4.
Tribals, Dikus and the Vision
of a Golden Age
Facts that Matter
"By the 19th century, tribal people in different
parts of India were involved in a variety of
activities.
" Some tribal people engaged in jhum or shifting
cultivation. Shifting cultivators were found in
the hilly and forested tracts of north-east and
central India.
How did Tribal groups live?
" Some tribal groups earned their livelihood
by hunting animals and gathering
forest produce. They saw forests as
essential for survival. The Khonds were Tribals cultivating in the forest
such community living in the forests of
Orissa. They ate fruits and roots collected from the forest. They used many forest
shrubs and herbs for medicinal purposes and sold forest produce in the local markets.
" At times they exchanged goods-geting what they needed in return for their forest produce.
Some of them were engaged in some odd jobs in villages such as carrying loads or building
roads, etc.
" But a time came when supplies of produce shrank. As a result, more and more tribal people
began to wander around in search of work.
" However, Baigas remained in the forest. They did not go anywhere.
Some were hunters and gatherers
" Several tribal groups were engaged in heeding and rearing animals. They were pastoralists
who moved with their herds of cattle or sheep according to the seasons. The Van
Gujjars of the Punjab hills and the Labadis of Andhra Pradesh were cattle herders, the Gaddis
of Kulu were shepherds and the Bakarwals of Kashmir reared goats.
" Many tribal groups preferred to settle down instead of moving from one place to another. They
began to use plough, and gradually got rights over the land they lived on.
" The British officials found the settled tribal groups like the Gonds and Santhals more civilised
than hunter-gatherers or shifting cultivators.
" The British rule, however, changed the life of the tribal people.
" The tribal chiefs were considered important people because it is they who controlledfollow
their
territories. Under the British rule they lost their administrative power and were forced to
law made by British officials in India.
not have a fixed home.
" The British never liked those tribal groups whO moved about and did
easier to control and
They wanted these tribal groups to settle down. Settled peasants were
administer than people who were always on move.
state. Hence, they introduced land
" The British also wanted a reqular revenue income for the individual of that land
settlements-that is, they measured the land, defined the rights of each
and fixed the revenue demand for the state.
39
" The British effort to settle ihum cutivators was not very successful
" The British brOught several changesin forest laws. This affected the tribal lives. The British
extended ther control over all forests and declared that forests were state property
" The reserved torests people were not allowedto move freely and pracise jhum cultivatiorn As
a result. several jhumcultivators moved to other areas.
" Many tnibal groups reacted against the colonial forest laws.
" Duringthe 19th century, traders and moneylenders began to come into the forests. They offores
cash loan to the tribal people and asked them to work for wages.
" The plight of the tribals who had to go far away from their homes for wWork was even worse
How did colonial rule affect tribal lives?
" restrictions
Finaly.the tribal groups in different parts of the country rebelled against the changes in laws, the
on their practices., the exploitation by traders and moneylenders, etc. The movement
that Birsa Munda led is worth-mentioning here.
Birsa Munda fought to save his people from trouble, free them from the slavery of dikus (outsiders)
Soon, thousands became his followers. They allwere unhappy under British rule.
" Amovement began under the leadership of Birsa Munda. As, spread the British officials arrested
Birsa in 1895.
" But soon after realising he toured the villages to gather support. He urged people to destroy
dikus and the Europeans and establisha kingdom under his leadership.
" Birsa died in 1900 and the movement initiated by him faded out, but its significance cannot be
undermined.
Words that Matter
" Dikus: Outsiders or foreigners
" Fallow: Afield left uncultivated fora while so that the soil recovers fertility.
" Mahua: A flower that is eaten or used to make alcohol.
" Bewar: It is a term used in Madhya Pradesh for shifting cultivation.
" Sleeper:The horizontal planks of wOod on which railway lines are laid.
" Akhara: Wrestlingground
" Sirdars: Leaders
" Vaishnav: Worshippers of Vishnu
" Satyug: The age of truth
Datelines
" 1831-32 -The Kols rebelled against the colonial forest laws.
" 1855 -Santhals revolted against the British.
" Mid-1870s Birsa was born.
" 1971 -The British passed the Criminal Tribes Act.
" 1895 Birsa was arrested.
1897 - Birsa was released.
" 1900 Birsa died.
" 1906 -Songram Sangma revolted in Assam.
" 1910-The Bastar Rebellion in central India broke out.
" 1930s -The forest satyagraha in the Central Provinces.
" 1940 --The Warli Revolt in Maharashtra.
40Social Science-Vili
