Page 38 - SST Class 08

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Tribal Communities
As soon as the British took over Eastern India,
tribal revolts broke out to challenge alien rule. In
the early years of colonisation, no other commu-
nities in India offered such heroic resistance to the
British rule or faced such tragic consequences as
did the numerous Adivasi Communities of now
Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Bengal.
THE TRIBAL WAY OF LIFE
There were many tribal groups in India. Some of
them were the Mundas, Santhals and Oraons in
the Chotanagpur region; the Baigas, Gonds and
Khonds in Central India; and the Khasis and
Nagas in the North-east India.
Mudas
Santhals
Social Science-8
Oraons
The tribes had many customs and rituals. These
were very different from those of Brahmanas.
But, how did the tribal groups live? By the 19th
century, tribal people in different parts of India
undertook a variety of activities. We will now
look at some of the most famous activities of the
ancient people in India.
Society
The tribal societies did not follow the caste rulers
laid down by the Brahmans. There was more
equality among them. Land was owned by the
whole tribe. They had a distinct culture of their
and they wanted no one to interfere in it. Each
tribal group had its own customs, rituals and
beliefs.
Economy
The tribal people depended on the natural
resources of the region they lived in. Some tribes
settled down in an area permanently, while
others had a nomadic lifestyle and moved from
one place to another.
The tribal were engaged in different activities.
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