LECTURE 62 – PROBLEM OF NON TRIBAL, POLICY TOWARDS THE TRIBAL ………..

Problem /Effect of non-tribal contact or culture contact on the tribal

Non-tribal contact affected tribal adversely (cultural, social, political, biological) badly affected.

Cultural effect/problem – loss of language, loss of culture, religion

2013 PYQ – NON tribal contact affected socio cultural institution of tribal eg – dance

Also wrote elvins study on baiga

Effect on tribals – divided into two:-

1. Due to traditional factors (Hinduism i.e hindu contact)

2. Due to modern factors (urbanization, industrialization, govt plan)

These are social factors

Social effects – Due to hindu contact and due to urbanization, industrialization tribal social life
underwent social disorganization. Sujit Sinha(1965), in a study of Bhoomis showed that due to hindu
effect tribal egalitarian social structure transformed into higher social structure, into ritually superior
and inferior caste, into pure and impure caste. The ills of Hinduism such as untouchability, child
marriage, ban on widow remarriage also entered into tribal society.

LP Vidyarthi (1970) in a study of impact of ………. On the tribal of hatiya found that tribal of hatiya
became socially disorganized, in realistic, heterogeneous and secular.

Economic impact – effect on hunting tribal, agriculturist tribal, effect due to market on all tribals (minor
collection of forest produce etc)

Deforestation by non-tribal and forest regulation lead to loss of traditional occupation of tribal such as
hunting and collection of minor forest produce, as a result hunting tribal have to become laborer or face
starvation. Katkari of Mahrashtra, ……… of tamilnadu and Paniyan of kerala in non-tribal contact became
bonded labour to moneylenders. ….. became bonded labour to rice mill owner and were compelled to
leave life of slavery and condition of paniyan was also more pathetic. These are the findings of
parliamentary committee on 3 pvtg tribal submitted report in sept 2002.

In nontribal contact, agri tribal were landed in the trap of moneylenders and lastly have to suffer land
alienation in a big way resulting into physiological frustration and tribal unrest in the past as a revolt and
now naxalism.
Market became center of exploitation of all sort of tribal. Tribal who use to water economy failed to
understand market principle of demand, supply, and profit & loss and cheated at the hand of non-tribal.

Artisan tribal such as Mali, birhor suffered a stiff competition from a chief market produce for example
handmade rope was costlier than plastic rope because high cost artisan level product lack customer and
finally there occupation die a slow death.

Political Impact – Already discussed in case of hunting tribal. Non-tribal contact led to political
marginalization of tribal.

Large influx of non-tribal in tribal area,  tribal became minority  in vote bank system they become
politically insignificant. The political system suffered disorganization.

BIOLOGICAL IMPACT – previous tribal food consisted of vitamin from collection of root, fruit, and tuber
and from hunt meat they got protein. After deforestation, there food consist mainly of carbohydrate

for eg – Cholanakyan previously they consumed honey they collected but after deforestation they sold
there honey in the market and suffered from lack of protein. In 1978, 16 cholanakyan died. Previously
they consumed liquor made of forest produce called Mahua, or drink hadiya but now they are using
alcohol from the market and so suffering from lever sclerosis in a big way.

However, tribal have also benefitted from non-tribal contact. They are now developing scientific concept
of health and taking allopathic medicines. Secondly, there is an educational advancement in tribals due
to non tribal contact and thirdly diversification of tribal economy have also happened. That is,
emergence of several new occupation have happened.

SC Roy in a study of hill bhuiya showed that hill bhuiya has achieved economic and social progress but
lost primitive virility.
 TOPIC – POLICY TOWARDS TRIBAL

1. POLICY OF ISOLATION
2. POLICY OF ASSIMILATION
3. POLICY OF INTEGRATION

LET’S DISCUSS ONE BY ONE

1. [POLICY OF ISOLATION]

This policy was practiced by Britishers which they practiced in secluded area and in partially secluded
area. In secluded area they placed - Nagaland, Mizoram etc. in which only Christian missionary were
allowed to convert people for religious conversions.

In partially secluded area, such as erstwhile Bengal, ANDHRA, ORRISSA, TAMIL NADU in which support
non tribals who are supporters of Britishers such as forests contractors and moneylenders were allowed
and do business.

Aim of isolation policy

As per British govt. tribals were better left to themselves but actual aim were as follows:-

1. Economy – to avoid the high cost on administration of hilly area.

2. Political - to keep tribal away from national movement.
3. Religious – to convert people in Christianity, for that they have missionaries,

After independence govt have also launched isolation policy however in a modified form in term of
scheduled areas and tribal areas for protection of tribal areas and development and to preserve their
culture.

Among anthropologist, Dr. Verrier Elwin have supported this policy of isolation in terms of his concept of
“National park”.

In the study of Baiga, he found that due to non-tribal contact baiga suffered from loss of nerve, the
cure from which is creation is national park.
 MERIT AND DEMERIT OF ISOLATION POLICY

Merits
1. Protect loss of tribal culture
2. Protect social disorganization
3. Protect economic exploitation
4. Protect political marginalization
5. Protect biological deterioration

Demerits
1. Policy is neither desirable nor practical – it is neither desirable because it is not proper to leave
the tribal in isolation, poverty, illiteracy, poor health to live a miserable life. It is also not
practical to keep tribal isolated in the age of development as isolated one.

Policy of ASSMILIATION

FOLLOWED BY MISSIONARIES – HINDUS OR CHRISTIAN. And of social reformers like THAKKAR BAPPA.

This policy aims to assimilate the tribals into Hindu or Christian society for solution of their problem.
Several tribals such as nagas and bijus became Christian and chero, bhumis, rabha have become hindus.

Merits and Demerits

After becoming Hindu or Christian, though tribal economy progressed but suffered social
disorganization. Elwin study of impact of Christianity on north east tribals showed that though
Christianity had helped to achieve educational advancement but it has rationalized their way of life and
destroyed their overall cultural heritage such as language, customs, religion etc.

ALSO CAN MENTION ----- SC ROY STUDY IN HILL BHUIYA FOUND ACHIEVED ECONOMIC PROGRESS BUT
LOST PRIMITIVE VIRILITY.
2011 PYQ – ELWIN VS GS GHURYE DEBATE

Elwin view – supported policy of isolating tribal, through his concept of national park that all problem is
due to non-tribal contact

His view is neither practical nor desirable.

Gs gurhye sociologist, supported assimilation of non tribals in Hindu society. He called tribals as
backward hindu. He hold the view that after assimilation of hindu society they will adopt advanced
hindu concepts and achieve economic progress as another advancement in life.

After becoming hindus, though tribals achieved economic progress but they are not treated by equal
terms in counterparts. They suffered loss of nerve.

POLICY OFINTEGRATION

It is a midway policy between isolation and assimilation propounded by Pundit Nehru in terms of tribal
panchsheel.

1. We should develop the tribal on the lines of their own genius and we should avoid imposing on
them anything.
2. Tribal right on land and forest should be protected.
3. Introduction of too many outsiders in tribal area should be avoided.
4. There should not be over administration in tribal area and as far as possible work should be
done through their own culture and social institution.
5. We should not judge the result on the basis of statistics or the money spent but on the basis of
human character evolution.

(Most imp is 1st point)

This policy is best policy because it is in tune with indian constitution. A-46 of indian cons. Speaks for
economy and educational development of weaker section of society sc/st and protect them from all
forms of exploitation and secondly A-19/25 Provide for preservation of culture. So, integration policy
which favors development and preservation of culture is in line with cons. Provision. However,
development alongside preserving culture is a difficult problem because in tribal economic life and
culture life is intertwined.

So to make it more clearly the course of tribal development p silo ao recognition is most suitable.

Our aim of tribal development is not to transform tribal overnight into carbon copy of modern man but
to develop everything best in them. In other words, he wanted holistic development of tribals that is
social, cultural, economic simultaneously development of all.
APPROACHES TO TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT

According to SC DUBEY there are 5 approaches

1. Administrative approach – make plan, should be given orientation in tribal culture, there was a
orientation of ias officers in anthropology under lp vidyayarthi
2. Constitutional approach – cons. has given so many safeguards provisions for development and
protection of tribal culture.
3. Religious approach – akin to assimilation policy
4. Voluntary approach – non govt org ngo. They have several good points. For eg- they have sense
of sacrifice for people. They live at grassroots level with people so more acquainted with need of
people, so they can be very instrumental in making plan for the people. They can also be
instrumental in either making a plan success or failure. ( Can give examples of ngo here )

Though ngo people are doing good job in health and education area. Sachidanand has replaced the role
of ngo in the field of education in the tribal area. LP Vidyayarthi and BK Burman (1976) has pointed out
that voluntary social organizations have done considerable humanitarian work in tribal area but often
their idealism and spirit of service have not matched their understanding of tribal org and values and
problems. Their motive were probably laudable from their cultural point of view, but not so from culture
point of view. They fail to realize that their well-intended reform might approved injurious to the tribe in
term of their social and cultural life. So, the ngo people suffer from sense of parentlism.

5. Anthropological approach – is best approach because it tends to develop tribals through holistic
approach that is making plan for tribals from social point of view.

{How ques can come – policy and approach terms are used interchangeably………………………………………

1965 ques – what are the approaches to solve tribal problem, how far you agree with views of elwin. }