Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India

encyclopedia

PEOPLE

THE TRIBALS

The tribes of India, numbering nearly seven crores and consti-

tuting nearly eight per cent of the total population, are the earliest

inhabitants of the country. The Hindi word for "tribe" is very apt

(Adivasi – Adi, original, Vasi - inhabitants). Ethnographically, the

tribal population falls into three groups: the Negroid, the Mongol-

oid and the proto-Austroloid. The Negroid, being of the earliest

stock, are confined only to a few existing tribes, like the Kadars,

Irulas, Paniyans of South India and the Andamanese of the An-

daman Islands. Mongoloids are to be found all over north and

north-eastern India. The bulk of the tribal population is of the

proto-Austroloid stock and is spread over central and western

India. Most tribes speak distinct languages of their own. On the

basis of language the tribes can be divided into four distinctive

tribal linguistic families.

The Austro-Asiatics who are represented by the Kols or the

Mundas, the Khasis and the Nicobarese

The Mongoloid people speaking dialects of the Sino-Tibetan

family who are found largely in the sub-Himalayan regions and

who are represented by the Nagas, Bodos, the Kuki etc;

The Dravidians in middle and southern India - the Malers, the

Oraons, the Gonds and the Khonds and

Tribals of the western zone, who speak languages of the Indo-

European family.

About 12 per cent of the total tribal population of India live in

the Himalayan and sub-Himalayan regions of Assam, Meghalaya,

Darjeeling

(West

Bengal),

Arunachal

Pradesh,

Nagaland,

Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, (North Eastern Himalayan region),

the Terai areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar (Central Himalayan

region), Himachal and Jammu & Kashmir (North-western Hima-

layan region).

The middle India region (Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa and

Madhya Pradesh) has 55 per cent of tribal population. The western

India region (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Dadra &

Nagar Haveli) has about 26 per cent. The South India region

(Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala) has about 6

per cent. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal

and Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea has 0.13 per cent.

OCCUPATIONS

The first and foremost characteristic of the tribal economy is

the close relationship between their economic life and the natural

environment or habitat which is in general the forest. (An excep-

tion to this are the tribals inhabiting the islands who depend on sea

produce like fish). Their economy revolves round the forest. The

tribals use the most simple implements to obtain their require-

ments from the area they inhabit. They collect edible roots, fruits,

vegetables, flowers and honey, fish and various birds and animals

like pigeons and other birds, monkeys, hares, pigs etc. Even agri-

culturist tribes like the Munda, Oraon and the Ho of Chotanagpur

depend on the forest to the extent of 46 per cent of their economy.

All the members of a tribal family are involved in economic

activity. There is a division of labour based on age and sex. Among

the Bhils of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra the men attend to

the more arduous tasks like preparing the field, ploughing and

harvesting, collecting the honey and fishing. Women do most of the

work connected with the preparation of food, collecting cowdung,

grinding, bringing firewood etc. The children take care of their young

brothers and sisters and the cattle. Among the Santhals the job of

domesticating animals like pigs, goats, cows, sheep etc. is re-

garded as a joint family responsibility of all members of a family

regardless of age or sex.

One of the most striking features of tribal life is the co-opera-

tiveness anti-reciprocity that characterises their activities. Among

the Mundas, Oraons and Gonds and similar agricultural tribes, the

close and distant kin come together to help one another. At the end

of the work the kinsmen are offered food and drink as a gesture of

hospitality. Among the Paharias of Palamau, the construction of a

house is a matter of co-operation among the family members. The

Bhils of western India help one another in sowing and harvesting.

They borrow cattle on a reciprocal basis for ploughing the fields.

The Bhils collaborate with each other in activities like building or

thatching a house. The host rewards them with a meal and/or liquor

depending on the nature of the work.

Agriculturist tribes like the Oraon, Munda, Ho and Kharia get

their farm implements made and repaired by the Lohars who re-

ceive a customary annual payment either in cash or kind.

The Kotas of the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu have relations based on

reciprocity with three neighbouring tribes — the pastoral Todas,

the jungle-dwelling Kurumbas and agriculturist Badagas. The Ko-

tas are musician-artists who provide the music for the ceremonies

of these tribes. In return they are provided with ghee by the Todas

who also supply them with buffaloes for sacrifices at their funerals.

The Badagas provide them with grain in return. The forest-dwelling

Kurumbas are kept as sorcerers by the Kotas and in return receive

honey, cane and fruit.

Based on the manner in which they primarily make their living

the tribes can be classfied into:

Forest-hunting types:

The Birhors of Bihar, Chenchus of

Andhra Pradesh, Juangs of Orissa, Kadars of Kerala, Paliyans

of Tamil Nadu depend on the flora and fauna of the forest for

their food.

Hill cultivation:

Represented by the Garos, Chakmas, the

Mogs and Naga tribes in the North-East Himalayas, the Mal-

ers of Santhal Pargana, the Saoras and Kuttiya Khonds in

Orissa, Kamars, Baigas, Maria Gonds, Dhoras, Bagatas in

Andhra Pradesh and Malekudias in Karnataka in Southern

India.

iii

Settled agriculture:

The most popular occupation among the

tribes. More than two -thirds of the tribal population are work-

ing as cultivators. The agriculturist tribes are the Khasis and

Jaintias of Assam and Meghalaya, the Khasas and Tharus of

the Terai area of Uttar Pradesh, Kharwars, Baigas and Gonds

in middle India, Bhils, Minas , Garasias in western India, Koyas

of Andhra Pradesh etc. The main agricultural implement used in

the tribal areas is the age-old single-blade plough.

Simple artisan:

A number of tribes subsist on crafts and

cottage industries like basket making, tool making (iron and

wooden for use by other tribes), metal work etc. The Gujjars of

Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and Kinnauris of Himachal

Pradesh produce wood products, Kanjars of Uttar Pradesh are

engaged in basketry and rope making, in South India the Irulas

of Tamil Nadu and the Thotis of Andhra Pradesh make bamboo