Indian Journal of Research in Anthropology

 This paper specifies propositions to explain the occurrence of Anthropology of Arts specifically Sambalpuri Ikat Textile in Odisha. It focuses one specific category of antecedents- Sambalpuri Ikat textile - Technique, Motifs and Designs and method of production of Ikat in Odisha. It covers five broad aspects work-related to Sambalpuri Ikat Textile in Odisha. These are History of Ikat Technique in Odisha , Specific Motifs and designs, weavers and their Background, Ikat Technique used for weaving Sambalpuri Fabrics, Uniqueness of Sambalpuri Fabrics. It specifies an integrated model that provides a comprehensive representation of Sambalpuri Ikat Textile in Odisha.

 Animal and its products have been an important means to successful adaptation of human throughout its evolutionary journey. Since prehistoric periods, their parts, and their products have been the source of human survival along with plant and its products. It also forms a basis for indigenous medical system and later for bio or modern medical system. Hence, before it vanishes completely from the memory of the people, the urgency to document this vast knowledge arises, as it is fast disappearing. Method: Field survey was conducted on 5 rural villages of this community, and data were obtained from 55 selected informants with the help of interview schedule. The informants include local herbalists, traditional and divine healers, cultivators, midwives, and they were all 50 years and above who were believed to be the only surviving age-group of people who still have the local medical knowledge. Result: 23 animal species and its products were reportedly used in the treatment of several diseases and ailments in the surveyed villages. These animal species belong to the classes of mammals (09), insect (03), avian (03), reptiles, amphibians, oligochaeta, malacostraca, gastropoda and chilopoda. Some of the most commonly treated diseases or ailments are burnt body, fever, mumps, measles, stone case etc. Conclusion: It was found that the use of animal and its products for medicines are no longer prevalent among the majority of the studied population, or for that matter even the knowledge itself is disappearing at a very fast pace from the general population. One may argue that it was the result of the introduction of ‘modern biomedicine’ which in fact has also been responsible on one side, on the other hand, majority of these animals have disappeared while others are continuously endangered due to unregulated and excessive hunting and clearing of their
habitats. It is high time for the people including the government to realize the need to conserve animals and their habitats before it became something of the past.

 The use and the knowledge of medicinal plants exist throughout the world, where human beings have been using these plants in curing all types of diseases and ailments in their traditional methods since the beginning of their very lives. While, its effectiveness have been proven beyond doubt and documented throughout several ethnic communities of the world, it has not been documented in the case of Tangkhul Naga community. Therefore, the present study is an attempt to identify and compile the knowledge of medicinal plants traditionally used by the Tangkhul Naga community of Manipur. Methods: An extensive questionnaire based survey was conducted among 80 key informants from 15 Tangkhul villages, along with the help of interview schedule. The informants included village elders, ‘medicine men’ or ‘traditional healers’, ‘bone setters’, ‘divine healers’ and health workers. Result: As many as 72 species of plants distributed in 69 genera belonging to 44 families were identified and reported by the informants. Out of which, highest number of plants belong to the Asteraceae family, followed by Lamiaceae, Solanaceae and Zingiberaceae families. While, leaves were found to be the most common parts used, decoction and juice were the most common method of preparing medicines and treatment to various ailments and diseases. Conclusion: The primary health care facilities provided by the government are virtually in a dysfunctional state in the overwhelming majority of the rural villages. Hence, people would still rely on their crude and traditional knowledge of using medicinal plants to treat various minor diseases and ailments. It still provides not only basic health care to an individual living in the rural villages, but also to the large section of the people of this community.

 The study of the movements of people has been an important dimension of anthropological discourse that offered a unique opportunity for anthropologists to study centre-periphery relations and to gain new insights into population movements produced by regional and global political, economic, and historical processes. A range of factors are associated with the internal migration of tribal people in Arunachal Pradesh from their ancestral habitations that is hills, to the foothills. This paper aims to find out the factors responsible for migration of the tribals. The study has been conducted in Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh on the people migrated from Kurung Kumey district. The major finding of the study is that tribal people are to a great extent migrated to foothills voluntarily for economic reason. It also indicates that among tribal communities living in the capital region of Arunachal Pradesh, mainly Nyishi people have been migrated in large number. It finds that youth are clearly ahead of their counterparts in migrating to the foothills. The traditional culture and customs of the migrants are significantly affected after their migration which has been highlighted in the present paper.

 This paper describes the opportunity of natural selection in relation to age at marriage and household income among the Kom tribe of Churachandpur District in Manipur. A total number of 235 of mothers aged 40 years and above were included in the sample for computing the indices of the opportunity for natural selection according to Crow’s formula and its modified version by Johnston and Kensinger. It is found that the total index of opportunity for natural selection is low when compared with other populations. The index of opportunity for natural selection due to differential fertility was greater than that due to differential mortality. It was also found that the total index of opportunity for natural selection was negatively associated with age at marriage and income level of the households. It is suggested that the operation of natural selection in contemporary populations is declining due to cultural development such as changes in socioeconomic conditions and technology, particularly in the fields of medical sciences.

 Maslow (1968) have stated that work does not only fulfill basic needs for security, food or shelter, but also provides a means by which higher level needs, such as need for competence, meaning and social engagement are met while stress is a term that is widely used in everyday life and most people have some idea of its meaning. Thus, work related stress is recognised globally as a major challenge to workers’ health, and the health of an organisation. By above background a hypothesis is developed for the study that work related stress is more prevalent in urban area as compare to rural area in same ethnic group. The main objectives of the study are to determine the scale of perceived stress and its effects at work and to determine difference between urban habitant and rural habitant of Bhatra tribe and also to identify stress management resorts regarding health care and performance efficiency which were related to study of stress at work. A comparative, qualitative in depth interview investigation was carried out in early 2015. The sample was selected in two criteria from urban and rural areas and comparisons were also made between same ethnic groups in different habitat. To justify the data, 4 and 5 point scales are developed to measures and account the prevalent occupational status, stress related symptoms, habit, choice of individual level stress management and expected measures, their implementation rate in working place. For objective, rural village Niyanar and urban impact area Asana, Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh were selected.The findings of the study supports that there are significantly differences between the mental and physical health of rural and urban Bhatra tribe by occupational stress. Apart from that majority of the respondents of Bhatra workers from rural and urban areas, manage their stress by traditional folk dance and music because cultural or ethnic identity describes a process and outcome for a person’s sense of ‘who they are’ and ‘how they might be perceived’ by others in their living and working environment.It can be concluded that transition from traditional occupation to trend modern occupation, job insecurity, lack of satisfaction from work creating bad health and mental stress among simple Bhatra tribe.