Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age

• Introduction to Tribal Life

  • Variety of tribal groups across India
  • Livelihood activities
    • Jhum Cultivation (Shifting cultivation)
    • Hunting and gathering
    • Herding and animal rearing
    • Settled agriculture

• Impact of British Rule on Tribals

  • Changes in forest laws
    • Reservation of forests
    • Restrictions on jhum cultivation
    • Livelihood crisis for jhum cultivators
  • The problem of labor
    • Need for cheap labor for railways and plantations
    • Recruitment through contractors
  • Forest laws and economic distress

• The Outsiders: Dikus

  • Who were the Dikus?
    • Moneylenders, traders, missionaries, and British officials
  • Exploitation by Dikus
    • High interest rates on loans
    • Encroachment on tribal lands
    • Dependence of tribals on moneylenders

• Major Tribal Revolts

  • Causes of unrest
    • Loss of land, exploitation by Dikus, interference by British
  • Key Rebellions
    • Kols (1831–1832)
    • Santhals (1855)
    • Bastar Rebellion (1910)
    • Warli Revolt (1940)
  • The Birsa Munda Movement
    • Vision of a Golden Age (Sat Yuga)
    • Purifying tribal society
    • Driving out Dikus and the British
    • Arrest, trial, and death of Birsa Munda (1900)

• Legacy and Outcomes

  • Forced the colonial government to change policies
  • Forest Acts amended (slightly)
  • Recognition of tribal strength and capacity to protest
  • Inspiration for future freedom movements