Identity & Current Status of Nomadic / Sedentary Pastoral Tribes Presented by MARAG (Maldhari Rural Action Group)

PASTORALISM Pastoralists are people who owe indigenous herd. A community whose main source of livelihood are livestock rearing as a culture and in a traditional way with indigenous knowledge & skills. It also includes those who have been forced out of Pastoralism owing to wrong policies and development model.

Living a nomadic life...

Migration

Political Pre ColonialColonialPost Independence Had high important as breeder Social,economical & physical exploitation started in some kingdom Close to decision makers due to their indigenous knowledge and skills Lost importance Exploitation & ignorance at height Lost interest in governance No where in the political picture Not a “worthy” community for a politician State atrocity very high Out of political or co-operative movement

Economical (cont.) IssuePre-ColonialPost-Independence Health Transfer of knowledge Marketing Healthy cattle, at times, mass deaths due to unknown illnesses Women & Men Had good indigenous knowledge and skills Milk and other produces were not sold Only excess produces to be sold Poor health of cattle due to lack of water & fodder No transfer of indigenous knowledge Increased sale of row milk

Economical IssuePre-ColonialPost-Independence Herd-size Livestock pattern Grazing practices Breeding practices More than 100 cows, camels Cow>Camel>Goat>Sheep> Buffalo Social norms for grazing (when, where, how) Good and sufficient grazing land Janada system Selection of breed, exchange of bull 15 –25 animals Sheep>Goat>Buffalo >Cow>Camel No access and control over CPRs Degraded and declining grazing land. Legal Land grabbing focused on cross breeds, loss of indigenous breeds

Pastoralism Vs Capitalism Living together Unity Interdependence Common Property Sharing of Knowledge and resources High Ethical values Customary Institutions Gender equity sustainable Concept of conservation Nuclear living Highly competitive Dependency/ independent Centralization of property Copy -Pattern rights, Lack of ethical and moral values Very strong Patriarchy Exploitative life style Just Consume

Major problems experienced by the Pastoralists Non-recognition of Pastoral land rights & Pastoralism -No grazing policy - largest live-stock in the world Incorrect classification of land use by government Identity crisis (Ration, electoral card, birth certificate, own village Livelihood threats - Reduced Pastures - Enclosure of migratory routes - Forests enclosure - Expansion of irrigated agriculture, green revolution - Breakdown of self governance Forced Sedentary life. Atrocity against pastoralist (criminal, illegal grazer, anti- social).

Major Problems (Cont.) No access to Govt. services “Non useful” animals Lack of support for input and output market Lack of linkages with outside world and access to information Urban Pastoralists face severe difficulties as they and their settlement are considered a hurdle in the development of urban areas

Pastorlists coming together

Pastoral in action Pastoral Parliament/ PPM Jay Maldhari/Pastoral pride Land right movement Joining hand with other marginalized Policy research-advocacy Strengthening customary institution Direct action to reclaim grazing lands

Socio-Cultural (Cont.) Pre ColonialColonialPost Independence Dignity of life Strong ethical values Women were part of decision making process in customary institution Traditional Jewelry and clothes showed the richness of culture  Lost confidence  Degradation of values  Women excluded from the formal structure Lost dignity Losing ethical values Women left out of most decision making processes Traditional practices left behind with modernization

Socio-Cultural Pre ColonialColonialPost Independence Interdependent social status Very strong value based customary leadership (men and women) Tradition to support others beginning of dependence Declining social status Decline of customary institution Dependent on others Lower/No social status Weakening customary institution, plays very limited role only in socio- cultural aspect