Mansi Singh: ANT2 answer copy

Denotified Tribes or 'Vimukta Jati' are those who were earlier tagged as criminals under Criminal Tribe Act, 1871.

Background - Britishers due to Mendelian Principle of Inheritance considered crime as genetic trait and thus tagged few tribes as "Criminal Tribe".

Now - On the recommendations of "Ayengar committee", the Act was repealed to "Habitual offender" and tag of criminal has been removed.

ISSUES faced by Denotified Tribes A) Illiteracy: As not allowed do register in school due to historical tag. B) Not included under category of STs or SCs. C) Lack of "Baseline survey" thus difficult to formulate policies. D) Discrimination: Eg Bawari group still don't wear new clothes as people think them as thief.

Way forward A) Idate Commission As per Bhara, there are 10 crores denotified tribes. Implementation of there will lead to "Viksit Bharat Sankalp yatra".

As per Hoebbel, Tribal art show a gamut from hand-made primitive technology to modern well developed art.

Tribal Art and Knowledge A) Sculptures and Idole eg. Bronze sculpture using 'lost wax technique' by Bastar tribe. B) Medicine Knowledge: now added in traditional digital knowledge Digital library. C) Marriage Art eg. Santhals make beautiful crown for bride and groom. D) Paintings eg. warli of Maharashtra. E) Music, Dance: folk culture of India F) Teracotta Sculpture: figure like animals, gods, goddess etc.

Loss of Tribal Art and Knowledge A) Gadgil and Guha: due to lack of patronage, tribals are giving up on their art eg. Iron smelting by Asura. B) Chaudhary (1990): mentioned that due to lack of market, tribals are shifting towards imitation objects for livelihood. Thus, Tribal art needs global as well as national support to grow continuously. Recent initiative of giving 50% to Kanni Tribe of medicine "Jeevani" is a step in right direction.

Due to age of contact between tribe and caste, a continuum has been developed between two.

Background - It is based on concept of "Folk-Urban Continuum" of Robert Redfield.

Concept - As said, due to cultural contact between Caste and Tribes, Tribes absorb feature of caste and continuum developed on basis of extent of contact. Anthropological Studies

of medicine "Jeevani" is a step in right direction.

Due to age of contact between tribe and caste, a continuum has been developed between two.

Background - It is based on concept of "Folk-Urban Continuum" of Robert Redfield.

Concept - As said, due to cultural contact between Caste and Tribes, Tribes absorb feature of caste and continuum developed on basis of extent of contact.

Anthropological Studies

1. N.K. Bose in "Hindu Method of Tribal Absorption" mentioned that tribes absorb features of caste.
2. Surji Sinha → gave "Kshatriyisation" of Bhumji Tribe due to absorption into Kshatriya caste.
3. F.G. Bailey - during study of Kondh tribe of Odisha found that they show various characters of "Oriya" caste.
4. Ghurye called tribe as "Backward Hindus".

Criticism

1. Caste also get influenced by Tribe. As per G.S. Bhatt, gotra system is more totemic than vedic.
2. Now, Retribalisation is impacting the continuum. Due to reservation policy, tribalism is new norm to get affirmative actions.

Indian tribes have always maintained isolation from main-stream but this was changed by British government.

Policy of British Government

1. Understanding Caste and Tribe differences. → earlier, they used to call everything as tribe eg. Brahmin Tribe. → later, anthropologists like W.H. Rivers (Toda), Brown (Andamanees) gave idea of tribal life.
2. Census for tribes. 1881 : tribe as practitioners of shifting cultivation. 1901 : aboriginals following primitive religion. 1931 : separate tribes by partially excluded and wholly excluded area.
3. Forest policies to exploit tribals

1. Policy of Isolation: As proposed by Hutton to isolate them from mainstream political movement

However, due to restrictive policy of Britishers, Santhal Rebellion, Munda Uprising and Rampa Rebellion took place against unjust policy of Britishers.

As per recent study of I.K. Rohiha, 89% of tribal women in Kerala are Anaemic. This shows the poor health among tribal.

IMR is highest among STs (NFHS-5)

Causes I) Socio-cultural Practices a) Microbes due to lack of drinking water → No bath b) Toda: women don't consume milk → malnutrition, c) Khotia Kond: women gave birth in hay-squat position by herely → highest MMR. d) belief in Shamans and magico religious practices eg. Baiga Tribe. II) Economic: poverty is highest as 44% of tribals → BPL → lack of access to health III) Doctors are not willing to serve in tribal areas. IV) Infrastructural issues: lack of primary health care.

way forward: Abhay Bang Committee a) Medical facilities as per tribal way of life. b) formulate "Tribal Health Council"