Social change among tribals during colonial period 1-1

Nadeem Hasnain. Tribal India page 313

Pre colonial situation. Just for context.

Mauryas had Mahamatyas therefore tribals had contact with the ancient polity.
BK Roy Burman in 1970 classified tribals in relation to Hindu society as

Tribes incorporated in the Hindu social order. Bhil, Bhumij
Positively oriented towards Hindu social order. Santhal, Orain, Munda.
Negatively oriented. Mixo, Naga.
Indifferent. Arunachal tribes.
later Burman disassociated himself with this approach but it gives us an idea how pre-colonial setup was.

KS Singh in his essay, colonial transformation of tribal society in middle India. Three trends of pre colonial age.

Establishment of settlement (bhums) by present cost increased by the Mughals and zamindars to reclaim the lands. So, trade and strategic routes passing through the Jungle regions acquired new significance. Jharkhand and Gondwana emerged as historical regions in the mediaeval period.
secondly comma many times like bill kamina, Gonda recognised as dominant communities by Mughal Empire.
Witnessed the rise of state is out of tribal Matrix such as gond and chero. Or imposition on the tribal system of the authority of Rajput sand other castes which establish their power in Highlands of Odisha, Central India, Gujarat and Rajasthan. In fact that chiefs of chero, nagabansi and gonds encouraged non tribal present communities like kurmi and kunbi to generate agricultural surplus for the new States with their advanced agricultural Technology.

These new states acted as the Agents of Sanskrit education but also strength and tribal identity. Small scale organism and development of trade routes was seen. Therefore tribals were not actually isolated. But relatively isolated due to geography and culture.

Main Answer

British/ Colonial era

Relative geographical and cultural isolation came to an end. Began replacing old social organisation, agrarian system and socio economic values of the tribals.
Concept of private property and land became property. Communal mode of production broke down and emergence of private rights in land.
Commercialization of production, consumerism and money based economy. KS Singh notes, traditional form of water exchange died away. Market allowed entry of middlemen, merchants and money lenders. They exploited tribals and grab their lands.

Factors

Transport and communication. Roads, Telegram, radio, newspaper, Railways.
Markets and administration
Government and welfare institutions
Christian missionaries and other outsiders.
Education

Effects

Values. gradually eroded the values of reciprocity, redistribution and cooperation among the tribals.
Marriage. T C Das 1962 says. Among kukis, land as property and turning to settled agriculture from shifting agriculture brought changes in the family system, inheritance rules of ultimogeniture were upset. Marriage by payment replaced marriage by service. Settled agriculture requires more members in the family to serve as labour. Therefore joint family became the dominant type among chota Nagpur tribes. Paper link here. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23618827?read-now=1&googleloggedin=true&seq=17#metadata_info_tab_contents

Among the Ho tribe marriages war based on the girls beauty, education and culture. Another social change
Training which is necessary for socializing a child is imparted through myths and folk tales. Bachelors house also known as used dormitories impart training on social duties, corporate activities, music, dancing and sex life. Colonial Era destroyed this institution. Oraon of Gumla don't have youth dormitory now.
Punishment. Earlier Ho tribe will give death sentence to the tribals engaged in sex within Clan. Now it is diluted and they only through a communal feast and drinking by male and woman is excommunicated.

Education changes ideas, beliefs, customs values and practices. Also change in language. Education through Christian Missionary is changed these features among tribals.
Peasentisation and Migration Self contained subsistence economy based on agriculture and forest produce was weakend and destroyed notes SR Sharma 1999. some tribals became peasants and others who lost their lands enter different economic systems. Santhal Oraon Munda migrated to the tea plantations of Assam. Others became industrial labour and share croppers. This change the social relations of these communities. Social impact ? Loss of kinship
Administrative and judicial organs helped the process of hinduisation. Sanskritisation of tribals observed. Some tribals were moving closer to the caste system. Eg Santhals and Gonds.
Religion. Christian Missionary initially disruptive of the driving system. Followed ethnocentric approach and imposed their puritanical ethics, as per KS Singh. Institution of Youth dormitories declined but it also provided new sense of self respect and identity to the tribals. Tc das 1962 notes, two teams were very important earlier and integrated into their surnames but now they are only remembered and their significance is forgotten. Education among the younger generation has contributed to its loss. Some Harivansh Rai about their beliefs and have lost faith in the totem.
Revolts.chuar, kol, gind, santhal rebellions. Created feelings of ethnicity and revivalism, notes KS Singh. David Guetta participate in the National Movement. Thereby creating politicisation of tribes. Battle of Aberdeen eliminated 5000 Andaman men and disrupted their society.
Diet and culture. Christian missionaries in Ranchi propagated believes against drinking, dancing and singing.

Case studies and examples. Pick and choose.

Peter Gardner 1978 choose five tribes 2 review socio cultural change among tribals in India.

Garos studied by Burlington 1963. British entry suddenly ended headhunting tradition. But even after conversion to Christianity, their life largely remained unaffected.
Bhumij studied by Sinha 1957. used to speak Munda language in the early 19th century but by the end they only spoke Bengali. They claimed Rajput Kshatriya ancestry, followed Hindu festivals and dietes.
Konds of Odisha studied by Bailey 1960. Britishers entered human sacrifice tradition. it lead to a simulation through opening up of the area and at the same time protection from exploitation through education, laws and welfare. There were now familiar with the caste system but retain their territorial Clans and lineages with some changes.
Kotas of Nilgiri Hills studied by Mandelbaum 1954. Government education and missionary activity slowly created Sanskritization among a faction of Kotas.
Paliyans of Tamilnadu studied by Gardner 1966. Traditionally honey collectors, forest contractors post them into bonded labour and to escape there condition they resorted to Nomadic existence. But gradually they settled down due to material advantages, plantations and benevolent Administration.