Culture of flooding: Significance of landscape adaptation techniques of Majuli Island’s indigenous tribe in the context of a dynamic river ecosystem

This thesis focuses on the world's largest inhabited river island Majuli, situated between the Brahmaputra and Subansiri rivers in Assam, India. Majuli is home to Indigenous communities like the Mising, Deori, and Sonowal Kachari, alongside Satra religious institutions. These communities have maintained symbiotic relationships with the river system for centuries, drawing on traditional ecological knowledge to adapt to environmental changes. However, as the region faces new pressures from urbanization and industrialization, both the physical landscape and cultural practices are under threat. Since 1960, the island has been losing land due to earthquakes and heavy rain events, disrupting both human and nonhuman habitats that is what researchers have assumed but the people of Majuli believe that the erosion and water level rise is a natural process, and “we are not worried about that as we know and have survived this condition from generation” Deboram Mili and Binua Pegu Mising members. Adapting to environmental fluctuations is not new, but an integral part of Mising lifestyle. However, rapid development has introduced new vulnerabilities, shifting from sustainable and locally sourced materials to modern construction materials like concrete and brick is disrupting traditional practices, posing risks to both cultural continuity and ecological resilience. This research documents the adaptive strategies of the Mising tribe, a riverine community whose name, derived from ‘Mi’ (Man) and ‘sing’ (Water), reflects their deep connection to the river system. The study explores how their livelihoods, seasonal activities, and landscape practices are intricately tied to the rhythms of the river. Through field documentation, including notes, photographs, sketches, and recorded conversations during Pan (low water) in January and Ban Pan (high water) in June, the research highlights the importance of preserving traditional ecological knowledge and adaptive strategies in the face of rapid socio-environmental changes. The findings aim to offer a new narration on Mising, particularly in the context of climate change and landscape transformation. This approach contrasts with the current narrative of Majuli, which often focuses on physical landform protection through infrastructure like dykes and embankments. By shifting the focus to cultural development and the integration of traditional knowledge, this research encourages designers and policymakers to prioritize the preservation of cultural landscapes alongside physical protections.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.L.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Landscape Architecture

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Goel, Vidhan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Sears, Stephen
• McGuire, Mary Pat
• Sagare, Minal

• (riverine Flooding
• Indigenous Practices
• Ecological Preservation
• River Ecosystem
• Urbanization)

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2024 Vidhan Goel

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/127285

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F127285