On the Future of Indigenous Traditions - Munin

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he is called the ‘Lord’ paramount of soil was not accepted in its classical form. In Chota Nagpur the land was distributed in the community as a whole and the proprietary right was vested in the village community.” 55 The practice of this customary system in the Jharkhand region begins as early as the 6 th to 10 th century A.D. as investigated by J.C. Jha. He also illustrates several developments in this system by the year 1839 and the changes there after. It reads: “In the early middle ages there was no raja ruling over the country which was divided into parhas of 15 to 20 or even 25 villages, each under its manki and local mundas. 56 These local leaders probably received no rent but only assistance in war and salami at festival. 57 There are two main elements to bring forward, which shall give us a basis for discussion in the later chapters. First, despite having different language origins and ethnicity the Mundari group and the Kurukh group had agreed to a common customary system with common idioms. Nevertheless, if compared with the non- Adivasi, Aryan Hindu, or the Muslim communities, all Adivasis’ customs are more homogenous. Secondly, the social position of the members in the Adivasi communities was more horizontal than vertical / hierarchical, whereas the non-Adivasi societies and their social and administrative systems can be observed to be the opposite. P.R.N. Roy notes that the proprietary right, is vested in the village community, with no ‘lord’ or ‘king’ to rule over them. Land, forests and all livelihood resources were community centred. Adding to Roy’s statement, my assumption of egalitarianism could be experienced here, both in terms of gender and plurality of different groups within the community. We may then partly, if not fully, agree to statements that three interviews made: 55 Pandey R.N Roy, Manual of Chotanagpur Tenancy Laws, Vol. 2., Allahabad: Rajpal and Company, 1996. xi. 56 Division to Owsley, 29 Aug. 1839, para.3, no 247, Misc. Dispatch Book, G.’s Agent’s office, Patna Archives. Para 2. cited by J.C. Jha The Tribal Revolt of Chotanagpur (1831-1832). (Patna: KPJRI, 1987),. 57 Ibid. 42
- That the practice of Adivasis customary system is a historical fact. - That Adivasis were administering them-selves democratically and had an egalitarian social structure. - And that they consider their customary system to be the living law. Taking the above basis from the historical background I am going to talk of the further development of the customary system among the Adivasis in Jharkhand. If the customary system of Adivasis still exists in contemporary society, how is it presently perceived by the Adivasis themselves and what are the social and political realities that pose a challenge for such customary practices to be of any relevance in the culturally pluralistic society of today? In more practical terms, how important would this system be in the presence of the parliamentary representative democracy? Before answering these questions in my following chapters we would have to talk of the present social reality where the issue of customary system will be under scrutiny. 2.6 Adivasis and non-Adivasis in Contemporary Jharkhand When talking of indigenous peoples in general by bringing up issues related to them and portraying them to be different from the common population, people often focus on the differences, and division in the human society. The same is true in the understanding of the Adivasis in India, also in the context of Jharkhand. Only five years have passed since the formal formation of Jharkhand as a political state (carved out of the Bihar state on November 2000). The demand of the Adivasis, who comprise only 58 “28 per cent” of the state’s population, is to be able to pursue 58 Earlier to this about 2000 year back whole of the Chota Nagpur was governed by Nagbansi kings the area was dominated by 90 to 95 % of Adivasis. Later the Nagbansi kings adopted anti Adivasi drive and invited more and more non-adivasis from nearby areas i.e. Gaya, Vanaras, Bengal and Orissa. During the Muslim period Chottanagpur was repeatedly invaded by them and brought in the Muslim population to this region as well. Later during the East India Company and British rule again many office workers, tax collectors, railway workers, miners, and industrialists were bought to this area with other non-Adivasis occupying all the possible lands from the Adivasis. By the time India became independent about 50 % non-Adivasis already occupied the Adivasi lands. Then came a period of the Five Year Plans which opened up the Adivasi areas for more mining and industries. This area was again flooded by non-Adivasis which left the Adivasis to 28 % in the state. (continued in the next page) 43
Page 3 and 4: Acknowledgements I dedicate this wo
Page 5 and 6: Table of Contents On the Future of
Page 7 and 8: CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION...........
Page 9 and 10: Map of India and Jharkhand Capital:
Page 11 and 12: Statement of the problem: The socia
Page 13 and 14: important aspect of these communiti
Page 15 and 16: Limitations and scope: The Adivasis
Page 17 and 18: CHAPTER ONE: Background of the them
Page 19 and 20: pointed out at the lack of definiti
Page 21 and 22: “which specify the tribes of trib
Page 23 and 24: ules that maintain a balance betwee
Page 25 and 26: 1.2.4. - Political Jharkhand is a p
Page 27 and 28: are associated with. Roy further ad
Page 29 and 30: - but fought in vain - to steam the
Page 31 and 32: 2.2 The customary system / laws How
Page 33 and 34: generation to another. Customs coul
Page 35 and 36: khuntkatti dars - the decedents of
Page 37 and 38: The social organization for their a
Page 39 and 40: Among the Mundas these posts have b
Page 41: The sense of independence among the
Page 45 and 46: sufficient occupation any more. Los
Page 47 and 48: Nevertheless, there were three reas
Page 49 and 50: the ‘modern temples of the nation
Page 51 and 52: the pilot projects of Peraj East Op
Page 53 and 54: Bank machines are lying unused. So
Page 55 and 56: 2.8 Which direction is the ‘devel
Page 57 and 58: CHAPTER THREE: Adivasi Politics 3.1
Page 59 and 60: “Originally, a tribe normally com
Page 61 and 62: system of the Adivasis that: “The
Page 63 and 64: policy of non-disturbing of the Adi
Page 65 and 66: specified, as the socio-cultural or
Page 67 and 68: 3.4. Rules & laws specific to Jhark
Page 69 and 70: in Jharkhand. They argue that reser
Page 71 and 72: 3.5. The “Tribe” /Adivasi ident
Page 73 and 74: In the political nation here, the r
Page 75 and 76: The policy of “‘tribals’ to d
Page 77 and 78: Jharkhand region and secondly, the
Page 79 and 80: The third point mentioned earlier i
Page 81 and 82: forward for discussion on the issue
Page 83 and 84: survived through different periods
Page 85 and 86: language called to be ‘the langua
Page 87 and 88: teen Manki court. That does not lim
Page 89 and 90: The positive side of it is that peo
Page 91 and 92: Munda (a post within the customary
Page 93 and 94:
saying she was illegally building h
Page 95 and 96:
the state mechanism and its process
Page 97 and 98:
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION 5.1. Basic
Page 99 and 100:
do we look at it to find the distin
Page 101 and 102:
“…most important argument for m
Page 103 and 104:
5.3.1. Adivasi customary system in
Page 105 and 106:
traditional customary system prove
Page 107 and 108:
Bibliography / References: Books Ar
Page 109 and 110:
Articles, Published and Unpublished
Page 111 and 112:
Appendixes: International Definitio
Page 113:
Maps 2 and 3 Photos sources: Cover
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