ORAON TRIBE
1. Context
Every three years, the Oraon tribal people of Masmano, a village located about 40 kilometres from Ranchi in Jharkhand, gather at their Sarna sthal (a Sal grove where villagers worship sarna or nature). One villager — man, woman, or child — is chosen at random and blindfolded. A rice sieve is tied to their arm, with a stick protruding outward. The worship begins. The stick leads the blindfolded villager through Masmano. The villager finally stops in front of one house. The head of that house, a man, becomes the pahan or the principal priest of the village.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pushing for a UCC and the 22nd Law Commission has sought views from public and religious organisations on the subject, Jharkhand is at the forefront of opposing it. Tribal groups have asked the Governor to intervene on the issue. Some of them have been travelling from village to village gathering support for their cause.
2. Oraon Tribe
- The Oraon tribe, also known as Kurukh or Uraon, is an indigenous ethnic group primarily found in the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Odisha in India. They are one of the largest tribal communities in these regions.
- The Oraon people have a distinct culture, language, and traditional way of life.
- The Oraon tribe's cultural significance, resilience, and contributions to the cultural diversity of India make them an important part of the country's heritage.
2.1. Language
The Oraon people have their own language called Kurukh or Oraon. It belongs to the Dravidian language family and is primarily spoken by the Oraon community. However, due to the influence of mainstream languages like Hindi and English, many Oraon people are bilingual
2.2.Culture
The Oraon tribe has a rich cultural heritage. They have a traditional social structure with a village headman known as the Munda
The Oraon people have a close-knit community and follow their own customs and traditions.
They celebrate various festivals, such as Sarhul, Karma, and Sohrai, with traditional music, dance, and rituals.
These festivals often involve offerings to ancestors, worship of nature, and community gatherings.
2.3. Livelihood
Historically, the Oraon people were primarily involved in agriculture, practicing shifting cultivation and growing crops like rice, maize, and millet.
However, due to urbanization and changes in land use, many Oraon people have transitioned to other occupations such as wage labor, small businesses, and government jobs
2.4. Religion
The majority of the Oraon people follow the Sarna religion, which is an indigenous animistic belief system.
They worship spirits, natural elements, and ancestors. Over time, some Oraon individuals have also embraced other religions like Christianity and Hinduism due to external influences
3. Tradition and Law
- Special legislation such as the PESA Act, 1996; the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act, 1908; and the Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act, 1876, recognise such customary practices in Jharkhand, which are protected under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.
- There also judicial precedents which recognise customary practices and authorise lower courts to make decisions on their basis.
- An Oraon who had married as per her community’s customary practices, had filed for divorce in the family court in 2021 on grounds of adultery
- The court said that since Oraon customary practices are not codified, it could not have jurisdiction over it
- However, when she approached the Jharkhand High Court, a Division Bench not only recognised the padha system of dispute resolution, but also directed the family court to decide the divorce matter as per the community’s customary practices
4. Matter of Inheritance
- There have been voices of concern in other regions as well. The sharpest protests against a UCC in the north-east emerged from Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
- Many tribal bodies have raised what they claim is the unconstitutionality of a UCC in the presence of protections enshrined in Articles 371A (special provision with respect to Nagaland) and 371G (special provision with respect to Mizoram) of the Constitution of India
- A UCC could also come in conflict with the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution (which facilitates the establishment of autonomous district councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura)
|
For Prelims: Oraon tribe, PVTG, UCC
For Mains: 1.Discuss the cultural diversity and socio-economic challenges faced by the tribal communities in India. What measures can be taken to address these challenges and promote their overall development? (GS Paper I - Indian Society)
2.Examine the role of tribal movements in India's struggle for independence. How did these movements contribute to shaping the tribal identity and aspirations in post-independence India? (GS Paper I - Modern Indian History) |
Source: The Hindu
