Forest Tribology and

Anthropology

Vinod M Mhaiske
Vinayak K Patil
Satish S Narkhede
College of Forestry
Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Agriculture University,
Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra
 Published by:

SCIENTIFIC PUBLISHERS (INDIA)

Jodhpur Delhi Germany

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© 2016, Authors

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ISBN: 978-81-7233-966-1 (HB)

978-81-7233-965-4 (PB)
eISBN: 978-93-86102-08-9

Printed in India
PREFACE

Forest Tribology and Anthropology plays an important role in the curricula of

forestry education at various levels. The basic knowledge on tribes including
characteristics, family, distribution, dialect, kinship, marriage, dormitory, religion,
culture, magic, anthropological aspects of tribe and the tribal development through
various plans, schemes and programmes is much needed for the forest officials for
the integral planning and development of the forest and tribals.
This book is more useful for the students of forestry who are going to opt for the
conservation and development of natural resources as a career. This book is written
in a simple form based on the teaching experience of the subject to the under and
post graduate students of College of Forestry, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan
Agriculture University, Dapoli, Ratnagiri District, Maharashtra State, and from the
syllabus of Forest Tribology and Anthropology in [Link]. Forestry Degree Programme.
An attempt has been made to present the subject matter in a lucid language to be
understood easily by the students of forestry. The latest data relevant to Indian tribes
is incorporated to update the students’ knowledge.
This book is more useful for the under and post graduate students of Forestry,
research scholars, general readers and candidates who are preparing for the
competitive examinations of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Indian
Forest Service (IFS), Agriculture Research Service (ARS), Maharashtra Public
Service Commission (MPSC), Range Forest Officer Examination, Bank Recruitment
Examination, Railway Board, other State Administrative Services, Forester and
Forest Guard examinations, etc.
We hope that readers preparing for competitive examinations and those in
the education of natural resources field find it useful for academic as well as
competitive examinations.

Authors
CONTENTS

1 TRIBAL: MEANING, CHARACTERISTICS, HISTORY AND 1-10

RACE

1.1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.2. DEFINITIONS OF TRIBE 1
1.3. STRIKING FEATURES / PECULIAR CHARACTERISTICS OF 2
INDIAN TRIBE
1.4. HISTORY OF INDIAN TRIBE 4
1.5. MEANING OF RACE 7
1.6. CHARACTERISTICS OR TRAIT OF RACE OR CONCEPT CRITERIA 8
FOR RACIAL CLASSIFICATION
1.7. MAJOR RACES OF INDIA OR TYPES OF RACES IN INDIA 8
1.8. MAJOR RACES OF THE WORLD 9

2 TRIBAL: FAMILY AND MARRIAGES 11-21

2.1. MEANING OF TRIBAL FAMILY 11

2.2. FUNCTIONS OF TRIBAL FAMILY 11
2.3. CHARACTERISTICS OF TRIBAL FAMILY 13
2.4. TYPES OR FORMS OF TRIBAL FAMILY 13
2.5. TRIBAL MARRIAGE 16
2.6. OBJECTIVES OF MARRIAGE 16
2.7. CLASSIFICATION OR TYPES OF TRIBAL MARRIAGES 17
2.8. METHODS OF ACQUIRING MATES IN TRIBAL COMMUNITY 18

3 TRIBAL: KINSHIP, TABOO, TOTEM AND YOUTH 22-34

DORMITORY

3.1. MEANING OF KINSHIP 22

3.2. TYPES OF KINSHIP 22
vi Forest Tribology and Anthropology

3.3. DEGREE OF KINSHIP 23

3.4. KINSHIP BASED ON DESCENT 24
3.5. KINSHIP USAGES OR BEHAVIOUR 25
3.6. MEANING OF TABOO 27
3.7. PURPOSE OF TABOOS 27
3.8. MEANING OF TOTEM 28
3.9. MEANING OF YOUTH DORMITORY 30
3.10. CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUTH DORMITORY 30
3.11. FUNCTIONS/PURPOSE/IMPORTANCE OF TRIBAL DORMITORY 31
3.12. THE GHOTUL OF MURIA AND GOND 32
3.13. DORMITORIES FOR OTHER TRIBES 32

4 TRIBAL: DEMOGRAPHY AND DIALECTS 35-44

4.1. INTRODUCTION 35
4.2. DISTRIBUTION OF TRIBAL POPULATION 35
4.3. TYPES OF TRIBAL REGION OR GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 39
OF TRIBE
4.4. TRIBAL DIALECTS 41
4.5. LINGUISTIC GROUPS 41

5 TRIBAL ECONOMY: ECONOMIC TYPOLOGY AND 45-49

CHARACTERISTICS

5.1. INTRODUCTION 45
5.2. ECONOMIC TYPOLOGY OF THE TRIBE 45
5.3. STRUCTURE / GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TRIBAL 47
ECONOMY

6 TRIBAL: SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL PROBLEMS 50-59

6.1. INTRODUCTION 50
6.2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL PROBLEMS OF TRIBALS 50

7 TRIBALS AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT 60-75

7.1. INTRODUCTION 60
7.2. CONSTITUTIONAL SAFEGUARDS FOR ST 60
7.3. OTHER FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF 63
TRIBALS
Contents vii

8 FOREST AND TRIBES 76-84

8.1. INTRODUCTION 76
8.2. ROLE OF FORESTRY IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF 76
TRIBES
8.3. TRIBAL WELFARE AND SOCIAL FORESTRY 80
8.4. SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FOREST AND TRIBES 82
8.5. FOREST IN TRIBAL AREA 83

9 CULTURE, SOCIETY, COMMUNITY, GROUP INSTITUTION, 85-90

SOCIAL CHANGE AND CULTURAL CHANGE

9.1. MEANING OF CULTURE 85

9.2. MEANING OF SOCIETY 86
9.3. MEANING OF COMMUNITY 86
9.4. MEANING OF GROUP 86
9.5. MEANING OF INSTITUTIONS 87
9.6. MEANING OF SOCIAL CHANGE 87
9.7. MEANING OF CULTURAL CHANGE 87
9.8. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOCIAL CHANGE AND CULTURAL 87
CHANGE
9.9. CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL CHANGE 88
9.10. CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE 89

10 TRIBAL RELIGION AND MAGIC 91-98

10.1. MEANING OF RELIGION 91

10.2. ORIGIN OF RELIGION 92
10.3. RELIGIOUS PRACTITIONERS / LEADERS 94
10.4. MEANING OF MAGIC 96
10.5. FORMS OF MAGIC 96
10.6. WITCHCRAFT 98

11 ANTHROPOLOGY: MEANING, NATURE AND SCOPE, 99-109

BRANCHES, STUDY METHODS AND ROLE IN TRIBAL
DEVELOPMENT

11.1. MEANING 99
11.2. NATURE AND SCOPE OF ANTHROPOLOGY 100
11.3. BRANCHES OF ANTHROPOLOGY 101
11.4. METHODS OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY 103
viii Forest Tribology and Anthropology

11.5. STEPS IN ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY 105

11.6. ROLE OF ANTHROPOLOGY IN TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT 108

12 POLICIES, PLANS AND PROGRAMMES OF TRIBAL 110-127

DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR IMPLEMENTATIONS IN INDIA

12.1. PRE AND POST-INDEPENDENCE APPROACHES FOR TRIBAL 110

DEVELOPMENT
12.2. CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS 111
12.3. SIVARAMAN COMMITTEE, U.N. DHEBAR COMMITTEE AND S.C. 112
DUBE COMMITTEE
12.4. FIVE-YEAR PLAN 112
12.5. SCHEMES FOR TRIBAL DEVELOPMENT 118
12.6. PROGRAMMES FOR TRIBAL WELFARE 119
12.7. NATIONAL SCHEDULED TRIBES FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT 120
CORPORATION (NSTFDC)
12.8. TRIBAL CO-OPERATIVE MARKETING DEVELOPMENT 122
FEDERATION OF INDIA LIMITED (TRIFED)
12.9. THE STS AND OTHER TRADITIONAL FOREST DWELLERS 124
(RECOGNITION OF FOREST RIGHTS) ACT, 2006

13 TRIBALS OF MAHARASHTRA 128-134

13.1. INTRODUCTION 128

13.2. TRIBAL DEMOGRAPHY 128
13.3. MAHARASHTRA GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES FOR TRIBAL 133
DEVELOPMENT

ANNEXURE -I 135-150

ANNEXURE -II 151-174

ANNEXURE -III 175-199

BIBLIOGRAPHY 200-203