Social Institutions Continuity and Change | Class 12 Sociology Notes

3.2 TRIBAL COMMUNITIES

Tribal communities in India represent some of the oldest inhabitants of the subcontinent. The term 'tribe' is a modern construct often defined negatively as communities lacking written religious texts, formal political structures, or sharp class divisions. Tribes are classified by permanent traits such as region, language, physical characteristics, and ecological habitat, and by acquired traits like mode of livelihood and degree of assimilation into Hindu society. Approximately 8.6% of India's population (about 104 million as per 2011 Census) are tribal, concentrated mainly in 'middle India' and the North-Eastern states. Tribal languages belong primarily to Austric and Tibeto-Burman families, with physical classifications including Negrito, Australoid, Mongoloid, Dravidian, and Aryan groups. Tribes vary in size from small groups to large populations like the Gonds and Bhils. The classification of tribes has evolved, with debates on whether tribes are distinct from caste-based society or part of a continuum. Historically, many tribes were absorbed into Hindu society through Sanskritisation or conquest. The idea of tribes as isolated, primitive societies is inaccurate; many had kingdoms and complex social structures. National development projects have often adversely affected tribal communities, dispossessing them of land and resources. Tribal identity today is shaped by resistance to marginalization and the emergence of a tribal middle class aided by education and reservation policies. Tribal movements focus on control over resources and cultural identity.

📊 Diagram: Figure 3.8 A tribal village fair; Figure 3.9 Tribal empowerment

🧪 Activity: Examine the effects of national development on tribal communities and their responses.

🔗 Connection: Leads to the study of family and kinship in section 3.3.