The Many Colours of Indian Indigenous People
Dr. Shiny Varghese
Indigenous people are those who
inherit and practice unique cultures. With 370 million such people living
across 90 countries, they represent more than 5000 different cultures, and
speak over 7000 languages in the world. Though they form less than 5 percent of
the population, they account for 15 percent of the poorest in the world. What
is noteworthy is that people have retained their social, cultural, economic and
political characteristics which are distinct from the societies of which they
are a part of. The closeness to environment, adherence to their own culture,
customs and traditional beliefs make the life of indigenous people a
distinguished one. Although they remain one of the most vulnerable and marginalized
groups in India, the problems of these people remain more or less the same, across
the world. The protection of their rights, the land they live in, limited or no
access to essential resources and their identity are some
of the major issues that needs to be addressed.
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| The tribes of India |
In India, there are 705 ethnic
groups or indigenous people who are notified as Scheduled Tribes (ST’s) spread
across the States and Union Territories of India. As per census 2011, their
population is 104.3 million and they comprise around 9% of the total population
of India with most of them residing in rural areas. Women amount to almost half
of the tribal population. The sex ratio is also favourable as compared to other
social groups with 990 females for every 1000 males. There are various views
surrounding the status of these women in India.
Some say that the status of the women in tribal societies seems to be
better than as they are characterised by egalitarian principles while others
are of the opinion that it is more or less similar to the women in the general
society. One of the most important determinants has been whether the women live
in a matriarchal or patriarchal society. The Garo and the Khasi tribes assign
the women a higher position due to the matrilineal descent and inheritance of
property through female line. Even in a patriarchal society, the husband
doesn’t always play a dominant role. For instance the Gond woman enjoys equal
status and freedom as men in the social life, whereas on the other hand, even
though the Tharu have patrilocal system of residence, wives who are known to
have the knowledge of sorcery and witchcraft are dominant in the relationships.
In the domestic spheres, Juang women take part in the decision-making process;
however she is not consulted during important decisions.
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| Bodh Tribe of Ladakh |
As per a study done by Veena
Bhasin (2007), tribal communities too have son preference but they do not
discriminate against girls by female infanticide. Though boys and girls do not
have similar inheritance laws, girls are not subjected to abuse, hatred or
strict social norms. They are free to participate in social events, dancing and
other recreational programmes. Among Bhutias of Sikkim and Bodhs of Ladakh,
there is no distinction in terms of the work done by men and women, although heavier
tasks are done by men. Both men and women run small businesses and women also
work as porters. There are many other privileges enjoyed by some of the tribal
women of India which include freedom in selection of life partner, contributing
to the local economy by participating in agriculture and other sectors,
possibility of remarriage after divorce or death of husband, freedom to talk to
whom so ever they please, man or woman of any caste or creed, freedom to
exercise their voting rights.
However, some of the drawbacks include that a woman’s supremacy is restricted within the family domain and does not extend to social or political spheres. The religious domain has also been primarily a field for male dominance and a strategy to deprive women of public authority.
The present condition of tribal
women is not an accidental affair but has evolved due to several factors in the
past. By contributing economically, women have acquired social freedom which is
quite remarkable in its scope. These women also toil very hard sometimes more
than men, however they are not considered backward and no men tell them what to
do and what not do. Even the patriarchal society, conveys respect rather than
envy between the genders. The women in these areas are far more independent and
powerful than modern sub-wives.
It is inspiring to hear stories
of Madhumati Debbarma, Sandhya Rani Chakhma and Hatlhing Doungel who have
fought against the odds and have been elected as members of the male dominated
district councils in the tribal areas of northeast India. They have had to
struggle against patriarchal mindsets, to encourage women participation for
overall development and welfare of women in their regions.
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| Katkari tribes of Maharashtra |
Similarly, in the areas of
Shahapur Thane, there are many tribal communities residing such as the Thakurs,
Katkari, Koli Mahadeo, Kokana, however Thakurs and Katkari communities form the
majority. Population First through its programme AMCHI has been working with
these communities for over a decade and the experiences and insights gained
through the regular interaction has been very inspiring. In tribal hamlets like
Palichapada, where access to water was an issue for a very long time, women
with a little handholding changed the face of the village with their persistent
efforts. There have been instances where women groups in these hamlets have led
to increased health and education outcomes too. It is interesting to witness
that women are decision makers in most of these communities.
References
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