Tribe of India : "Santhal Tribes"

 

The Indian Constitution recognises tribal communities under 'Schedule 5' of the constitution. As a result, tribes that are recognised under the Constitution are referred to as "Scheduled Tribes."

In India, there are approximately 645 different tribes and one of them os Santhal which i will be talking about.

Santhal, sometimes spelled Santal and Manjhi, is an ethnic group from eastern India that numbered well over five million people at the turn of the century, making them India's third largest tribe.

The states of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Assam are home to this tribe. They were outstanding fighters under the British rule in India and date to the Pre-Aryan period. The Santhals are part of a bantam bunch that originated in Bangladesh. Santhals were a valiant and courageous tribe who fought Lord Cornwallis' permanent settlement in 1855.

Santhali is a Munda (Austroasiatic) language that is a dialect of Kherwari.

Santhals hero Sidhu gathered roughly 10,000 Santhals in 1850 to form an alternative government to the British government. Baba Tilka Majhi was the first Santhal leader to raise arms against the British in 1789. Their population, according to a previous census, is roughly 49,000. Santhals are also known as "the tribes at extreme".

Their religion in Sarma and the their god is Sari Dhorom.

CULTURE

The Santhal Tribes adore dancing. Dancing is an activity that runs through their veins. It is a popular attraction at Santhals fairs and festivals. After a long day of hard labour, Santhals unwind by listening to light music and dancing. Santhal women wear red bordered white saris and dance in a line sequence.

The Sarna religion is practised by Santhals. Marangburu, Jaheraera, and Manjhi are their Gods and Goddesses. The most astounding aspect about Santhal is that they honour ghosts and spirits such as Kal Sing, Lakchera, and Beudarang, among others. Village priests known as the Naiki and shaman Ujha serve the Santhals. Animal sacrifices to the Gods are popular in this culture to placate the Gods and Goddesses.

OCCUPATION

The Santhals' occupation revolves around the woodlands in which they live. Their essential requirements are met by the forest's trees and vegetation. For a living, they also engage in hunting, fishing, and agriculture.

They have a special talent for crafting musical instruments, mats, and baskets out of plants.

Santhal Tribe's talent is safely passed down from generation to generation.

LANGUAGES

Santhali is an Austro-Asian language spoken by Santhals. Olchiki is the script of the Santhals.

They also speak Bengali, Oriya, and Hindi in addition to Santhali. Santhal tribe members have adopted the dialect Santhali as their native tongue.

Ol Chiki is the alphabet used by the Santhali language.

The Santhali language is also unique in that it has three additional vowels in addition to the six conventional ones.

PEOPLE

Santhals have a flat snout and a long head. The colour of their skin ranges from dark brown to black. Santhals are known for their curly hair.

JUDICIAL SYSTEM

The judicial system is structured in a traditional way. It oversees and finds solutions to problems that arise within the community. They make every attempt within society to fix the problem among themselves. Manjhi Hadam is the Santhal Tribe's leader. He is regarded as the head of society's judicial, executive, and other functions. Manjhi is assisted by a number of others, including Jagmangjhi, Jagparanik, Naike, and Gudit, who work in a variety of professions.

FESTIVALS

Santhals primarily commemorate the Karam festival, which occurs in September and October. They hold this event to thank God for increasing their wealth and releasing them from all enemies.

After the cleansing ritual, the Santhals have a tradition of planting a Karam tree outside their home. Maghe, Baba Bonga, Sahrai, Ero, Asaria, and Namah are some of the Santhal community's other festivities. On the eve of Baishakhi Purnima, they also celebrate Disum sendra, a hunting festival.