Question 1(a) · 10 marks · 158 words written
Write a note of 150 words on the Following: (a) Concept of tribe and Indian census
Opening · a definition
None written.
Body · points
(1) According to the dictionary meaning A tribe means a particular community.
(2) The Britishers when they had Arrived used it to describe communities. e.g. Brahmin tribes, Kayastha tribes of west Bengal etc.
(3) The census was conducted for the first time in 1911, 1931. This was the first attempt of the Britishers to classify the people.
(4) Post the census, the concept of tribe as term was rather seen synonymous with Adjectives like primitive, backward and uncivilised isolated.
Thus, many Anthropologists like K.S Singh, LP Vidyarthi claim that Britishers equated the term tribe with another concept that was existing in India called Adivasis. Thus, Tribe is a colonial construct.
Anthropologists describe a tribe as: (1) Isolated (2) Distinctive economy without any fiat currency. (3) Distinct political institution only tradition representation. (4) Their customs, beliefs and traditions are very different.
Close · a summary
In the current day scenario, No community fits into this concept of tribe (Tribe is an ideal extreme).