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SAI International School
Session-2020-21
Class- VIII
Subject- History
Chapter-4 Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age
Sub Topic : How did Tribal Groups Live

NOTES

Introduction  In mid-1870s Birsa was born in a family of Mundas-a tribal group
that lived in Chhotanagpur.
 The tribes had customs and rituals that were very different from
those laid down by Brahmas.

How did Tribal  By the 19th century, tribal people in different parts of India
Groups Live: were involved in a variety of activities.

Some were Jhum  Jhum cultivation that is shifting cultivation was done on small
Cultivators patches of land, mostly in forests.
 The cultivators cut the treetops to allow sunlight to reach ground,
and burnt the vegetation on the land to clear it for cultivation.
 Once the crop was ready and harvested they moved to another field
and left that field fallow for several years.

Some were  In many regions tribal groups lived by hunting animals and
Hunters and gathering forest produce.
Gatherers  In Khonds were hunters and gatherers living in the forests of Orrisa.
 They used many forest shrubs and herbs for medicinal purpose,
and sold forest produce in the local markets.
 Baigas of central India reluctant to do work for other.
 Tribal groups often needed to buy and sell in order to be able to get
the goods that were not produced within the locality. This led to their
dependence on traders and moneylenders.

Some herded  Many tribal groups lived by herding and rearing animals and
Animals gathering forest produce.
 They were pastoralists who moved with their herds of cattle or
sheep according to the seasons.
 The Van Gujjars of Punjab hills and Labadis of Andhra Pradesh
were cattle herders.
 The Gaddis of Kulu were shepherds and the Bakarwals of Kashmir
reared goats.