

Beyond Big Cities : Tribal Societies
Indian history has witnessed various changes in society. Most of it encompasses the caste system followed religiously in our society. Apart from the social structure in the cities, there were other societies that flourished on the sidelines known as tribal societies. These societies did not follow the rules of Brahmins and had their own set of customs and rituals. Furthermore, they were also not divided into subclasses or caste, like other religions.
These tribal societies were usually groups of people who had kinship bonds. These tribes were mostly involved in primary activities related to agriculture or animal husbandry. Some of them are also hunter-gatherers. Out of these tribal societies few tribes were also Nomadic.
This meant that these tribes or groups of people move from one place to another and search for livelihood or other reasons. The settled tribal groups on the other hand had land and animals which they owned jointly as a tribe. The Tribe leader divided the animals and lands according to the needs and requirements of his people.
These tribes were spread all across the country. Most of the tribes lived in forest Hills desert and far-fetched places. There are even shreds of evidence of tribal clashes amongst themselves as well as societies of other religions. The tribes continue to keep their freedom and culture separate from the rest of us. On one hand, they kept their societies separate from us but on the other hand, they were also dependent on us for their needs. We also traded in many handmade articles and wares from them. This led to a gradual change in both societies.
Tribal Society Meaning
Definition: A tribe is a group of people who live and work together in a shared geographical area. A tribe has a common culture, dialect, and religion. They also have a strong sense of unity. The tribe is usually headed by a chief. A tribal society is a group of tribes organized around kinships. Various types of tribal society are mentioned below.
Contemporary historians and travelers give very little information about the tribes. Except for a few exceptions, tribal people have not kept written records. Yet rich rituals and oral traditions have been preserved. They were passed down to each new generation. Present-day historians have begun to use such oral traditions to write tribal histories.
Tribal people have been found in almost every region of the subcontinent. The area and influence of the tribe varied at different times. Some powerful tribes were in control of large territories. They were divided into a number of smaller clans under different chiefs.
Types of Tribal Society in India
The Khokhar tribe in Punjab was really influential in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Later on, the Gakkhars became much more important. Their chief was made a mansabdar by Akbar. Multan and Sind were dominated by the Langahs and Arghuns. The Balochis were another big and influential tribe in the northwest. The Shepherd Tribe of Gaddis lived in the Himalayas. The far north-eastern part of the subcontinent, too, was entirely dominated by tribes like the —Nagas, Ahoms, and many others.
In several areas of modern Bihar and Jharkhand, Twelfth-century Chero's chiefdoms had also emerged. Raja Man Singh, the renowned Akbar's General, in 1591, attacked and defeated the Cheros. They had taken a big amount of spoils but were not entirely suppressed. Under Aurangzeb, the Mughal army invaded many of the Chero fortresses and subjugated the tribe. The Mundas and the Santals were among other important tribes who lived there, as well as Orissa and Bengal.
The highlands of Maharashtra and Karnataka have been home to Kolis, Beards, and many others. Kolis also existed in many parts of Gujarat. Large tribal societies of Koragas, Vetars, Maravars, and many others were even farther south. The big tribe of Bhils was scattered across the whole western and central regions. By the end of the 16th century, most of them had settled.
Farmers and even some of them were zamindars. However, many Bhil clans remained hunter-gatherers. The Gonds have been found in large numbers all across modern-day Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.
The Banjaras were the most important nomadic traders. Their caravan was commonly called the tanda. Sultan Alauddin Khalji used Banjaras to transport grain to town markets. Many pastoral tribes have been rearing and selling animals, like cattle and horses, for the rich. Different small peddlers also travelled from village to village. They've made and sold goods such as ropes, reeds, straw mattresses, and coarse sacks. Occasionally, the beggars acted as wandering merchants. There were castes of entertainers who performed for their livelihoods in different towns and villages.
Modern Tribal Society
Varna-based society and culture and tribal people have constantly interacted with each other. This interaction has caused both kinds of cultures and societies to adapt and change. There were a number of different tribes, and they took on a wide range of livelihoods.
Over a span of years, many of them merged into a caste-based society. Others, however, have rejected both the caste system and conservative Hinduism. Some tribes have established extensive provinces with well-organized systems of government. They have thus become powerful and influential. This pulled them into conflict with larger, more complicated states and empires and evolved into the modern tribal society.
Did You Know?
The Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo people practice matrilineality and create one of the largest communities in the world that believes in this system.
Birsa Munda, a revolutionary in the Indian Independence Struggle, originated from the Munda tribe, found primarily in Jharkhand.
The Ghoomar, a folk dance of Rajasthan, was created by the Bhil tribe.
Conclusion
This is all about the age-old history of the tribes. Learn how they have evolved to become a modern tribal society. Focus on the type of tribal societies present in India and discover how they have changed in due course of time.
FAQs on Tribal Societies
1. What is the definition of a tribal society as per the Class 7 curriculum?
A tribal society refers to a community that does not follow the social rules and rituals prescribed by the Brahmanas. Unlike mainstream society, these groups were not divided into numerous unequal castes. Instead, their social fabric was built upon strong kinship bonds, uniting all members of the tribe.
2. What are the main characteristics that define a tribal society?
The main characteristics of a tribal society include:
- Kinship Ties: The entire community is united by family and lineage bonds.
- Collective Ownership: Land and pastures were often controlled jointly by the group and divided among households according to their own rules.
- Unique Culture: Each tribe had its own distinct culture, traditions, and language, often preserved through oral history.
- Economic Self-Sufficiency: Their livelihoods, such as agriculture, hunting, gathering, or herding, were directly tied to their natural surroundings.
3. How were tribal societies different from the mainstream societies that followed the varna (caste) system?
The primary difference lay in their social structure. Mainstream society was organised around the varna system, a rigid, hierarchical structure of castes with Brahmans at the top. In contrast, tribal societies were largely egalitarian, meaning they were based on principles of equality and kinship rather than a strict social hierarchy. They did not adhere to the caste divisions or the authority of Brahmanas.
4. How did the main occupations of tribal people, such as being hunter-gatherers or pastoralists, shape their lifestyle?
The occupations directly shaped their lifestyle, making many tribes nomadic. Hunter-gatherers had to move constantly to find food sources according to the season. Similarly, nomadic pastoralists moved over long distances with their herds of animals to find fresh pastures. This mobile lifestyle meant they often lived in temporary shelters and carried their belongings with them, fostering a deep understanding of their environment.
5. Can you provide some examples of important tribes found across different regions of India during the medieval period?
During the medieval period, different regions of India were home to powerful tribes. For example:
- In Punjab, the Khokhar tribe was influential, later replaced by the Gakkhars.
- In the north-eastern part of India, the Nagas and Ahoms were dominant.
- In central India, the Gonds were found in large numbers.
- In the western Himalayas, the shepherd tribe of Gaddis was prominent.
- The Kolis and Berads were found in the Maharashtra highlands and Karnataka.
6. Who were the Banjaras, and what was their importance in the medieval economy?
The Banjaras were the most important group of trader-nomads in medieval India. They were specialist traders who moved in large caravans called 'tanda'. Their primary economic role was transporting grain on their bullocks for the armies of sultans like Alauddin Khalji and trading essential goods between villages and towns, thus playing a crucial role in connecting different parts of the economy.
7. How did the administration of the large Gond kingdom differ from that of the Ahom kingdom?
The Gond and Ahom kingdoms, despite both being powerful tribal states, had different administrative systems. The Gond kingdom of Garha Katanga had a centralised administration where the kingdom was divided into 'garhs', each controlled by a Gond clan. These 'garhs' were further divided into units of 84 villages called 'chaurasi'. The Ahom state, on the other hand, depended on a system of forced labour called 'paiks'. Each village had to send a number of 'paiks' by rotation to work for the state, making their administration highly dependent on this organised labour force.
8. What major changes occurred within tribal societies as they grew and interacted with larger state systems?
As tribal societies grew and interacted with larger kingdoms, significant changes occurred. Some tribes became powerful and built large states, engaging in conflicts with other rulers. This interaction led to the rise of social classes within the tribe, moving away from their earlier egalitarian structure. Many tribal chiefs became zamindars, and some even adopted Hinduism and became part of the caste system to gain more social legitimacy and power.
9. Why do we have very few written historical records about most tribal societies?
We have few written records about most tribal societies primarily because they did not keep such records themselves. Their history, customs, and traditions were preserved and passed down from one generation to the next through a rich system of oral traditions. Historians today have to rely on these spoken histories and customs to reconstruct the past of these fascinating societies.

















