Effects of Colonial Rule on Tribal Lives


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Effects of Colonial Rule on Tribal Lives

Effects of Colonial Rule on Tribal Lives The lives of tribal groups changed during British rule. With the coming of the British, the largely peaceful life of the tribal people was disturbed. During the second half of the 18th century, most of the tribal areas in the North-East and in Central India were taken over by the British. This spread disaster for the adivasis.

  • Forests were the abode and the provider of food for the tribals. Tribal communities suffered when the British declared forests as state property.
  • Forests were declared as reserved and protected. Problems arose when the tribals were not allowed to practise shifting cultivation and to collect fruits, food and woods.
  • The tribal chiefs lost many of their administrative powers and had to follow the rules which were formulated by the British. They also had to pay taxes to the British.
  • They were exploited by traders and moneylenders. Traders involved in the silk trade sent their agents to Santhals who reared cocoons. The Santhals were paid Rs 3–4 for a thousand cocoons. These cocoons were sold at much higher prices in Burdwan and Gaya. The middlemen gained huge profits from the trade. Thus, tribals began to see traders as their main enemies.
  • The tribals who travelled to distant places away from their homes in search of work suffered many hardships. They were recruited at extremely low wages and were also prevented from returning to their homes. 
  • Effects on Tribal Chiefs

    Powers of tribal chiefs under colonial rule

  • Before the arrival of the Britishers , in many areas the tribal chiefs were important people. They enjoyed economic power and had the right to administer and control their territories.
  • In some places, they had their own police and decid the local rules of land and forest management.under British rule, the functions and the powers of the tribal chiefs changed.
  • They were allowed to keep their land titles over a cluster of village and rent out lands , but they lost much of their administrative powers and were forced to follow laws made by British officials in India.
  • They had to pay tribute to the British and discipline the tribal groups on behalf of the British. They lost the authority they had earlier enjoyed amongst their people , and were unable to fulfill their traditional functions.
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