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Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study is to understand the concept of ethnic Identity projected in the early novels of Assamese literature. This study also investigates a colonial narrative in the text and tries to understand the present scenario highlighting the past. Methodology: It is a descriptive analysis based on qualitative method research. Focusing on the concept of ethnic Identity the research has been done under the discourse of postcolonial literary theory. The data and speculation are drawn from the secondary sources. Any kind of technical software has not been used in carrying out the research. Main Findings: The research brings out to the forefront that even in the colonial period; the native writers seem to be conscious about their own culture and the society. They were aware of the marginal boundary created by hegemonic colonial products. The writers raise the question of constructing ‘self’ and ‘other’ and a developing sense of cultural hierarchy. Applications of this study: This study would help to locate the space of marginalised society in that colonial construction and help the researchers to understand the gap between the early Assamese literatures of the colonial period. Moreover, the study also finds out the awareness of the writers even in the colonial rule about the peripheral boundary and ethnic Identity of a multiethnic/multilingual society. Novelty/Originality of this study: It is certain that Assamese novels have been studied under various theoretical frameworks, but as we are concerned this theme has not been discussed yet for this particular novel. The presentation of the colonial past in the text is the originality of this research.

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This article is an attempt to explore the role of Tai Ahom proverbs as a marker of cultural identity in the realm of postmodern society. Using or choosing culturally driven speech in communication is a linguistic behaviour which reflects the character of the people, their worldview, and thus their uniqueness or difference from the ‘other’. In another way, this might be a conscious way of projecting self. This qualitative study on proverbs of Tai Ahom language and culture adopts the methods of ethnography and textual analysis. A cultural hermeneutic model, along with the participant observation method, was used to collect the data. Finally, the Tai Ahom community of Sivasagar district of Assam, India was chosen as the locus for the research. The findings show that the proverbs are deeply woven by the Ahom community's cultural heritage, history, pride, advice, and satire. Hence, this article provides an insight into Tai Ahoms’ way of living and their worldview. In locating the Tai Ahom's cultural identity within the homogenised bigger community of ‘Assamese’ or akhomiya, this study could help in understanding the differences or uniqueness of the Tai Ahom and thereby the Assamese identity in the present context.