Don't Dissect

By Jyoti Sonia Dhan

Many often we come across such statements like ‘Tribal are in transition face’. This meaning to say that, tribal culture is in the transition face. It may amuse someone or it can create curiosity to some. The culture it self is unknown to many. The capitalistic think to be uncivilized, feudalistic think to be lowest earth and the intellectuals are still thinking through the lenses of social development for this community. When a socialist say its in a transition face means they have done much of research and social development done to this community and especially to those who are directly associated with community. The main question lies why this community is only observed and responded to undergoing a change, why it is not the others. Those who had spent years on the social development can express but for new entrants just to repeat what was said by elders. Was it that by saying this, making a research on tribal will search for livelihood to those who speak about the ‘transition’? The concern lies if one makes research and reaches to level of success earning awards and reflects its works by address the issue of tribal and creation of shift in status of tribal situation vulnerable to better is worthwhile. But, if an awardee, only glorifies; own work without a shift in status of tribal situation, than it is a danger. They are only Romantizing.

The transition face is seen in almost all the societies within varied cultures. It is also found in the dominate caste, group or community. The tribal being vulnerable is easily highlighted of course being ignored in many times. Are we not finding transition in the Harijans and Kurmi communities? Are we not seeing the transition in Brahmins? May be there has being no research being done; May be they are not ignorant or barely ignorant communities in the social economic development. May they have adjusted to the changing faces of life by repeated migration of their cultures and values.

In the pace of time things role on smoothly and fast with substances to carry on fitting to the time’s present situation, hence, the culture absorbs few changes and leaves the others. But, the main thing is that it carries basic values each individual community has for the human; the ‘human values’. So is with tribal community.

Secondly, statement ‘where tribal hunt gatherer or they are farmers’. It just ridicule as one is making dissection to this community. As, the time role on things changes some times they were forced to changed what one is. So it did tribal from hunter or gatherer to farmers. The examples are innumerable when we say setting up of the big industries, where the community is uprooted from the origin and forced to live what it does not in a sense living in ‘human values’. Now one can just reflect back to the statement already spoken was working towards tribal and making research is a perfect ground for livelihood for some.

So, the concern lies please stop dissecting. If someone is really sensitive towards the community should come and work together for them rather romantizing.

Writer is a social worker and an activist