189
10.4.8 Polity
Kharia Sabars have been deprived, hated and humiliated by the mainstream society
since long. It is due to poor economic condition, struggle for existence in daily lives
and mass illiteracy that they could not able to resist such social reproach. It is to inform
that Kharia Sabar Panchayat system is divided into two branches on the basis of power
of judgment. The Panchayat which is relatively having lower status and making all
types of primary decisions and Parha Panchayat is recognized as their Supreme Court.
10.5 Tribal Transformation vis-à-vis Restoration
Tribes by nature prefer to live in isolation, far away from modern civilization. But
in the present situation, the spill-over of development processes in every aspect is
growing at a faster rate causing continuous squeezing and eroding the tribal environment and transforming, consequently age-old heritage of tribal way of life.
Under such developmental impacts, tribes have been pushed into landless situation, continuously being displaced from their pristine habitats since the land as
resource, its price and availability, occupies a commanding position in the economy, and as a result, they will still continue to be displaced by agents of transformation. As per all over India, this is also happening with the tribal people of
Purulia district, where several materialistic developmental schemes not only have
forced them to recede from their paternal land, the pristine ecology, but also
slowly but conveniently transforming tribal way of life and livelihood. The processes of globalization in the name of development have dislocated the tribal communities and brought them into a unique land of ultimate mixed culture. In the era
of ecological breakdown and exploitation by civilized modern people, they are
facing formidable forces, compelled them to follow the main stream processes of
development. No doubt, this would create a massive turmoil in tribal life and livelihood and put a question on the existence of indigenous heritage of tribal ethos
and culture and pattern of living. Thus, ultimately what is happening within the
community is aptly being called the process of de-tribalization. It is true that “…
generally in periods of rapid changes whether or not they possess an evolutionary
character – the type of social solidarity characteristic of a primitive group is no
longer attainable. The social being can no longer live entirely in a wholly integrated and all-inclusive community…” (Maciver & Page 2004, p.634). Moreover,
their number, tradition, belief, existence and entire life style are being endangered
by the cruel oppression of humanity. Roy Burman (2003) in his contribution
Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in World System Perspective expounded the presence of globalization and the consequent displacement of tribal people. He also
sought for national rehabilitation policy in this regard. Similarly, Baral (2006) in
his contribution Globalisation and Tribes of Northeast India exhibited very
10 Socio-ecological Niche of Tribes of Purulia District, West Bengal, India
10.4.8 Polity
Kharia Sabars have been deprived, hated and humiliated by the mainstream society
since long. It is due to poor economic condition, struggle for existence in daily lives
and mass illiteracy that they could not able to resist such social reproach. It is to inform
that Kharia Sabar Panchayat system is divided into two branches on the basis of power
of judgment. The Panchayat which is relatively having lower status and making all
types of primary decisions and Parha Panchayat is recognized as their Supreme Court.
10.5 Tribal Transformation vis-à-vis Restoration
Tribes by nature prefer to live in isolation, far away from modern civilization. But
in the present situation, the spill-over of development processes in every aspect is
growing at a faster rate causing continuous squeezing and eroding the tribal environment and transforming, consequently age-old heritage of tribal way of life.
Under such developmental impacts, tribes have been pushed into landless situation, continuously being displaced from their pristine habitats since the land as
resource, its price and availability, occupies a commanding position in the economy, and as a result, they will still continue to be displaced by agents of transformation. As per all over India, this is also happening with the tribal people of
Purulia district, where several materialistic developmental schemes not only have
forced them to recede from their paternal land, the pristine ecology, but also
slowly but conveniently transforming tribal way of life and livelihood. The processes of globalization in the name of development have dislocated the tribal communities and brought them into a unique land of ultimate mixed culture. In the era
of ecological breakdown and exploitation by civilized modern people, they are
facing formidable forces, compelled them to follow the main stream processes of
development. No doubt, this would create a massive turmoil in tribal life and livelihood and put a question on the existence of indigenous heritage of tribal ethos
and culture and pattern of living. Thus, ultimately what is happening within the
community is aptly being called the process of de-tribalization. It is true that “…
generally in periods of rapid changes whether or not they possess an evolutionary
character – the type of social solidarity characteristic of a primitive group is no
longer attainable. The social being can no longer live entirely in a wholly integrated and all-inclusive community…” (Maciver & Page 2004, p.634). Moreover,
their number, tradition, belief, existence and entire life style are being endangered
by the cruel oppression of humanity. Roy Burman (2003) in his contribution
Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in World System Perspective expounded the presence of globalization and the consequent displacement of tribal people. He also
sought for national rehabilitation policy in this regard. Similarly, Baral (2006) in
his contribution Globalisation and Tribes of Northeast India exhibited very
10 Socio-ecological Niche of Tribes of Purulia District, West Bengal, India