Indigenous culture at the cross roads in the Indian subcontinent.
Panel SE03 at conference IUAES2013 World Congress: Evolving humanity, emerging worlds.
Culture of the Indigenous & Tribal people have been facing an acute Situation rather they have to face extinction in India Sub- continent. The major cultural traditions have the direct & forced implication on the issue of Survival of Indigenous Culture. The Situation seems to be alarming as the indigenous people in their community life have been loosing ground to retain their age old cultural traditional life which they have had from ancestor.
Indigenous people inhabited in India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan & elsewhere in Indian subcontinent have largely accepted the Christianity, Islam & Hinduism.
The self determination of the indigenous communities on the line of safe guarding their social & cultural determinants is no doubt a reality but the encounters of the major cultural groups mentioned above have been spear heading their campaign to have domain in the indigenous inhabited region. Recently in KANDHMAL area of Orissa province in India, Christianity and Hinduism had a major Scuffle in which thousands of people of each group had to leave their home for years together. The indigenous communities living in Pakistan and Afghanistan boarder have also been resorting their protests against the impact of other major cultural groups. Conversion & reconversion from Indigenous to other and from other to indigenous cultural groups have become the day to day affairs in Indian subcontinent. Some of the indigenous cultures of India have already lost their identity and they have been absorbed in different dominant religious and cultural groups.
India is a multicultural country and believes in Unity in Diversity. This paper will focus on presence of so many communities in transnational North Bengal consists of many indigenous communities.
Paper long abstract:
India is a multicultural country and believes in Unity in Diversity. This paper will focus on presence of so many communities in transnational North Bengal consists of many indigenous communities.
Some models from World View of indigenous communities are to be discussed here:
Koch-Kamboja Model;
Kashmir-Tibet Model and Tibeto-Myanmar belt;
Himalayas and sub-Himalayan Model;
Pundrabardhana-Bogra Model;
Aryan innovation;
Rajbanshi social fold;
East India Model;
Bengal Delta Model;
Deccan Model;
Extreme South of Indian Peninsula;
Ancient Trade route;
Shahi Model;
British India and incorporation of foothills and lower hills from Sikkim-Bhutan Himalayas;
Gorkha people;
Adivasi People;
Formation of Tea estate, Irrigated settled agriculture, Urbanization and notion of Indigenous statehood;
In 2000 the state of Jharkhand was born with an idea to restore the indigenous culture of the people. More than a decade is passed but no proper plans are are employed by the government to restore the cultural heritage of the indigenous people. Since than an ongoing process of political parties interests have become a daily phenomena. The issue of preservation the heritage is forgotton.
Paper long abstract:
The indigenous cultural heritage once lost can never be restored. Unfortunately, the struggle of the Jharkhandis which gave a birth to the state of Jharkhand is completely ignored by the politicians. Only the governments are changed but the human factor is never considered. In India the rapid modernization has become a slogan in thinking of the leaders. The idea of creating the state of Jharkhand was to create a model state where the cultural heritage of the Jharkhandis and the richness of the indegineous people would be protected, preserved, maintained and modernised in the traditional way. This model could have been used for other tribal regions of India. What has happened to the political decision makers? Why anthroplogists are not asked for their scientific advices?
Every community, either it is a big or small has its own socio-cultural system for the governance of the society to keep the community people in order. Parha is the largest social organisation among the tribal and indigenous community people such as Oroan, Munda & other community which are inhabited & living together for centuries. Impact of one culture over other is the continuous phenomenon. The Parha system has its territorial jurisdiction which includes a number of villages which appears to be the traditionally grouped to form a Parha . there are so many Parhas in community groups which have adhered the faith on this system. It has the socio-culture importance and people have faith on the governance of the Parha. The governance of Parha is the socio-political nature. The political judiciary and bureaucratic governance, decision making process and punishment are the traditional features. The traditional system has began to loose ground due to the impact of Panchayat system promulgated by the Govrnment Panchayat. Traditional and governmental panchayat have contradiction in many ways. These are the things to be studied carefully.
Paper long abstract:
Every community, either it is a big or small has its own socio-cultural system for the governance of the society to keep the community people in order. Parha is the largest social organisation among the tribal and indigenous community people such as Oroan, Munda & other community which are inhabited & living together for centuries. Impact of one culture over other is the continuous phenomenon. The Parha system has its territorial jurisdiction which includes a number of villages which appears to be the traditionally grouped to form a Parha . there are so many Parhas in community groups which have adhered the faith on this system. It has the socio-culture importance and people have faith on the governance of the Parha. The governance of Parha is the socio-political nature. The political judiciary and bureaucratic governance, decision making process and punishment are the traditional features. The traditional system has began to loose ground due to the impact of Panchayat system promulgated by the Govrnment Panchayat. Traditional and governmental panchayat have contradiction in many ways. These are the things to be studied carefully.
Culture is the some total of people life style, which has been inherited from ancestors but due to impact of various dement cultural groups indigenous cultures have to face a consequences of change from indigenous form to a mix form.
Paper long abstract:
Culture is the some total of people life style, which has been inherited from ancestors but due to impact of various dement cultural groups indigenous cultures have to face a consequences of change from indigenous form to a mix form. There has been a continuous interference of various cultural groups in the region Jharkhand Chhattisgarh, Orissa etc. of eastern region of India. The Hinduism, Christianity & other forms of religious & cultural traits are in contacts of Indigenous & tribal population. The process of acculturation takes place, though the tendency of retaining their own culture among the Indigenous people is no doubt appears to be healing.
The present study will bring forth the various factors responsible a change of Indigenous culture.
The NREGA Act 2005 was implemented by the Government of India For the up-liftment of financial condition for the people living in the rural areas. The NREGA Act is now known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). Its aim is to enhance the livelihood security of the people in the rural areas by guaranteeing One hundred days of wage employment to the adult members of every household.
Paper long abstract:
The NREGA Act 2005 was implemented by the Government of India For the upliftment of financial condition for the people living in the rural areas. The NREGA Act is now known as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA). Its aim to enhance the livelihood security of the people in the rural areas by guaranteeing One hundred days of wage employment to the adult members of every household. Through the process of providing employment on works that address causes of chronic poverty such as deforestation, drought and social erosion, the Act seeks to strengthen the natural resource base of rural livelihood and create durable assets in rural area. Hailing the MNREGA as the first legal entitlement for the poor towards the right to livelihood. It has highlighted the aspects of the right to apply for the demand, choose work, a clear schedule of rates and unemployment allowances in case work is not provided and transparency in proceeding with regular social audits.
This paper is based on the field experience on the indigenous people of Bishunpur area at Gumla district in Jharkhand. The land in Bishunpur is highly dissected and has rough terrain. This matter is fruitful discussion on the people for uplifting the living standard as well as Socio- cultural life. In this area major indigenous group is Oraon and other tribal groups such as Kherwar, Asur, Birhor, Birjiya, Mahli, Chick Baraik, Raj Gond, Munda, Lohara & Karmali tribes. Due to this Act the tribal culture is changing.
Forest dwelling tribal people and forests are inseparable. One cannot survive without the other. The conservation of ecological resources by forest dwelling tribal communities have been referred to in ancient manuscripts and sculptures.
Paper long abstract:
Forest dwelling tribal people and forests are inseparable. One cannot survive without the other. The conservation of ecological resources by forest dwelling tribal communities have been referred to in ancient manuscripts and sculptures. The colonial rule somehow ignored this reality for greater economic gains and more probably for good reasons prevalent at that time. After independence, in our enthusiasm to protect natural resources, we continued with colonial legislation and adopted more internationally accepted notions of conservation rather than learning from the country's rich traditions where conservation is embedded in the ethos of tribal life. The modern conservation approaches also advocate exclusion rather than integration. It is only recently that forest management regimes have in their policy processes realized that integration of tribal communities who depend primarily on the forest resource cannot but be integrated in their designed management processes. It underlies that forest have the best to survive if communities participate in its conservation and regeneration measures. Insecurity of tenure and fear of eviction from these lands where they have lived for generations are perhaps the biggest reasons why tribal communities feel emotionally as well as physically alienated from forests and forest lands. Jharkhand state, the name itself suggests the presence of dense forest. Today, the estimated forest cover is 29 % of the total geographical area of the state, with many districts having more than 35 % area under forest cover.
The tribal politics in contemporary Manipur is result of colonial and postcolonial administration. The emergence of tribal middle class gives a new direction in the social and political changes among the tribal populations. We need to reassess the concept of tribe and its implications. We have to reevaluate the concept of tribal development and national/economic integration.
Paper long abstract:
Tribal life in Manipur changes dramatically in Postcolonial period. The conversion to Christianity, advent of modern education in the hilly region of Manipur brought a change not only in their social systems but also in their worldviews. When India attained Independence, Manipur also regained her sovereignty in 1947. Manipur became part of India in 1949. There are several provisions of safeguards of tribal peoples in Indian Constitution. Many tribal policies and programs have been taken up by India and States.
The rates of change among the tribal peoples of Manipur are not similar. Some larger tribal communities are more capable of adapting to the changing socio-economic conditions in postcolonial periods. But, one thing is common to all these tribes; these societies become more and more stratified over last 50 years. The tribal middle class is becoming more prominent in entire State politics and pan-Manipuri society.
The tribes are either grouped together into two major categories, the Naga and the Kuki, in colonial administration. On the colonial foundation, the emerging tribal middle class plays a new identity politics beyond the ethnic identity. The middle class tries to inculcate a new sense of 'super-tribalism' in order to fight the dominant ideology in the State.
In the contemporary situation, the definition of tribe and its implications need to be addressed. Considering the politics of tribes (tribal middle class), the directions of tribal development and question of national integration or economic integration should be re-assessed.
Short Abstract;
The paper deals with how urbanization, industrialization or modernization affected the tribal culture, which is now at the crossroads. What are the problems and solutions to it?
Paper long abstract:
The tribal people of Odisha, living in primitive condition for centuries and keeping them in isolation, they were almost unaware of the rapid change taking place in the plains. For the last fifty years the entire tribal population of Odisha has been exposed to a number of external forces - urbanization, industrialization, modernization, etc. These outer forces affected the socio-cultural life of the tribal people. Some of the good characteristics of the tribal society such as love of nature, attachment to land and forest, community feeling, sociability, hospitality, language, rituals, celebration of life through feasts and festivities are more or less affected due to socio- religious, economic and political influences.The general trend in India after independence is that the tribal people should be assimilated with the non-tribal society. This process of assimilation has affected the cultural aspects of the tribal people. The changes have definitely come in the life- style of the tribal people. But in the matter of changes , there are variations. Some of the tribal people are found to be quite progressive while a few small communities are still in a primitive stage. It is rather mixed phenomenon- changing and not changing. A balance must be struck between progress and the need to protect the environment and the interest of the tribal people without destroying their cultural values.
In early rock art of India, manifestations of battle scenes represent ethnic rivalry and conflicts. Scholars identify such battle scenes as the evidence for Aryan-Non Aryan rivalry. Contextually, socio-political conflicts between ethnic entities are common for generations. Empirically it is attempted to justify the validity of such conflicts.
Paper long abstract:
In plateau region of Central India, particularly in Satpura and Vindhya mountainous ranges, more than a hundred of different clusters of rock shelters and caves are marked with prehistoric rock art. The rock art available in the entire region may further be classified into three major successive periods. The imagery initially began with hunting - gathering phase which is gradually succeeded and overlapped by the dominating pastorals and in final phase battle - scenes and its varied manifestations are thematically predominant. Such visual document is an ethnic memory on conflict and struggle that the indigenous communities had encountered during early historic period. Such visual memory of conflict is viewed by elites as historic evidences in support of the hypothesis on Aryan invasion and Aryan - Non Aryan clashes. Such idea o0n societal conflict has generation - wise created a prolong rivalry between different opposing and contrasting ethnic entities such as tribal - non - tribals, between lower caste and higher caste and indigenous dalits against colonial invaders. Such contrasting and bipolar ethnic entities claim those evidences of visual imagery as basis in support of social hierarchy resulting in animosity. Such ethnic view and rivalry significantly influences the modern political system and communal rivalry in contemporary India. A critical assessment of the tangible visual narratives explain the myth as unjustified, biased and baseless. Such assumed view of social fragmentation and ethnic rivalry threatens the integrity and social fabric of the nation.
political economy, tribal development, identity, integration
Paper long abstract:
The contemporary discourse on tribal identity revolves around two domains- political economy and socio-cultural. This debate on tribal identity is closely related with the issue of development and its impact on various aspects of tribes in India. Since Independence, the policy of integration was followed for tribal development. This policy, rather an ideology propounded by Jawahar Lal Nehru focused on tribal development without affecting their indigenous culture. But, the forces of development and later globalization have taken a heavy toll on the socio-cultural identity of tribes. In the context of India, tribes were always a part of civilization and were never completely isolated but the policy of rapid development left no time with these tribal groups to cope-up and eventually instead of being a part of development, they became a victim of it.
This paper tries to understand the forces that has affected the identity of Gonds. Impact of local caste and religious groups is seen on their lifestyle. Besides, mightier forces of globalization has resulted the settlement into a melting pot where group identity is lost at the hands of more unifying global identity. The debate further incorporates the interaction of Great Tradition and Little Tradition that resulted into parochialization of dominant cultural forces. This is not just a cultural phenomenon, but a psychological one as well, that has resulted into conforming to the dominant ideology at the cost of indigenous traditions which also have some economic consequences in the form of more spending on festivities and life-cycle rituals.
The objective of this paper is to investigate and analyse the factors that has threatened the socio- cultural existence of the small ethnic groups in the northern plain. A few of these tribal communities are considerably large enough while some others are microscopic minority embedded in the local large communities. The main tribal communities in the northern plains are the Santals, the Oraons, the Mahali, Munda, Malpahari, Palia Koch etc. They are turning into victims of development.
This paper is based on extensive field work supported by some case studies.
An over all socio-economic development is the prime motive of the government of this new nation state. So, more and more land is being taken under plough, new industrial estate/parks are coming up in the forest zone. Jungles are being rapidly cleared for the interest of modernization and development. As a consequence of deforestation the jurisdiction of the tribals are quickly shrinking and obviously the traditional life style is disappearing.
They are gradually loosing the solitude of traditional Jungle life, the scope of hunting games and collecting fruits and vegetables from nature. Above all they are loosing their traditional religious rites and beliefs-animistic ideas and objects, role and functions, spiritual stand and forgetting popular ceremonies and festivals observed through generations.
Paper long abstract:
The objective of this paper is to investigate and analyse the factors that has threatened the socio- cultural existence of the small ethnic groups in the northern plain. A few of these tribal communities are considerably large enough while some others are microscopic minority embedded in the local large communities. The main tribal communities in the northern plains are the Santals, the Oraons, the Mahali, Munda, Malpahari, Palia Koch etc. They are turning into victims of development.
This paper is based on extensive field work supported by some case studies.
An over all socio-economic development is the prime motive of the government of this new nation state. So, more and more land is being taken under plough, new industrial estate/parks are coming up in the forest zone. Jungles are being rapidly cleared for the interest of modernization and development. As a consequence of deforestation the jurisdiction of the tribals are quickly shrinking and obviously the traditional life style is disappearing.
They are gradually loosing the solitude of traditional Jungle life, the scope of hunting games and collecting fruits and vegetables from nature. Above all they are loosing their traditional religious rites and beliefs-animistic ideas and objects, role and functions, spiritual stand and forgetting popular ceremonies and festivals observed through generations.
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