On the Future of Indigenous Traditions - Munin

In this experience there are two things worth mentioning here. Firstly, the Adivasis’
special relation to their ancestral lands, and only when it remains with them does their
customary social system have its significance. In other words they both complement
each other. The knowledge base or the school of knowledge for the Adivasi people
(including their language) within the basic rules of their institution of their customary
system/law establishes their independent life and their livelihood. When hindered it
leads to impoverishment in all respect. Whereas, the impoverishment for the non-
Adivasis as project affected persons, when displaced is not at the same level. I have
talked about that difference in the third chapter of this thesis.
Secondly, in this case it was noted that those other than the Adivasis, i.e. the Muslims
and the caste Hindu project affected persons were more receptive to displacement
with cash compensation and jobs in the company. It was also seen that they also
organized themselves to better negotiate with the company. The Adivasi in this case
who wanted land for land in the first place were not given any priority by the
company, who said there was no land the company could make available to them. The
Adivasi youngster also wanted to have contract work with the company and was not
totally against cash. Most of Adivasis’ spending were on non-income generating or
utility goods, whereas the caste Hindus or Muslim displaced would invest their money
in buying plots of land some where else and buying vehicles that could be used as
income from transportation or rent. For non-Adivasi project affected persons land,
trees, house structure –by size, and every thing material was seen in monetary
profiting terms, but for Adivasis it was only money (cash to be spent).
In the words of Grogory Bahla of Bondabahal in Orissa who was displaced from
Raurkela industrial estate says: “We dream of our land. Everything that we see, that
we walk on, that we feel through our body; it belongs to our land. We need the land to
think about ourselves, to know who we are. We are no people without our land. The
government should understand this! This is not negotiable! Land cannot be
compensated.” 77 But when their social system is broken their community is
fragmented, and as individuals they do not have any basis to negotiate.
77 Ibid., 3.
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