the Tai - script . The Turung ...
  7. ^ Das, Bhuban Mohan (1987). The Peoples of Assam. Gyan Publishing House. p. 41. ISBN 978-81-212-0093-6. In some of the districts of Upper Assam, there are certain small populations which are Buddhist by religion. They are the Khamyang, Aiton, Tai Phake, Turung, Duania etc., living in small pockets surrounded by people of other religions. They are faithfully following their own religion.
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