BAIGA TRIBE- A CULTURAL HERITAGE FILM ON PVTG OF CENTRAL INDIA
BY PROF. T. SUBRAMANYAM NAIDU ([email protected])
1. Name and Synonym
The Baigas also called as Bhumiaraja or Bhumijan are Munda or Kolarian people (part of the Bhuiya tribe) located in the central highlands of India. The name “Baiga” is associated with traditional medicine.
2. Origins and History
Baiga lost traces of their language and have acquired the language of the neighbor’s. Verrier Elwin reports that in Bilaspur they speak Chhattisgarhi, in Mandla and Jabalpur speak a modified Eastern Hindi, in Balaghat speak Hindi, Gondi (or a combination of Marathi, Hindi, and Gondi), and Baigani. Majority of them can able to speak both the native language and Hindi.
3. Demography and Population Distribution
As per census 2011 total population of Baiga is 4,14,526 in Madhya Pradesh. The Baiga tribe inhabiting are in Dindori, Mandla, Sahdol, Anupur and Balaghat. The sub- tribes of Baiga are Bijhvaar, Bhumia, Bharotia, Nahar, Bhana, Muria, Kodvan, Gond, etc. The villages are located in the jungles on high hills and in valleys. Piles of stones demarcate the village boundary to form a magic wall protection against wild animals.
4. Social Organisation
The social organization of Baiga is based on the marriage role and regulation is fully controlled with the exogamy called Gotra (clans). T.S. Naidu (2016) in his ethnographic film document on the Baiga mentioned the following clans exists among the Baiga such as “Bagodariya, Budandariya, Lamutiya, Dodiya, Nandiya, Padiya, Rahediya, Dangiya, Mundakiya, Kudakiya, Gusandiya, Karkutiya, Saradiya, Barandiya Jumuriya” A man and a woman are not allowed to marry within a clan since they consider each other as brothers and sisters. Patrilocal residence is the norm. Neolocal is practiced.
5.1.Family
Patrilocal residence is the norm. Neolocal is practiced.
5.2. Marriage
• Arranged marriage is called Manaragi
• Elopement is called Lebagai
• Capture is called Chorkelegain
• Voluntary is called Pitulagaya
Divorce is allowed, Widow and widower remarriage is allowed.
6. Lifecycle Rituals
There are certain rituals attached to the birth and death of the Baigas. Death is called Mada. After the birth of a child a woman is considered to be impure for a month. Purification (Theegra) ceremony is organized where the child's name is also finalized. The dead people are buried but the aged people are burnt as a sign of honour. During the funeral two fowls are sacrificed.
7. Economy
The Baiga tribes practice shifting cultivation. They say they never ploughed the earth, because it would be like scratching the breast of their Mother, and how could they possibly ask Mother to produce food from the same patch of earth time and time again – she would have become weakened. That’s why Baigas used to practiced Bewar cultivation (slash & burn) – out of respect, not aggression.
8. Political Structure
The political system is called Mukaddam. The head of the village is such as Diwan, Samrat, Kotwal and all the family heads of the village are also members of the Mukadam. Generally, the cases concerning property, rights, and sexual crimes; cases relating to conflict between couples, marriage decisions, divorce. The council also decides dates of performance of religions affairs.
9. Religious Beliefs
The Baiga serve as priests of the Gonds because as they are the early residents of the place they are believed to have better acquaintance with the local deities. They have in-depth knowledge of the medicinal uses of the trees; herbs and the roots have been instrumental in providing effective cures when even the local doctors have failed. The Baiga worhips the Dharti Mata, or Mother Earth, the mother of the Baiga, is loved as well as worshipped, for to her alone among the deities is given the capacity for love, and the Baiga believe that she loves them, her children
10. Folk Culture
Baiga have their songs for all occasions and situations. The important songs are sung at the time of Sarhul, Karma, marriage celebration. The Baigas dance at any time the season. The major dance is Karma dance; they also do Jharpat dance or Bilma dance or Dussera dance
11.Tattooing
Among the women tattooing is an integral part. They decorate different parts of their body with different tattoo marks. Long strips of parallel lines are made on the face, especially on the fore head. Different types of marks are made like moon, triangles, crosses, dots and others.
13. References
Verrier Elwin, 2007, The Baiga. Gyan Publishing House, New Delhi.110002.
Deepa Monii Boruah, 2016, A Morphological Study of Baiga Kinship Terminology, International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development. All subjectjournal.comVolume 3; Issue 10; October 2016; Page No. 182-186
George Abraham, Linguistic survey of India, Volume 6, Page 241.
Subramanyam Naidu. T. 2016, “The Ethnographic Document Film on The Baiga”, Man in Search of Man, Bangalore.
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