Human Ecology

Cultural and Anthropological Perspectives

Changing
Environments

• From natural (wilderness)

lanscapes to traditional (cultural)
human dominated landscapes
Changing
Environments

• From natural (wilderness)

lanscapes to traditional (cultural)
human dominated landscapes
 Folk cultures of India
Foraging

Farming
Tribal societies
Tribal societies
Tribal societies
Tribal societies
Tribal societies
Tribal societies
Tribal societies
Tribal societies
Tribal societies
Tribal societies
Tribal societies
 Origins of tribal groups
• Proto- Australoids- Central Highlands

(Munda, Oroan, Gond, Bhil, Korku, Baiga)

• Mongoloid- North East India

(Naga, Mizo, Tharu, Garo)

• Negrito – (Dravidian )– Kerala- Palian

Andamanese and Nicobarese
• Caucasoid- Rabari, Gujjar and Toda
 People of India Project, 1985
( K.S. Singh)
• Distinctive communities in India- 6748

• Castes in Hindu society – 3000

• Tribal groups across India- 622 (7.7%)

• Large tribal populations in India- 48

 Tribal landscapes
• North East/ Central Highlands/ Semiarid /
Western Ghats/ Andaman and Nicobar
island
• Major tribes of North East India – 49

• Bodo, Angami, Apatani, Oraon, Mishmi,

Nyshi and Zeliang
• Major tribes of Central Highlands with large
populations- Gond, Bhil, Kokana, Baiga,
Maria and Santhal
 Ecosystem People

• The forest /grassland Grassland pastoralists

Agro pastoralists
mozaic – agro pastoralists
• Grassland pastoralists

• Wetlands /rivers -
fisherfolk Wetlands/ rivers
fisherfolk
Coastal fisherfolk

• Coastal region - fisherfolk

• Mountains – terrace
farmers and shepherds
Terrace farming Mountain shepherds
 Change in landscapes

• Mughul India
 Change in landscapes
• British India

• Independent India – New

Cultural influences
• Urbanisation

• Migration

• Industrialisation
 The Governance of land

• Indus Saraswati- City states ruled over agricultural land

• Maurya Empire – Organized agriculture and taxation

• Hinduism and the caste system – stratified society and divided land

• Buddha / Mahavir attempted homogenizing people and creating equity

• Gupta- Ashokan – Edicts – on citizenship – animal protection

• Southern Multiple states- Palava- Chalukya – irrigation and shared

water resources
• 9th-10th century – Built architecture temples

• Mughul – Tombs and Mosques

• Rajput prince - Palaces

Landscapes and housing patterns

North East

Central Highlands

South India
 Cultural diversity
• Art/ Craft/ Dance/ Music/ Spirituality

Linkages to Nature
Regional Cultures – Then and Now

Then Then

Now
Now
Regional Cultures – Then and Now

Then

Then

Now Now
Regional Cultures – Then and Now

Then

Now
 Prudence or profligate societies

• Sustainability – the developed and developing

world
• India an emerging country
 Traditional Knowledge Systems

 Ecosystem people – direct dependencies on nature

 Traditional Knowledge Systems

• Traditional agro pastoral and Adivasi – 50%

• Urban and industry – homogenised 50%

 Prudent behaviour

• When degradation begins to hurt livelihoods….

• Loss of NTFP due to timber plantations

• Over fishing by trawlers

• Overuse of water, fertilizers and pesticides – desertification

• Drained wetland for commercial terrestrial use