Social Change in Tribal and Nomadic Communities Chapter Notes | Window on the Word Class 7: Solutions, Notes & Worksheets PDF Download

Social Change in Tribal and Nomadic Communities

• Tribal and nomadic communities remained largely unaffected by the rise and fall of kingdoms and empires in India.
• Groups like the Gond, the Santhal, and the Badaga were among the original settlers of the land.
• These communities often chose to isolate themselves from mainstream society.
• They either resided in remote areas such as hills and forests or led nomadic lifestyles, constantly moving in search of resources.

Sources of Tribal History

• Throughout centuries, tribal people maintained their distinct social, religious, and cultural customs by living in isolation.
• They transmitted their culture through a rich oral tradition, passing knowledge from one generation to the next.
• Anthropologists, scholars who immerse themselves in human societies, analyze and preserve these oral traditions.
• Historians rely on oral traditions and art to reconstruct tribal history due to limited written records.
• Understanding tribal communities is crucial for a comprehensive history of medieval India.

Tribal Groups of Medieval India

• Powerful tribes like the Gond, Bhil, Ahom, Gujjar, Chero, and Santhal controlled large territories in medieval India.
• In the north-west, tribes such as Gujjar, Khokhar, and Balochi often challenged the authority of Delhi's emperors.
• The Banjara were trader-nomads who played a significant role in transporting goods during this time.
• The Ahir community, traditional cowherds and shepherds, lived in parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
• The Bhil, initially hunter-gatherers, settled down for agriculture in western and central India during the 16th century.
• The Gond, one of the largest tribal groups, resided in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• The Chero, Santhal, and Munda inhabited regions of present-day Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha. Akbar's army defeated the Chero in the 16th century, but they troubled the Mughals until Aurangzeb subdued them.
• The Ahom lived in Assam, while the Naga tribe resided in the mountains of the northeastern part of the subcontinent.
• The Kurumba (shepherds and farmers), Irula (hunters and fishers), Toda (pastoralists), and Badaga (agriculturalists) were the main tribal groups of southern India, most located in the Nilgiris.

Characteristic of Tribal Societies

• They are the original inhabitants of the area; some lead settled lives while others are nomadic.
• Common ownership of resources and belief in equal resource sharing among members.
• Tied together by strong kinship bonds.
• Distinct customs, rituals, and beliefs.
• Simple social and political organization; tribal chief usually serves as the head and decision-maker.
• Engage in shifting agriculture, hunting and gathering, pastoralism, cattle herding, and traditional handicrafts like basket-weaving, tool-making, spinning, weaving, and bee-keeping.

Nomadic Groups

• Some tribal groups were nomadic, primarily raising cattle, goats, and sheep for wool, milk, and products like ghee.
• They traded these resources for grain, cloth, and other essentials with settled farmers and traders in towns and cities.
• The Banjara, a nomadic group of traders in the medieval era, transported goods such as food grains, textiles, ghee, and salt in bulk using caravans that sometimes included thousands of bullock carts.

Social Change in Tribal Communities

• Tribal people valued equality and resisted assimilation into the hierarchical caste-based Hindu society, interacting mainly through trade.
• During the medieval period, conquests led to increased interaction between tribal communities and mainstream society.
• There was a demand for individuals with new skills, leading to the integration of some tribes into mainstream society as craftspeople like masons, smiths, and carpenters.
• New subgroups known as jatis emerged within the caste system to accommodate these individuals, while tribal people who embraced Islam formed another distinct subgroup.
• Over time, tribal groups learned to protect themselves from the influence of the Sultanate and the Mughals by forming hierarchical societies, constructing fortified cities, and establishing independent tribal states and kingdoms.

The Gond

• The Gond, a significant tribal group in South Asia, reside in central India, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.
• They call themselves "Kol" or "Koltur" and speak Gondi, a Dravidian language.
• Gondi people initially practiced nomadism but later adopted farming, particularly shifting cultivation.
• They diversified into metalwork, carpentry, and other occupations, leading to growth in power and wealth.
• Increased interaction with mainstream society caused the emergence of classes and hierarchical structures within Gond society.
• Initially worshipping Gond spirits and deities, they gradually incorporated Hindu gods and goddesses into their religious practices.
• Established kingdoms like Kherla, Deogarh, Garha-Mandla, and Chanda-Sirpur, known for strong administrative systems and alliances with Rajput clans.
• Rani Durgavati, a Gond ruler, displayed bravery against Mughal attacks but eventually succumbed, leading to Gond allegiance to the Mughal Empire.
• Subsequent regional power shifts, including the rise of the Marathas and Bundelas, contributed to the decline of the Gond.

The Ahom

• Originating from Burma, the Ahom people entered India in the 13th century under Sukaphaa, who became the first king.
• Expanding their kingdom significantly, the Ahom annexed neighboring territories and repelled invasions, including conflicts with the Mughals in the 17th century.
• Under Rudra Singha, the Ahom kingdom reached its peak, with a new capital established at Rangpur.
• Agriculture formed the backbone of Ahom society, with village-based life and a focus on wet rice cultivation.
• The Ahoms maintained a rich literary tradition, producing chronicles known as buranjis and translating Sanskrit texts.

The Roma

• The Roma are a group of wandering tribes scattered in different parts of Europe.
• Recent genetic and linguistic research suggests that the Roma originated in northern India around 1,500 years ago.
• Initially thought to have come from Egypt, they are also known as "Gvpsv dancers" or gypsies in Europe.
• Depicted in literature and art as wandering nomads with skills in music, dance, horse-riding, and magic.
• Historically, their nomadic lifestyle faced discrimination in mainstream European society.
• Today, there are approximately 11 million Roma in Europe, the continent's largest ethnic minority, with many now leading settled lives.