Class 9 History Chapter 5 Question Answers - Pastoralists in the modern world

Q1. Discuss the main characteristic features of pastoralism.

Ans: Pastoralism is a lifestyle where people raise animals like sheep, goats, and cows, moving to find fresh grass and water. Here are the main features:

• Nomadic Lifestyle: Pastoralists frequently relocate to find good pastures and avoid harsh weather, ensuring their animals remain healthy.
• Diverse Activities: Many pastoralists also engage in farming, trading, and other activities to support their livelihoods.
• Environmental Benefits: Their movement allows land to recover, preventing overgrazing and promoting plant regrowth.
• Adaptation to Regions: This lifestyle is ideal for hilly and dry areas where traditional farming is challenging, allowing them to utilise various resources.
• Role as Traders: Pastoralists often travel long distances to trade goods like cattle for grain, fodder, and other supplies.

Q2. Discuss the factors on which the life of pastoralists depends.

Ans: Pastoralists inhabit diverse terrains, including villages, plateaus, deserts, and forest edges. Their survival relies on several key factors:

• Movement Timing: They possess a keen understanding of when to remain in one location and when to relocate.
• Resource Location: Pastoralists are skilled at finding food and water for their herds.
• Seasonal Awareness: They time their movements according to seasonal changes and weather patterns.
• Farmer Relationships: They establish connections with farmers, trading goods such as milk, ghee, animal skins, and wool for grains and other essentials.

Q3. Elaborate on the seasonal movement of Dhangars of Maharashtra.

Ans: The Dhangars of Maharashtra follow a seasonal movement pattern:

• Monsoon Season: They remain in the central plateau, grazing and cultivating crops like bajra.
• Post-Monsoon: By October, they harvest their crops and migrate to the fertile Konkan region. Here, local farmers welcome them, as their flocks help fertilise the fields and feed on leftover stubble.
• Pre-Monsoon: They stay in Konkan until the monsoon begins, receiving rice from the farmers before returning to the plateau.

Q4. Describe the various facets of pastoralism in Africa.

Ans: African pastoralism encompasses various communities, including the Bedouins, Berbers, and Maasai. Key aspects include:

• They raise cattle, camels, goats, and sheep, selling products like milk, meat, skins, and wool.
• Some combine pastoralism with farming or engage in trade and transport to enhance their income.
• The colonial and post-colonial eras brought significant changes, including reduced pasture lands and restrictions on movement due to new laws.

Q5. Compare and contrast the life of wealthy pastoralists with that of poor pastoralists in Africa.

Ans:

Wealthy Pastoralists:

• They accumulate wealth by owning more animals and land.
• They have diversified incomes and can afford to live in towns.
• Families often manage livestock while engaging in trade.
• They are better equipped to survive wars and droughts.

Poor Pastoralists:

• Their lives rely solely on livestock.
• They lack resources to cope with crises, leading to significant losses during wars and famine.
• Many seek work in towns or take on menial jobs, such as charcoal burning.
• Some find more stable employment in construction.

Q6. Comment on the closure of the forests to grazing from the standpoint of (a) a forester (b) a pastoralist.

Ans:

A forester:

• Foresters believe that restricting access to forests is essential to prevent over-exploitation.
• They aim to preserve valuable timber for construction, such as ships and railways.
• Foresters argue that pastoralists should be barred from forests to maintain ecological balance and ensure a steady supply of timber.

A pastoralist:

• Pastoralists feel that the closure of forests deprives them of vital resources like fuel, fodder, fruits, and medicinal herbs.
• The restrictions on grazing significantly impact their traditional way of life.
• Pastoralists are forced to seek alternative means of livelihood due to the loss of access to these essential resources.

Q7. Give two examples to illustrate how the pastoral nomads adjust to seasonal changes and make effective use of available pastures in different places.

Ans: Gaddi Shepherds of Himachal Pradesh:

• They migrate from low hills to higher altitudes with the seasons.
• During winter, they graze in scrub forests.
• In summer, they move to mountain meadows.
• They time their movements to align with crop cycles, ensuring access to pastures.

Gujjar Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir:

• They spend winters in the low Siwalik hills.
• In summer, they migrate to the lush valleys of Kashmir.
• Their movements are based on pasture availability and avoiding harsh weather.

Q8. Discuss the lifestyle of the following pastoralists (a) The Gollas of Andhra Pradesh (b) Banjaras of Punjab (c) Raikas of Rajasthan.

Ans: Gollas: The Gollas are primarily cattle herders. Their movement is influenced by the monsoon and dry seasons. During the dry period, they migrate to coastal areas but leave when the rains begin, as their cattle cannot endure the wet conditions. They return to the dry plateau during the monsoon. The Gollas live near forests, cultivate small plots of land, and engage in trade.

Banjaras: The Banjaras are a nomadic group that travels in search of new pasture land. They cover long distances, selling cattle and goods to villagers in exchange for grain and fodder.

Raikas: The Raikas reside in Rajasthan, a region with limited rainfall. Due to inconsistent harvests, they combine pastoralism with agriculture. During the monsoon, they find sufficient pasture at home, but as October approaches, they seek water and grazing land elsewhere, returning only with the next monsoon.

Q9. What effect did the colonial rule have on the pastoralists? How did this happen?

Ans: Colonial rule significantly changed the lives of pastoralists in several ways:

• Land Control: The British expanded agriculture, reducing pastures through Wasteland Rules, which converted uncultivated land into farmland.
• Forest Restrictions: Forest Acts limited access to forests, restricting grazing areas for pastoralists.
• Settlement and Control: The Criminal Tribes Act classified pastoralists as criminals, controlling their movements and confining them to specific areas.
• Taxation: Various taxes, including grazing taxes, were imposed, increasing the financial burden on pastoralists.

These changes led to a decline in their grazing grounds, regulated their movements, and increased their financial pressures, adversely affecting both their pastoral and trading activities.

Q10. Why did the colonial government pass the law Criminal Tribes Act and imposition of Grazing Tax?

Ans: The British colonial government aimed to control nomadic populations for easier governance. They passed the Criminal Tribes Act in 1871 to:

• Classify certain communities as criminal, forcing them to live in fixed areas.
• Monitor their movements through permits.

Additionally, the grazing tax was introduced to:

• Generate revenue from pastoralists by taxing each animal grazed.
• Provide a steady income for the colonial government.

Q11. Give any four reasons to explain why Maasai community lost their grazing land?

Ans: Colonial Boundaries: In 1885, Maasailand was divided between British Kenya and German Tanganyika, which reduced their grazing area.

• White Settlements: Prime grazing lands were taken for white settlements, forcing the Maasai into smaller, less fertile regions.

• Expansion of Cultivation: The British promoted agricultural expansion, converting pasture lands into fields.

• Game Reserves: Significant portions of Maasai grazing land were designated as game reserves, such as Maasai Mara and Serengeti National Park, further limiting their territory.

Q12. Explain any four factors responsible for the annual movement of the Dhangars.

Ans: Four factors responsible for the annual movement of the Dhangars:

• Monsoon Grazing: The central plateau of Maharashtra becomes a rich grazing area during the monsoon.
• Harvesting Bajra: After harvesting bajra in October, they migrate to the Konkan region.
• Fertilizing Fields: In Konkan, their flocks help fertilise the fields post-harvest, and in return, they receive rice.
• Avoiding Wet Conditions: They return to the dry plateau before the monsoon starts, as their sheep cannot tolerate wet conditions.

Q13. Explain any four laws which were introduced by the colonial government in India that changed the lives of pastoralists.

Ans: Wasteland Rules: Introduced in the mid-19th century, these rules allowed the government to take over uncultivated lands, which reduced the available pastures for pastoralists.

• Forest Acts: Also enacted in the mid-19th century, these laws classified forests as 'reserved' or 'protected'. This restricted pastoralists' access to vital grazing lands and forests.

• Criminal Tribes Act: Passed in 1871, this law labelled many pastoral communities as criminal, which limited their movements and forced them to reside in designated areas.

• Grazing Tax: The colonial government imposed a tax on each animal grazed, significantly increasing the financial burden on pastoralists.