FOREST TRIBAL INTERFACE
SANJEETA GUPTA,
Executive Director, Chhattisgarh State MFP Federation, Raipur
E-mail: [email protected]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Abstract
Forests and Tribals are interdependent on each other. Tribals live in forest, get their
income from forest and protect the forests. Here Forest Tribal interface is dealt with
specially for Bastar area of Chhatisgarh state. Chhattisgarh a state in Central India is
the 10th largest state in India with an area of 135190 sq. Km. and 16th most populated
state of India and a population of 25.5 million.
The state of Chhattisgarh being placed in Deccan Biogeographical area, houses an
important part of rich and unique biodiversity. Forest area is 44.14% of its
geographical area and 8.4% of country‟s area. The forests of state fall under two
major forest types:
Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest
Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest
The tribal population of Chhatisgarh is
32.5% of its total population.
The main
tribes of Chhattisgarh are – Gonds, Abujhmaria, Halbaa, Dhurwaa, Pando,Kanwar,
Uraon, Baiga, Panika etc.
A large no. of Bastar tribals are still living in deep forests and avoid mixing with
outsiders in order to protect their unique culture.
Bastar tribe shave a strong bond/relationship with Forests. They live there, get their
livelihood from there, have their gods and goddess there, get their food from there and
in turn protect the forests which are the backbone of their life.
In present times these tribals associated with Forest collect Minor Forest produce like
Tendupatta (Bidi leaves), sal seed, harra, gum, tamarind, Mahua etc. from forests
which form the main base of their income and their livelihood. From Tendupatta
collection they get some money as bonus, shoes and saree under government schemes.
The factor disturbing this healthy interface of Forest and Tribals is the naxalite
problem. These naxalites do not allow the tribals to go deep into forest, don‟t allow
Page 1 of 9
them to collect Tendupatta (bidi leaves) which is the most important source of income
for the tribals.
A tradition of tribals in Bastar is going in forest once or twice a year with bows and
arrows, kill the wild life and eat it. This custom is slowly going off when they are
sensitized about the importance of wild life.
The tribals living in forests are also given land under Forests Rights Act.
Key Words: Tribal, Forest, Minor Forest Produce
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Introduction
Forest Tribal interface is a topic which deals with how tribals are dependent on forests, living
in it, getting their livelihood from it, food from it and protecting it in return, conserving
forests. The topic also deals with effect of Tribals on Forests and Forests on Tribals.
It also deals with the advantages and disadvantages of living of tribals in forests. It also
covers why the tribals need forests and why the forests need them.
Here I will present my experience of working in Chhattisgarh state specially the Bastar Forest
area.
Chhattisgarh state was formed on 1st November 2000 by partitioning south eastern part of
Madhya Pradesh. Raipur is the capital of Chhattisgarh. This state has 27 districts.
(a)
Forests of Chhattisgarh
The state of Chhattisgarh being placed in Deccan bio-geographical Area, has an important
part of rich and unique biological diversity. The state is significantly rich in endemism with
respect to many plants having medicinal importance. The forests of the state fall under two
major forest types, i.e., Tropical Moist Deciduous forest and the Tropical Dry Deciduous
forest. The state of Chhattisgarh has about 22 varied forest sub-types existing in the state.
Sal (Shorea Robusta) and Teak (Tectona grandis) are the two major tree species in the state.
Other notable overwood species are Bija (Pterocarpus marsupium), Saja (Terminalia
tomentosa), Dhawra (Anogeissus latifolia), Mahua (Madhuca indica), Tendu (Diospyros
melanoxylon) etc. Amla (Embilica officinalis), Karra (Cleistanthus collinus) and bamboo
(Dendrocalamus strictus) constitute a large part of the middle canopy of the state forests.
Page 2 of 9
From the management point of view, there are four types of forests in the state of
Chhattisgarh:(i)
Teak forests
(ii)
Sal forests
(iii)
Bamboo forests and
(iv)
Miscellaneous forests.
Biogeographically, the state falls in Deccan bio-region comprising representative fauna of
central India like the tiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus), gaur (Bos gaurus),
sambhar (Cervus unicolor) , chital (Axis axis), nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and wild
boar (Sus scrofa). The state is a proud possessor of rare wildlife like the wild buffalo
(Bubalus bubalis) and hill myna (Gracula religiosa) which have been declared as rare and
endangered.
Wild buffalo is the state animal of Chhattisgarh and Hill myna is the State bird.
Apart from the species diversity, the state also has rich genetic diversity. The variation in the
genetic composition of individuals within or among floristic and faunal species is large.
Recorded Forest Area
The recorded forest area in the state is 59,772 km2 which is 44.21 of its geographical area.
Reserved, Protected and Unclassed Forests constitute 43.13%, 4021% and 16.65% of the total
forest area respectively (Table 1)
Recorded Forest Area Break up (Table 1)
Reserved Forests
25782.167 sq.km.
Protected Forests
24036.100 sq.km.
Un demarcated P.F.
9954.122 sq.km.
Total Forests
59772.389 sq.km.
The forest cover of state is placed at 55,870 Sq.Km. According to forest survey of India
assessment (2007) the extent of very dense forest is 4,162 Sq.Km., dense forest 35,038
Sq.Km. and open forest is 16,670 Sq.Km. The legal forest area (as per the legal definition) of
the state is 59772 sq. km.
This accounts for 44.2 % of geographical area of the state.(Table 2)
Page 3 of 9
Area under Forest cover (Table 2)
Very Dense Forest
4163 Sq.Km
Dense Forest
34911 Sq.Km.
Open Forest
16600 Sq.Km.
Total
55674 Sq.Km.
Of State Geographic Area
41.18 %
Of Country Forest Cover
8.4 %
(b) Tribals of India and Chhattisgarh
“Tribal” is the word used in India to refer to inhabitants known elsewhere as "indigenous".
British ethnographers classified tribals as "animists". As per the National Census, they are
classified as "aboriginals" and listed according to the tribe. The Hindi word for tribal is
adivasi , meaning "ancient inhabitants."
Tribals are not Hindus, though they have imbibed many features of Hindu culture. There are
many types of tribals in India, and Chhattisgarh is home to many of them.
In fact, the state has India's oldest tribal communities, and it is safe to assume that the earliest
tribals have been living in Bastar for over 10,000 years, since the time the Aryans occupied
the Indian mainland. .
The main tribes in Chhattisgarh are:
Bastar - Gond, Abujmaria , Bisonhorn Maria, Muria, Halba, Bhatra, Parja, Dhurvaa
Dantewara - Muriya, Dandami Mariya or Gond, Dorla, Halba
Koriya - Kol, Gond, Bhunjia
Korba - Korwa, Gond, Rajgond, Kawar, Bhaiyana, Binjwar, Dhanwar
Bilaspur and Raipur - Parghi, Savra, Manji, Bhayna
Gariabandh, Mainpur, Dhura, Dhamtari - Kamar
Surguja and Jashpur - Munda
Each of these tribes has their own rich (and distinctive) history and culture of music, dance,
dress and food. What's common to all is a simple, basic, in-tune-with-nature way of life that
has changed little over centuries because it works so well. Marriages tend to take place within
Page 4 of 9
the tribe. Both burial and cremation are used for the dead, but since cremation involves multiday rituals, which are expensive, it is not so common. Important elders, though, are always
cremated.
The tribes of Chhattisgarh are a unique race who mainly inhabits the dense forests of Bastar.
In fact more than 70% of Bastar's population is composed of tribals who account for 26.76%
of Chhattisgarh's entire tribal population.
The lifestyle of the tribal people is unique with a lot of traditional rituals and superstitions.
They are very friendly with all people, very joyful and are industrious and diligent. Although
lived in poverty, they live life to the full and love to celebrate every joyous occasion. Food,
drink, music,dance, mirth and merriment add color to their otherwise simple lives. The tribal
women also love to decorate themselves in ethnic jewellery.
One of the Chhattisgarh's eminent tribes are the Gonds or the Kotoriya tribe. The
etymological connotation of their name comes from the Telegu term "Kond" meaning hills.
The Gonds dominate most of Chhattisgarh's tribal population and primarily depend upon
agriculture, forestry, cottage industries, hunting and fishing for their livelihood.
The talking point of the lifestyle and culture of the Gond tribals is their Ghotul marriage
policy, a one of a kind arrangement for conducting the nuptial rituals. Another tribe, the Abuj
Maria live in isolation in the dense and secluded enclaves of the forests of Narayanpur district
in Bastar. They are a ferocious and barbaric tribe who believe in primitive customs and are
hardly tempted by the material pleasures.
Here I will deal with the Forest Tribal Interface of specially the Bastar area. Bastar comprises
of areas of North Bastar, Central Bastar and South Bastar. North Bastar is also called Kanker
Forest
circle
and
includes
divisions
of
Kanker,
North
Bhanupratappur,
South
Bhanupratappur, Narayanpur, North Kondagaon and South Kondagaon. Central Bastar is
Jagdalpur Circle with Jagdalpur Forest Division and South Bastar includes Dantewara,
Sukma and Bijapur Forest divisions.
Bastar has mostly Tropical Sal deciduous Forest with Mixed Forests as well. The main
species of trees are Sal, harra, bahera, chironji, saja etc.
Bastar is the land of tribes and about 70% tribal population of Bastar comprises of tribals,
which is 26% of the total population of Chhattisgarh. The major tribes of Bastar region are –
Gonds, Abujhmaria, Bhatra, Halbaa, Dhurva, Muria and Maria.
Page 5 of 9
The Gonds of Bastar region are known for their unique and distinctive tribal culture and
heritage all over the world. Each tribal group in Bastar has their own distinct culture and
enjoys their own unique traditional living styles. The tribals of Bastar are known for their
colourful festivals and arts and crafts. The tribes of Bastar were also amongst the earliest to
work with metal, have expertise in making beautiful figurines of tribal gods, oil lamps, carts
and animals.
Tribal villages are very clean and have winding mudroads running through them. The tribal
houses are made of mud with thatched or red tiled roofs.
Each village specialize in a particular handicraft – pottery, bell metal work, iron work etc.
The tribals are very shy but friendly people.
Dances are the chief amusement of the tribals. Like all folk dances, they are community
affairs, characterized by robustness and earthiness. All the dances are group dances involving
complex footwork, and they are wonderful to watch! The dancers are usually in a line,
gyrating in a circle, always in the anti-clock direction.
The most spectacular dances are those of the Maria tribes. The men lace a strip of cloth round
their torso, wear head-dresses of peacock and cock feathers, and tie bells around their wrists
and ankles. Some also wear stag and bison horns on the head.
In the case of the Bison-horn Marias, the boys and girls dance in separate sub-groups, with
the steps of the girls being simpler. Drum-beats are central to the dance.
In the case of the Hill-Marias, the group is often mixed, with a girl between two boys. The
men wear heavy buttock-bells. Singing is important in these dances.
Both men and women wear ornaments - in fact, at celebrations, it is the men who are more
gaily bedecked! Most of the ornaments are made of beads (made from bones, seeds, wood)
worn as laces, ropes, fillets and collars. Earlier, iron, brass and copper wires were into
armlets; today, silver and gold are used. Gold is worn mainly on the ear, nose and neck (men
wear gold collars to indicate their standing in the village), not on the hands and legs. Silver is
worn on the neck (as a hoop); on the wrist (as a loose, hollow, twisted tubular bracelet); on
the legs (as a solid, square-bar anklet, arched below the ankle-bones). Conical twin-tops are
common in the nostrils and ear lobes. Rings are worn on the helix of the ear.
Page 6 of 9
Precious stones are not very popular, but when used, red and green stones are preferred,
mainly because of their bright colours.
Tassels of red wool are still worn by both men and women of the Hill-Maria tribe.
Bastar is home to the aseel cock, noted for its pugnacity, high stamina, majestic gait and
dogged fighting qualities. Cockfights are a favorite sport of the tribals here.
Tribals living in Forests of Bastar are simple people with no ambitions. They just live in
forests eat, drink salfi (local drink from palm tree), celebrate and live happily. They collect
MFP from forest for their livelihood and protect forests in turn.
Tribals also have a lot of knowledge about the herbal medicinal plants growing in forests.
They don‟t take allopathic medicines but whenever they get ill they take herbs from forests,
use it as medicines and get well.
Govt. is creating some basic infrastructure for the tribals living in and around forests like
schools, roads, drinking water, hand pumps, tube wells etc. Still the dependency of tribals on
forests is too much and they are changing at a really slow pace.
Material and Methods
The assignment is based on the experiences during working in Bastar area in territorial and
wild life division. Particularly no datas are collected. The datas of Forest department and
Tribal department of Chhatisgarh govt. are used.
Results and Discussion
i)
Tribals have to live in or near Forests.
ii)
They are collecting their MFP and Bamboo from forest as income generating
activities. They earn their livelihood from them.
iii)
Their needs are very few. They don‟t need luxury items for their day to day living.
iv)
They have also started doing agriculture at the places they live or on lands they got
under Forest‟s Right Act . The Forest Rights Act grants legal recognition to the rights
of traditional forest dwelling communities.
v)
One negative point of the Tribals living in forest is their traditional custom of „Paarad‟
which is followed by them once or twice a year. In this custom they go with bows and
arrows in forest and kill the wild life they get there and eat them. As a result wild life
is decreasing in forest.
Page 7 of 9
vi)
At some very interior places in forest where tribals live, they collect mangoes and
jamuns and MFP like tamarind, chironji and mahua, sell them in local market and salt
in exchange.
vii)
These tribals of Bastar are really very simple people and they were exploited by
middle men and modern people from a long time.
viii)
Now the govt. is providing schools for education, drinking water facilities like hand
pumps, primary health centres etc. at the interior places where they live and many
tribal people and getting good jobs too in govt. and private organisations.
ix)
A specialized agency of the UN, International Fund for Agriculture Development
(IFAD) has started a specialized program for tribal development in Chhattisgarh. The
objective of this program is to develop and implement a model that ensures
household, food security and improves livelihood opportunities and overall quality of
life of the Tribal population based on the sustainable and equitable use of natural
resources.
x)
Tribals are given land under Forest rights Act and they are shifting to agricultural
practices. But if they are asked to shift to towns or cities they refuse to do so inspite
of facing difficulties in Forests especially the naxalite problem.Their survival outside
the forest is really difficult.
xi)
Naxalites are creating trouble in the silent and self sustaining life of Tribals. In south
bastar out of one and half lac bags of Tendupatta which is collected in a year during
April, only 50,000 bags are collected this year as naxalites banned the Tendupatta
collection and cut the hands of few who went inside the forest to collect it. Thus
tribals suffer a lot due to naxalites in Bastar area.
Points of Discussion
i)
It is a big question whether Tribals should shift outside to modern society or remain in
forests following their old traditional customs and rituals?
ii)
What about the Wild Life protection, because it is in their custom to kill wild animals
in forests. They are booked under Wild Life Act many a times but they say this is
their custom and all the males living in a settlement or villages in or near forest go for
wild life hunting with bows and arrows as their traditional custom named as “Paard”.
iii)
Naxalite problem in Bastar area is affecting the life of tribals very much. The
naxalites are not allowing them to go deep in forest and collect MFP from there. The
naxalites are also taking one member from each tribal family in their naxalite group.
Page 8 of 9
As a result many tribal families are leaving their places where they used to live and
shifting in camps set by state govt.
iv)
Sometimes tribals also cut trees for their agriculture and also for meeting their fuel
wood requirements which creates a negative impact on forest conservation.
v)
The tribals living in and around Forest areas face health problems also as there is no
doctor at their place. But they mostly treat themselves using herbal plants found in
forests and make medicines from them.
vi)
MFP Collection – Maximum amount of Tendupatta (bidi leaves) is collected from
Bastar area which is of best quality in Chhattisgarh state. These are collected by
tribals living in and around Forests.
vii)
Tribals also play an important role in forest protection. Since they live in and around
forest, they don‟t allow the cutting of trees as they know that it forms the part of
environment in which they have to live. They also play a major role in the sustainable
development of forests.
Conclusion
i)
Forest Tribal interface is very important for Forestry as well as Social sector.
ii)
Tribals play very important role in Forest Protection.
iii)
Major disadvantage of tribals living in forests is lessening of wildlife as it is in their
traditional custom to use it as food.
iv)
Tribals will continue to live in Forest and they won‟t come out of it despite the
difficulties of forest life, living without electricity, facing the danger of wild animals
as well as naxalites.
v)
For balance of Ecosystem Forest Tribal Interface is very important.
References
1. Wikipedia of Chhattisgarh state -en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastar_district
2. Website of Chhattisgarh Forest department -www.forest.cg.gov.in
3. Website of Maps of India - www.maps of India.com
4. Website of Chhattisgarh Tourism department –www.chhattisgarh tourism.net
5. Website for Forest Rights Act - www.forestrightsact.com
Page 9 of 9