Adivasis in Waghodia, Dabhoi, Sankheda, and Naswadi

According to C.R. Bijoy, Core Committee of the All India Coordinating Forum of Adivasis/Indigenous Peoples

"The 67.7 million people belonging to "Scheduled Tribes" in India are generally considered to be 'Adivasis', literally meaning 'indigenous people' or 'original inhabitants', though the term 'Scheduled Tribes' (STs) is not coterminous with the term 'Adivasis'. Scheduled Tribes is an administrative term used for purposes of 'administering' certain specific constitutional privileges, protection and benefits for specific sections of peoples considered historically disadvantaged and 'backward'."

And Dr. Costantino and Katharina Faillace concluded this in their research of the adivasis (or tribals).

"It is a popular believe that the four hundred or so adivasi communities of India, representing about 7% of the population, are some sort of primitive remnant of early Homo Sapiens."

I’ve met the smaller communities of adivasis in Waghodia, Dabhoi, Sankheda, and Naswadi. From my personal observation, these are the problems they face. These tribals are mostly migrant bonded laborers as well as those who are dislocated due to the Narmada Dam.

• After being displaced because of the Narmada Dam, some of these adivasis are compensated with barren land that they cannot cultivate due to their subsistence farming technology and also a lack of resources (seeds, fertilizers, equipments, and labor).
• To make ends meet, they will rent out their compensated lands to farmers with more resources in the area while they continue to work as laborers under The Chartered System. Under this system, they will only be remunerated with Rps. 8 000 - 10 000 per year and one meal a day, an arrangement that is insufficient to make ends meet for them and their families.
• They are manipulated by shrewd money lenders who would dictate unfair conditions for loans extended to these tribals to cultivate their compensated lands or even for their social events (like marriages of their children and others). When they succeed in cultivating their lands, a huge portion of the profits go to the money lenders. The adivasis are also manipulated by vendors like tractor owners and other equipment providers that are charging them heftily. Some of these tribal farmers are having difficulty to gain financial autonomy due to burdens of debts with high interest rates.
• Many adivasis choose to rent out their compensated land to other farmers for a meager sum while they opt for a nomadic lifestyle or seek employment in the city without relevant experience, skills or education. They struggle for survival with a bare minimum at the expense of their children’s education.

Even though illiteracy is one of the main causes of their poverty, the education system should be able to address this except for a few other problems inherent with the village schools.

• Teachers posted in village schools are stripped of their passion and growth due to a long unemployment period after graduation and fixed salaries scheme for 5 years without incentives or increments. The Rs. 2 500 they are paid a month does not justify their living expenses as many chose to live in the city while teaching in these schools.
• Lack of the number of teachers in each standard or different standards sharing the same classrooms placing additional burdens to teachers.
• High turnover rates of both students and teachers ultimately resulting in a poor education system for the tribals.
• School infrastructure is poor and not conducive for studies. Some will even have to initiate their own fundraising for fans. Temperatures in the summer can go up to 45 degress. No enclosure is provided for village schools which allow grazing animals to disrupt school property. Even though medical centers are provided in the schools, no medical professionals are posted in them for the center to function.

However, as much as I was tempted to see the adivasi communities as just statistics, I was quickly reminded of their humanity.

We were on the way to visit the adivasis in Nasawadi, possibly the province (or taluka) with the lowest literacy rates. On this eventful journey, our jeep fell into a small ditch by the side of the road. Nobody was around for miles. Who would have guessed, but it was actually the adivasi villagers who came to our rescue.

One thing undeniable, the adivasis (the ones I’ve met) are just as hospitable as everyone else I’ve met in India.

This is a classic case of the earnest volunteer who came thinking that he wants to help only to realize how he might actually be the one who is needing the help. 8-)