8th Social Science – Our Pasts lll – Chapter 4

Birsa was a man seen in Chottanagpur in Jharkhand with miraculous powers, believed to be appointed by God to save his people from trouble and the slavery of outsiders (dikus). He aimed to free the tribal people from the oppression caused by these outsiders.

Shifting cultivators practiced jhum cultivation by cutting treetops, burning vegetation, spreading ash for fertilization, using axes and hoes for soil preparation, and broadcasting seeds instead of ploughing. After harvesting, they moved to another field, leaving the previous one fallow for several years. These cultivators were found in hilly and forested tracts, relying on free movement within forests for their livelihood.

Forest people exchanged goods for rice and other grains, sometimes working odd jobs or as laborers for earnings. When forest produce diminished, they had to seek work as laborers, contributing to their movement towards markets and dependence on traders and moneylenders who charged high interest rates, leading to debt and poverty.

Tribal groups like the Khonds lived by hunting animals, gathering forest produce, and using forests for survival. They engaged in collective hunts, gathered fruits, roots, and forest herbs for food and medicinal purposes, and sold forest produce. They were important sources of supplies for weavers and leather workers, providing essential forest resources.

Pastoralist tribal groups herded and reared animals, moving according to seasons. They were cattle herders, shepherds, or goat rearers who depended on grassland areas for grazing their herds. Unlike shifting cultivators and hunters, pastoralists had a nomadic lifestyle centered around herding and moving their animals to new areas for grazing.