Wednesday, 5 August 2015

OCCUPATIONAL SHIFT AMONG SANTHALS


The Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) recently took up a research that has pointed to a shift in the socio-economic and cultural life of tribal communities like the Santhals over the past few decades.

The study was conducted by the AnSI at Kuotala village in West Bengal’s Birbhum district
and has revealed that in six decades the economy of the village has shifted from agriculture to one of
menial work. Most of the men from the village now work as daily labourers, rickshaw pullers,
gardeners and caretakers at private residences. The women are engaged as maids in the various
households in the region.

A seminal work on the Santhals of the village by Nabendu Datta Majumdar titled ‘The Santhal
— A study in cultural change,’ clearly states that the tribal society was primarily agrarian. This book was based on the research he carried out in the 1950s. The book also stated that the principal
economic activities of the Santhals of Kuotala and adjoining villages are agriculture, hunting, fishing,
rearing of domestic animals and day labour.

Agriculture is the chief source of livelihood. But, according to Shyamal Kumar Nandy, Research Associate, AnSI, Kolkata, now the village economy has transformed with the rise in demand for cash in hand at the end of the day. Menial work in various developmental activities run by government or non-government organisations is being sought after by the villagers of Kuotala. Along with the economic activities a change has also come about in the cultural and religious practices of the tribals.

While Majumdar’s book clearly refers to a strict hierarchical order in the society, headed by a chief known as Manjhi, the latest research points to a weakening of the social structure among the Santhals. Now, some members of the community are not willing to hold the post of the Manjhi as
they feel that they will have to devote a lot of time to community activities and not be able to make
sufficient money.


About Santhals
Santhals are the third largest tribe in India. They are mostly found in the states of West Bengal, Bihar,
Orissa, Jharkhand and Assam. They belong to the Pre Aryan period. They were the great fighters
during the British regime in India. They wagged war against the permanent settlement of Lord
Cornwallis in 1855. During the late 1850, Santhals hero Sidhu had accumulated around 10 thousand
Santhals to run parallel government against the British government. Baba TilkaMajhi was the first
Santhal leather who raise weapons against the Britishers in 1789.

Santhali is the prime language spoken by the Santhal Tribe. This Indian tribe also have a script
of their own called Olchiki. Apart from Santhali, they also speak Bengali, Oriya and Hindi. The
Santhal tribes of India have a typical tribal lifestyle.

Basic needs are fulfilled by forests. The tribes are also engaged in fishing and cultivation.
Santhals don't have a temple of their own and neither do they worship any idols. These tribes of
India follow the Sarna religion, with Marangburu, Jaheraera, and Manjhi as their god and goddess.
Karam festival which falls in the month of September and October.

More details on Santhals : http://www.cddc.vt.edu/knownet/vikas-santhal

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