TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS FOODS AND BEVERAGES OF VARIOUS COMMUNITIES OF SADIYA SUB-DIVISION OF TINSUKIA DISTRICT, ASSAM, INDIA
SASANKA SEKHAR GHOSH
Department of Zoology, Cotton University, Panbazar, Guwahati – 781001, Assam, India.
SURAJ CHETRI *
Department of Zoology, Cotton University, Panbazar, Guwahati – 781001, Assam, India.
LUPAMUDRA BORAH
Department of Zoology, Cotton University, Panbazar, Guwahati – 781001, Assam, India.
KAROBI SAIKIA
Department of Zoology, University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya Baridua 9th Mile – 793101, Meghalaya, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present study is an attempt to comprehensively document the 'unique' traditional food and beverages being consumed by the diverse and amalgamated communities of the Sadiya sub-division of Tinsukia district of Upper Assam. It ranges from preparations made out of insects, dried fish, and vegetables. The practice of entomophagy was recorded from Sonowal, Mising, and Deori communities. Hukoti (a dry fish product) was observed in the Sonwal community. An interesting find was the use of Posa Hukoti (fermented dry fish) by the Moran and Motok communities. The present study is a maiden report for its existence and use. Dried vegetable preparations such as 'Gundruk' and 'Sinki' were recorded from the Nepali community. Whereas the traditional beverages such as 'Apong, 'Roksi', and 'Handiya' were recorded from Mising, Nepali, and the Adivasi communities respectively.
Keywords: Gundruk, handiya, posa hukoti, roksi, sinki, traditional knowledge