Tribals, Dikus and the vision of a golden age_Day 3

Tribal groups often needed to buy and sell in order to be able to get goods that are not produced within the forests. This led to their dependence on traders and moneylenders. But market and commerce often meant debt and poverty for the tribals. Why?

• because traders and moneylenders had no interest in trading with the tribals

• because traders came around with things for sale at high prices and moneylenders gave loans at very high rates of interest

• because traders came around with things for sale at very low prices and moneylenders gave loans at very low rates of interest

• because the goods offered by traders were more valuable and of a better quality than those produced by the forest-dwelling tribals

Many tribal groups known as ________ lived by herding and rearing animals, and moved with their herds of cattle according to the seasons.

• the Khonds

• the Mundas

• pastoralists

• the Gonds

Many tribal groups preferred to settle down instead of moving from one place to another. They began to use plough and gradually got rights over the land they lived on. Very often, some people acquired more power than others; some became chiefs and others became followers. What did the British officials learn about these settled tribal groups?

• they were wild and savage

• they were very civilized

• they were obese (very fat)

• they were unskilled

What were the other changes in the lives of tribal chiefs under British rule?

• They had to pay tribute to the British, and discipline the tribal groups on behalf of the British.

• They had to collect medicinal plants from the forests for the British, and pray to European gods..

• They had to collect medicinal plants from the forests for the British, and improve the health of their tribes.

• They had to avoid all contact with other Europeans.

What were the tribals not allowed to do in such reserved forests?

• practise jhum cultivation

• move freely

• collect fruits and hunt animals

• all of the above