Pastoralists in the Modern World

 

1	Describe the life of Dhangars of Maharashtra.
	Ø The Dhangar shepherds - stayed in central plateau of Maharashtra during the monsoon. Ø  By October, they harvest their bajra and move west to Konkan. Ø The Dhangar flocks manure the fields and feed on stubble. Ø The Konkani peasants- give them rice. On set of monsoon left Konkan and return to the dry plateau.
2	How did the life of pastoralists change under the colonial rule? How did the pastoralists cope with the changes in production during the colonial period?
	ü When pasturelands in one place was closed to them, they changed the direction of their movement, reduced the size of the herd, ü Combined pastoral activity with other forms of income and adapted to the changes in the modern world. ü Many poor pastoralists, on the other hand, borrowed money from moneylenders to survive. ü At times they lost their cattle and sheep and became labourers, working on fields or in small towns.
3	How did the Forest Acts change the life of pastoralists?
	ü Forest Acts were enacted to protect and preserve forests for timber which was of commercial importance. These Acts changed the life of pastoralists. ü They were now prevented from entering many forests that had earlier provided valuable forage for their cattle. ü They were issued permits which monitored their entry into and exit from forests
4	Compare the lives of African pastoralists with pastoralists in India during the colonial period.
	Ø All uncultivated land was seen as wasteland by colonial powers. Ø This land was brought under cultivation. Ø  In most areas the lands taken over were actually grazing tracts used regularly by pastoralists. So, expansion of cultivation inevitably meant the decline of pastures and a problem both for Indian pastoralists and the Maasai. Ø From the 19th century onwards, the colonial government started imposing restrictions on the pastoral communities.
5	‘In Maasai land, as elsewhere in Africa, not all pastoralists were equally affected by the changes in the colonial period.’ Explain.
	v In Maasai land, as elsewhere in Africa, not all pastoralists were equally affected by the changes in the colonial period. v To administer the affairs of Maasai, the British appointed chiefs who were made responsible for the affairs of the people. v These chiefs often accumulated wealth with which they could buy animals, goods and land. v They lent money to poor neighbours who needed to pay taxes. Many of them began living in cities and started new business and earned money. v Thus, these chiefs had both pastoral and non-pastoral income. v But the poor pastoralists who depended only on their livestock did not have resources to tide over bad times.

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