DOCUMENTING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS AND ETHNOGRAPHY IN EARLY COLONIAL ASSAM: INSIGHTS FROM A DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT OF ASSAM OF WILLIAM ROBINSON

The early colonial period witnessed the emergence of a body of descriptive literature that attempted to document the social, cultural, and environmental landscape of Assam. Among these works, A Descriptive Account of Assam (1841) by William Robinson occupies a significant place as one of the earliest systematic attempts by a colonial observer to record the region’s society and culture. This study examines Robinson’s work as an important source for understanding indigenous knowledge systems, ethnographic observations, and socio-cultural practices of Assam during the late medieval and early colonial transition. Using a historical-analytical methodology, the paper analyzes Robinson’s descriptions of population composition, social organization, religious practices, festivals, dietary habits, and material culture. The study also evaluates the colonial lens through which Robinson interpreted Assamese society and compares his observations with later historical works on Assam. The findings reveal that despite certain biases and inaccuracies typical of early colonial narratives, Robinson’s account provides valuable ethnographic details about various communities, including the Ahoms, Koches, Kalitas, and other tribal groups. It also documents important aspects of everyday life such as agriculture, food habits, domestic architecture, and social customs. The paper argues that Robinson’s work represents an early attempt at colonial ethnography in Assam and contributed to the development of British historiography in the region, later influencing scholars such as Edward Gait.