Let’s Recall
- Fill in the blanks:
- (a) The British described the tribal people as wild and savages.
- (b) The method of sowing seeds in jhum cultivation is known as broadcasting.
- (c) The tribal chiefs got land titles in central India under the British land settlements.
- (d) Tribals went to work in the tea plantations of Assam and the coal mines in Bihar.
- State whether true or false:
- (a) Jhum cultivators plough the land and sow seeds. False
- (b) Cocoons were bought from the Santhals and sold by the traders at five times the purchase price. True
- (c) Birsa urged his followers to purify themselves, give up drinking liquor and stop believing in witchcraft and sorcery. True
- (d) The British wanted to preserve the tribal way of life. False
Let’s Discuss
- What problems did shifting cultivators face under British rule?
- he British forced shifting cultivators to settle in one place, which was against their traditional practice of moving and farming. They also restricted access to forests, disrupting their livelihoods and forcing them to work for the British or migrate for work.
- How did the powers of tribal chiefs change under colonial rule?
- Tribal chiefs lost much of their authority. The British imposed new laws, reducing their control over land and forests. Chiefs had to pay tribute and assist the British, weakening their influence and respect.
- What accounts for the anger of the tribals against the dikus?
- Tribals resented dikus (outsiders) for taking their land, exploiting them, and ruining their way of life. Outsiders, like traders and moneylenders, cheated them and trapped them in debt, leading to poverty and land loss.
- What was Birsa’s vision of a golden age? Why do you think such a vision appealed to the people of the region?
- Birsa imagined a time when tribal people were free from British rule and exploitation by outsiders. His vision of a just, peaceful life on their own land appealed to the people, who were suffering under colonial oppression.
Let’s Imagine
Imagine you are a jhum cultivator living in a forest village in the nineteenth century. You have just been told that the land you were born on no longer belongs to you. In a meeting with British officials, you try to explain the kinds of problems you face. What would you say?
- “Sir, we have always lived here and farmed this land. This is our home. We move from one patch of land to another to grow crops because that is how the soil stays fertile. If we cannot do this, we will not have enough food to eat. The forest is also our lifeline. We gather fruits, roots, and medicinal herbs from it. Without the land and the forest, we cannot survive. Please understand, this is not just land to us; it is our life. We don’t know how to farm in one place all the time, and if we try, our crops will fail. Please don’t take away our way of living.”