FACTS THAT MATTER | Extra Documents & Tests for Class 9 PDF Download

 Page 1


5 5
Facts that Matter
 ?  Pastoralism has been important in societies like India and Africa.
 ?  Let’s see pastoralism in the context of India:
 – Pastoral nomads are found in different parts of India. They can be seen in mountains, 
on the plateaus, plains and deserts of India.
 – The Gujjar Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir are great herders of goats and sheep. 
They moved annually between their summer and winter grazing grounds. In winters, 
when the high mountains were covered with snow, they lived with their herds in the low 
hills of Shiwalik range. By the end of  April, they began their northern march for their 
summer grazing grounds.
 – In a different area of the mountains, the Gaddi shepherds of Himachal Pradesh had a 
similar cycle of seasonal movement.
 – In Garhwal and Kumaun, the Gujjar cattle herders came down to the dry forests of the 
bhabar in the winter, and went up to the high meadows, i.e. the bugyals in summer.
 – Dhangars were found in the central plateau of Maharashtra. Most of them were 
shepherds, some were blanket weavers, and still others were buffalo herders. They 
grew crops like bajra and rice.
 – In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the dry central plateau was covered with stone and 
grass, inhabited by cattle, goats and sheep herders. The Gollas herded cattle. The 
Kurumas and Kurubas reared sheep and goats and sold woven blankets.
 – Banjaras, a well-known group of graziers, were found in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, 
Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
 – Raikas were found in the deserts of Rajasthan. One group of Raikas, known as the 
Maru (desert) Raikas, herded camels and another group reared sheep and goats.
 – Under the colonial rule, the life of these pastoralists changed dramatically. Their grazing 
grounds shrank, their movements were regulated and the revenue they had to pay 
increased. Their agricultural stock declined and their trades and crafts were adversely 
affected.
 – All these happened due to various Forest Acts introduced by the colonial government. 
These Acts prevented the pastoralists from entering many forests that had earlier 
provided valuable forage for their cattle. Even in the areas they were allowed entry, 
their movements were regulated.
 – The British officials were suspicious of nomadic people. They distrusted mobile craftsmen 
and traders and wanted them to settle in fixed places. In 1871, they passed the Criminal 
Tribes Act which classified many communities of craftsmen, traders and pastoralists as 
Criminal Tribes. Once this Act came into force, these communities were expected to 
live only in notified village settlements.
Pastoralists in  
the Modern World
Page 2


5 5
Facts that Matter
 ?  Pastoralism has been important in societies like India and Africa.
 ?  Let’s see pastoralism in the context of India:
 – Pastoral nomads are found in different parts of India. They can be seen in mountains, 
on the plateaus, plains and deserts of India.
 – The Gujjar Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir are great herders of goats and sheep. 
They moved annually between their summer and winter grazing grounds. In winters, 
when the high mountains were covered with snow, they lived with their herds in the low 
hills of Shiwalik range. By the end of  April, they began their northern march for their 
summer grazing grounds.
 – In a different area of the mountains, the Gaddi shepherds of Himachal Pradesh had a 
similar cycle of seasonal movement.
 – In Garhwal and Kumaun, the Gujjar cattle herders came down to the dry forests of the 
bhabar in the winter, and went up to the high meadows, i.e. the bugyals in summer.
 – Dhangars were found in the central plateau of Maharashtra. Most of them were 
shepherds, some were blanket weavers, and still others were buffalo herders. They 
grew crops like bajra and rice.
 – In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the dry central plateau was covered with stone and 
grass, inhabited by cattle, goats and sheep herders. The Gollas herded cattle. The 
Kurumas and Kurubas reared sheep and goats and sold woven blankets.
 – Banjaras, a well-known group of graziers, were found in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, 
Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
 – Raikas were found in the deserts of Rajasthan. One group of Raikas, known as the 
Maru (desert) Raikas, herded camels and another group reared sheep and goats.
 – Under the colonial rule, the life of these pastoralists changed dramatically. Their grazing 
grounds shrank, their movements were regulated and the revenue they had to pay 
increased. Their agricultural stock declined and their trades and crafts were adversely 
affected.
 – All these happened due to various Forest Acts introduced by the colonial government. 
These Acts prevented the pastoralists from entering many forests that had earlier 
provided valuable forage for their cattle. Even in the areas they were allowed entry, 
their movements were regulated.
 – The British officials were suspicious of nomadic people. They distrusted mobile craftsmen 
and traders and wanted them to settle in fixed places. In 1871, they passed the Criminal 
Tribes Act which classified many communities of craftsmen, traders and pastoralists as 
Criminal Tribes. Once this Act came into force, these communities were expected to 
live only in notified village settlements.
Pastoralists in  
the Modern World
 – From the mid-nineteenth century, the colonial government enacted Waste Land Rules  in 
various parts of India. By these rules, uncultivated lands were taken over and given to 
select individuals. These individuals were granted various concessions and encouraged 
to settle these lands. In most areas, the lands taken over were actually grazing tracts 
used regularly by pastoralists.
 – All these measures led to a serious shortage of pastures. When grazing lands were 
taken over and turned into cultivated fields, the available area of pasture declined.
 – The reservation of forests, too, restricted free movement of the pastoralists in the forests. 
They could no longer freely pasture their cattle in the forests. Now, the pastoralists had 
to feed their animal stock on whatever grazing land remained. This led to continuous 
intensive grazing of these pastures. As a result, the quality of pastures declined. This in 
turn created a further shortage of forage for animals and the deterioration of animal stock.
 ? Pastoralism in the context of Africa:
 – Over half of the world’s pastoral population lives in Africa. They include communities like 
Bedouins, Berbers, Maasai, Somali, Boran and Turkana. Most of them now live in the 
semi-arid grasslands or arid deserts where rainfed agriculture is difficult. They raise cattle, 
camels, goats, sheep and donkeys; and they sell milk, meat, animal skin and wool.
 – Like pastoralists in India, the lives of African pastoralists have changed dramatically over 
the colonial and post-colonial periods. We will discuss these changes in brief by looking 
at one pastoral community—the Maasai.
 – The Maasai cattle herders live primarily in East Africa (Southern Kenya and Tanzania). 
The new laws and regulations of the colonial government took away their land and 
restricted their movement. Large areas of their grazing land were turned into cultivated 
fields and game reserves like the Maasai Mara and Samburu National Park in Kenya 
and Serengeti Park in Tanzania. Pastoralists were not allowed to enter these reserves. 
They could neither hunt animals nor graze their cattle herds in these areas.
 – The loss of the finest grazing lands and water resources created pressure on the small 
area of land that the Masai were confined within. Continuous grazing within a small 
area inevitably meant a deterioration of the quality of pastures. Fodder was always in 
short supply, which created problem for the animals.
 – Like the Maasai, other pastoral groups were also forced to live within the confines of 
special reserves.
 – In Maasai land, all pastoralists were not equally affected by the changes in the colonial 
period. To administer the affairs of the Maasai, the British appointed chiefs of different 
sub-groups of Maasai, who were made responsible for the affairs of the tribe.
 – These chiefs were highly selfish. They accumulated wealth over time. They had a regular 
income with which they could buy animals, goods and land. They managed to survive 
the devastations of war and drought. They had both pastoral and non-pastoral income, 
and could buy animals when their stock was depleted.
 – But the poor pastoralists had nothing other than their livestock. Most often, they did not 
have the resources to tide over bad times. In times of war and famine, they lost nearly 
everything.
 – One unique quality of the pastoralists must be mentioned here. In spite of several 
problems they do adapt to new times
Words that Matter
 ? Nomads: People who do not live in one place but move from one area to another to earn their 
living.
 ?  Bhabar: A dry forested area below the foothills of Garhwal and Kumaun.
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5 5
Facts that Matter
 ?  Pastoralism has been important in societies like India and Africa.
 ?  Let’s see pastoralism in the context of India:
 – Pastoral nomads are found in different parts of India. They can be seen in mountains, 
on the plateaus, plains and deserts of India.
 – The Gujjar Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir are great herders of goats and sheep. 
They moved annually between their summer and winter grazing grounds. In winters, 
when the high mountains were covered with snow, they lived with their herds in the low 
hills of Shiwalik range. By the end of  April, they began their northern march for their 
summer grazing grounds.
 – In a different area of the mountains, the Gaddi shepherds of Himachal Pradesh had a 
similar cycle of seasonal movement.
 – In Garhwal and Kumaun, the Gujjar cattle herders came down to the dry forests of the 
bhabar in the winter, and went up to the high meadows, i.e. the bugyals in summer.
 – Dhangars were found in the central plateau of Maharashtra. Most of them were 
shepherds, some were blanket weavers, and still others were buffalo herders. They 
grew crops like bajra and rice.
 – In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the dry central plateau was covered with stone and 
grass, inhabited by cattle, goats and sheep herders. The Gollas herded cattle. The 
Kurumas and Kurubas reared sheep and goats and sold woven blankets.
 – Banjaras, a well-known group of graziers, were found in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, 
Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
 – Raikas were found in the deserts of Rajasthan. One group of Raikas, known as the 
Maru (desert) Raikas, herded camels and another group reared sheep and goats.
 – Under the colonial rule, the life of these pastoralists changed dramatically. Their grazing 
grounds shrank, their movements were regulated and the revenue they had to pay 
increased. Their agricultural stock declined and their trades and crafts were adversely 
affected.
 – All these happened due to various Forest Acts introduced by the colonial government. 
These Acts prevented the pastoralists from entering many forests that had earlier 
provided valuable forage for their cattle. Even in the areas they were allowed entry, 
their movements were regulated.
 – The British officials were suspicious of nomadic people. They distrusted mobile craftsmen 
and traders and wanted them to settle in fixed places. In 1871, they passed the Criminal 
Tribes Act which classified many communities of craftsmen, traders and pastoralists as 
Criminal Tribes. Once this Act came into force, these communities were expected to 
live only in notified village settlements.
Pastoralists in  
the Modern World
 – From the mid-nineteenth century, the colonial government enacted Waste Land Rules  in 
various parts of India. By these rules, uncultivated lands were taken over and given to 
select individuals. These individuals were granted various concessions and encouraged 
to settle these lands. In most areas, the lands taken over were actually grazing tracts 
used regularly by pastoralists.
 – All these measures led to a serious shortage of pastures. When grazing lands were 
taken over and turned into cultivated fields, the available area of pasture declined.
 – The reservation of forests, too, restricted free movement of the pastoralists in the forests. 
They could no longer freely pasture their cattle in the forests. Now, the pastoralists had 
to feed their animal stock on whatever grazing land remained. This led to continuous 
intensive grazing of these pastures. As a result, the quality of pastures declined. This in 
turn created a further shortage of forage for animals and the deterioration of animal stock.
 ? Pastoralism in the context of Africa:
 – Over half of the world’s pastoral population lives in Africa. They include communities like 
Bedouins, Berbers, Maasai, Somali, Boran and Turkana. Most of them now live in the 
semi-arid grasslands or arid deserts where rainfed agriculture is difficult. They raise cattle, 
camels, goats, sheep and donkeys; and they sell milk, meat, animal skin and wool.
 – Like pastoralists in India, the lives of African pastoralists have changed dramatically over 
the colonial and post-colonial periods. We will discuss these changes in brief by looking 
at one pastoral community—the Maasai.
 – The Maasai cattle herders live primarily in East Africa (Southern Kenya and Tanzania). 
The new laws and regulations of the colonial government took away their land and 
restricted their movement. Large areas of their grazing land were turned into cultivated 
fields and game reserves like the Maasai Mara and Samburu National Park in Kenya 
and Serengeti Park in Tanzania. Pastoralists were not allowed to enter these reserves. 
They could neither hunt animals nor graze their cattle herds in these areas.
 – The loss of the finest grazing lands and water resources created pressure on the small 
area of land that the Masai were confined within. Continuous grazing within a small 
area inevitably meant a deterioration of the quality of pastures. Fodder was always in 
short supply, which created problem for the animals.
 – Like the Maasai, other pastoral groups were also forced to live within the confines of 
special reserves.
 – In Maasai land, all pastoralists were not equally affected by the changes in the colonial 
period. To administer the affairs of the Maasai, the British appointed chiefs of different 
sub-groups of Maasai, who were made responsible for the affairs of the tribe.
 – These chiefs were highly selfish. They accumulated wealth over time. They had a regular 
income with which they could buy animals, goods and land. They managed to survive 
the devastations of war and drought. They had both pastoral and non-pastoral income, 
and could buy animals when their stock was depleted.
 – But the poor pastoralists had nothing other than their livestock. Most often, they did not 
have the resources to tide over bad times. In times of war and famine, they lost nearly 
everything.
 – One unique quality of the pastoralists must be mentioned here. In spite of several 
problems they do adapt to new times
Words that Matter
 ? Nomads: People who do not live in one place but move from one area to another to earn their 
living.
 ?  Bhabar: A dry forested area below the foothills of Garhwal and Kumaun.
 ?  Bugyal: Vast meadows in the high mountains.
 ?  Kharif: The autumn crop, usually harvested between September and October.
 ?  Rabi: The spring crop, usually harvested after March.
 ?  Stubble: Lower ends of grain stalks left in the ground after harvesting.
 ?  Wasteland: Uncultivated land that produced neither revenue nor agricultural produce.
 ?  Customary rights: Rights that people derive from their custom and tradition.
 ?  Livestock: Farm animals such as cattle, goats and sheep.
Dateline
 ? 1871 – The Criminal Tribes Act was passed.
 ? Between 1850s and 1880s – The right to collect tax was auctioned out to contractors.
 ? 1933 and 1934 – Over half of the cattle in the Maasai Reserve died due   
  to severe drought.
NCERT IN-TEXT QUESTIONS SOLVED
 Q1. Refer to Activity, Textbook page 101. 
Read sources A and B.
 • Write briefly about what they tell 
you about the nature of the work 
undertaken by men and women in 
pastoral households.
 • Why do you think pastoral groups 
often live on the edges of forests?
 Ans. • Men usually take the responsibility 
of outdoor activities. They graze the 
cattle and frequently lie out for weeks 
in the woods tending their herds. 
Women, on the other hand, repair to 
the markets every morning carrying 
baskets filled with milk products on 
their heads.
 •  Pastoral groups often live on the edges 
of forests so that they can easily go to 
the towns to sell the produce of the 
dairy.
 Q2. Refer to Activity, Textbook page 104.
  Write a comment on the closure of the 
forests to grazing from the standpoint 
of:
 • a forester
 • a pastoralist
 Ans. A forester gets everything from the 
forests. His life completely depends 
on forests. Hence, if his access to the 
forest is restricted or banned, it is very 
difficult for him to exist. Similarly, a 
pastoralist’s life is closely linked with 
the forests. The closure of the forests 
to grazing means paralysing his life 
for good.
 Q3. Refer to Activity, Textbook page 105.
  Imagine you are living in the 1890s. 
You belong to a community of nomadic 
pastoralists and craftsmen. You learn 
that the government has declared 
your community as a criminal tribe.
 • Describe briefly what you would have 
felt and done.
 • Write a petition to the local collector 
explaining why the Act is unjust and 
how it will affect your life.
 Ans. • I would have felt deeply hurt. We are 
not criminals as stated by the colonial 
government. Forest is our home and 
we can’t live without it. The colonial 
government must understand this 
fact.
 • The colonial government in India has 
passed the Criminal Tribes Act. This 
Act has classified us as Criminal 
Tribes. I want to draw the attention of 
the local collector towards our miseries 
that have made us so helpless. We are 
not criminals as stated by the colonial 
government. We are just human 
Page 4


5 5
Facts that Matter
 ?  Pastoralism has been important in societies like India and Africa.
 ?  Let’s see pastoralism in the context of India:
 – Pastoral nomads are found in different parts of India. They can be seen in mountains, 
on the plateaus, plains and deserts of India.
 – The Gujjar Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir are great herders of goats and sheep. 
They moved annually between their summer and winter grazing grounds. In winters, 
when the high mountains were covered with snow, they lived with their herds in the low 
hills of Shiwalik range. By the end of  April, they began their northern march for their 
summer grazing grounds.
 – In a different area of the mountains, the Gaddi shepherds of Himachal Pradesh had a 
similar cycle of seasonal movement.
 – In Garhwal and Kumaun, the Gujjar cattle herders came down to the dry forests of the 
bhabar in the winter, and went up to the high meadows, i.e. the bugyals in summer.
 – Dhangars were found in the central plateau of Maharashtra. Most of them were 
shepherds, some were blanket weavers, and still others were buffalo herders. They 
grew crops like bajra and rice.
 – In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the dry central plateau was covered with stone and 
grass, inhabited by cattle, goats and sheep herders. The Gollas herded cattle. The 
Kurumas and Kurubas reared sheep and goats and sold woven blankets.
 – Banjaras, a well-known group of graziers, were found in the villages of Uttar Pradesh, 
Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
 – Raikas were found in the deserts of Rajasthan. One group of Raikas, known as the 
Maru (desert) Raikas, herded camels and another group reared sheep and goats.
 – Under the colonial rule, the life of these pastoralists changed dramatically. Their grazing 
grounds shrank, their movements were regulated and the revenue they had to pay 
increased. Their agricultural stock declined and their trades and crafts were adversely 
affected.
 – All these happened due to various Forest Acts introduced by the colonial government. 
These Acts prevented the pastoralists from entering many forests that had earlier 
provided valuable forage for their cattle. Even in the areas they were allowed entry, 
their movements were regulated.
 – The British officials were suspicious of nomadic people. They distrusted mobile craftsmen 
and traders and wanted them to settle in fixed places. In 1871, they passed the Criminal 
Tribes Act which classified many communities of craftsmen, traders and pastoralists as 
Criminal Tribes. Once this Act came into force, these communities were expected to 
live only in notified village settlements.
Pastoralists in  
the Modern World
 – From the mid-nineteenth century, the colonial government enacted Waste Land Rules  in 
various parts of India. By these rules, uncultivated lands were taken over and given to 
select individuals. These individuals were granted various concessions and encouraged 
to settle these lands. In most areas, the lands taken over were actually grazing tracts 
used regularly by pastoralists.
 – All these measures led to a serious shortage of pastures. When grazing lands were 
taken over and turned into cultivated fields, the available area of pasture declined.
 – The reservation of forests, too, restricted free movement of the pastoralists in the forests. 
They could no longer freely pasture their cattle in the forests. Now, the pastoralists had 
to feed their animal stock on whatever grazing land remained. This led to continuous 
intensive grazing of these pastures. As a result, the quality of pastures declined. This in 
turn created a further shortage of forage for animals and the deterioration of animal stock.
 ? Pastoralism in the context of Africa:
 – Over half of the world’s pastoral population lives in Africa. They include communities like 
Bedouins, Berbers, Maasai, Somali, Boran and Turkana. Most of them now live in the 
semi-arid grasslands or arid deserts where rainfed agriculture is difficult. They raise cattle, 
camels, goats, sheep and donkeys; and they sell milk, meat, animal skin and wool.
 – Like pastoralists in India, the lives of African pastoralists have changed dramatically over 
the colonial and post-colonial periods. We will discuss these changes in brief by looking 
at one pastoral community—the Maasai.
 – The Maasai cattle herders live primarily in East Africa (Southern Kenya and Tanzania). 
The new laws and regulations of the colonial government took away their land and 
restricted their movement. Large areas of their grazing land were turned into cultivated 
fields and game reserves like the Maasai Mara and Samburu National Park in Kenya 
and Serengeti Park in Tanzania. Pastoralists were not allowed to enter these reserves. 
They could neither hunt animals nor graze their cattle herds in these areas.
 – The loss of the finest grazing lands and water resources created pressure on the small 
area of land that the Masai were confined within. Continuous grazing within a small 
area inevitably meant a deterioration of the quality of pastures. Fodder was always in 
short supply, which created problem for the animals.
 – Like the Maasai, other pastoral groups were also forced to live within the confines of 
special reserves.
 – In Maasai land, all pastoralists were not equally affected by the changes in the colonial 
period. To administer the affairs of the Maasai, the British appointed chiefs of different 
sub-groups of Maasai, who were made responsible for the affairs of the tribe.
 – These chiefs were highly selfish. They accumulated wealth over time. They had a regular 
income with which they could buy animals, goods and land. They managed to survive 
the devastations of war and drought. They had both pastoral and non-pastoral income, 
and could buy animals when their stock was depleted.
 – But the poor pastoralists had nothing other than their livestock. Most often, they did not 
have the resources to tide over bad times. In times of war and famine, they lost nearly 
everything.
 – One unique quality of the pastoralists must be mentioned here. In spite of several 
problems they do adapt to new times
Words that Matter
 ? Nomads: People who do not live in one place but move from one area to another to earn their 
living.
 ?  Bhabar: A dry forested area below the foothills of Garhwal and Kumaun.
 ?  Bugyal: Vast meadows in the high mountains.
 ?  Kharif: The autumn crop, usually harvested between September and October.
 ?  Rabi: The spring crop, usually harvested after March.
 ?  Stubble: Lower ends of grain stalks left in the ground after harvesting.
 ?  Wasteland: Uncultivated land that produced neither revenue nor agricultural produce.
 ?  Customary rights: Rights that people derive from their custom and tradition.
 ?  Livestock: Farm animals such as cattle, goats and sheep.
Dateline
 ? 1871 – The Criminal Tribes Act was passed.
 ? Between 1850s and 1880s – The right to collect tax was auctioned out to contractors.
 ? 1933 and 1934 – Over half of the cattle in the Maasai Reserve died due   
  to severe drought.
NCERT IN-TEXT QUESTIONS SOLVED
 Q1. Refer to Activity, Textbook page 101. 
Read sources A and B.
 • Write briefly about what they tell 
you about the nature of the work 
undertaken by men and women in 
pastoral households.
 • Why do you think pastoral groups 
often live on the edges of forests?
 Ans. • Men usually take the responsibility 
of outdoor activities. They graze the 
cattle and frequently lie out for weeks 
in the woods tending their herds. 
Women, on the other hand, repair to 
the markets every morning carrying 
baskets filled with milk products on 
their heads.
 •  Pastoral groups often live on the edges 
of forests so that they can easily go to 
the towns to sell the produce of the 
dairy.
 Q2. Refer to Activity, Textbook page 104.
  Write a comment on the closure of the 
forests to grazing from the standpoint 
of:
 • a forester
 • a pastoralist
 Ans. A forester gets everything from the 
forests. His life completely depends 
on forests. Hence, if his access to the 
forest is restricted or banned, it is very 
difficult for him to exist. Similarly, a 
pastoralist’s life is closely linked with 
the forests. The closure of the forests 
to grazing means paralysing his life 
for good.
 Q3. Refer to Activity, Textbook page 105.
  Imagine you are living in the 1890s. 
You belong to a community of nomadic 
pastoralists and craftsmen. You learn 
that the government has declared 
your community as a criminal tribe.
 • Describe briefly what you would have 
felt and done.
 • Write a petition to the local collector 
explaining why the Act is unjust and 
how it will affect your life.
 Ans. • I would have felt deeply hurt. We are 
not criminals as stated by the colonial 
government. Forest is our home and 
we can’t live without it. The colonial 
government must understand this 
fact.
 • The colonial government in India has 
passed the Criminal Tribes Act. This 
Act has classified us as Criminal 
Tribes. I want to draw the attention of 
the local collector towards our miseries 
that have made us so helpless. We are 
not criminals as stated by the colonial 
government. We are just human 
Activities
  Q1. Imagine that it is 1950 and you are 
a 60-year-old Raika herder living 
in post-independent India. You are 
telling your grand-daughter about 
the changes which have taken place 
in your lifestyle after independence. 
What would you say?
 Ans. Raikas had a very comfortable life 
before independence. They lived in 
their homes during the monsoons and 
moved out in search of pasture and  
water by October. They combined a 
range of different activities such as 
cultivation and herding to make their 
living. But, after independence, their 
lifestyle got changed to a great extent. 
Now they had no grazing grounds or 
pastures. Many of the Raikas have 
switched over to different trades to 
earn their livelihoods.
 Q2. Imagine that you have been asked by 
a famous magazine to write an article 
about the life and customs of the 
Masai in pre-colonial Africa. Write the 
article giving it an interesting title.
 Ans. The Maasai cattle herders live 
primarily in East Africa: 300,000 
in Southern Kenya and another 
150,000 in Tanzania. The title 
Masai derives from the word ‘Maa’.  
‘ma sai means ‘My People’. The Masai 
are traditionally nomadic and pastoral 
people who depend on milk and 
meat for subsistence. In pre-colonial 
times, Maasai society was divided into 
two social categories — elders and 
warriors. The elders formed  the ruling 
group and their main task was to 
settle disputes. The warriors consisted 
of younger people who were mainly 
responsible for the protection of the 
tribe. They defended the community 
and organised cattle raids.
  Q3. Find out more about some of the 
pastoral communities marked in 
figures 11 and 13.
 Ans. Do yourself.
Questions
  Q1. Explain why nomadic tribes used to 
move from one place to another. What 
are the advantages to the environment 
of this continuous movement?
 Ans. Nomadic tribes do not live in one 
place but move from one place to 
another in search of pastures for their 
animals and to earn their living. The 
advantages to the environment of 
this continuous movement are given 
below:
 (i) Continuous movement of the nomadic 
tribes allows the pastures to recover 
and prevent their overuse.
 (ii) Their movement helps in making 
effective use of pastures available in 
different areas.
 (iii) Their cattle help in manuring the soil.
  All these factors bring balance in the 
environment.
 Q2. Discuss why the colonial government 
in India brought in the following laws. 
In each case, explain how the law 
changed the lives of pastoralists.
 • Wasteland Rules
 • Forest Act
 • Criminal Tribes Act
 • Grazing Tax
 Ans.• Wasteland Rules:  To colonial govern-
ment, all uncultivated land appeared 
to be unproductive which produced 
neither revenue nor agricultural 
beings like you. Hence, we need fair 
treatment from the authority. Our life 
totally depends upon forests. If our 
access to forests is restricted, how can 
we live? We will become unemployed 
and will have to face starvation. The 
Act is not just at all. Therefore, it must 
be made ineffective.
NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS SOLVED