Hunters and Gatherers


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

Hunters and Gatherers

Hunters and Gatherers: In many regions tribal groups lived by hunting animals and gathering forest produce. They saw forests as essential for survival. The khonds were such a community living in the forest of Orissa. They regularly went out on collective hunts and then divided the meat amongst themselves. They ate fruits and roots collected from the forest and cooked food with the oil they extracted from the seeds of the Sal and mahua. They used many forest shrubs and herbs for medicinal purposes, and sold forest produce in the local markets. The local weavers and leather workers turned to the khonds when they needed supplies of kusum and palash flowers to colors their clothes and leather.

The result of Tribal dependence on traders and money lenders:

  • Tribal groups often needed to buy and sell in order to be able to get the goods that were not produced within the locality. This led to their dependence on traders and moneylenders.
  • Traders came around with things for sale, and sold the goods at high prices. Moneylenders gave loans with which the tribal’s met their cash needs, adding to what they earned.
  • But the interest charged on the loans was usually very high. So far the tribal’s, market and commerce often meant debt and poverty.
  • They therefore came to see the moneylenders and trader as evil outsiders and the cause of their misery.
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