Indian Journal of Research in Anthropology

Education has been institutionalized in the form of formal education in the schools and higher educational institutions in the remote and tribal areas gradually with the changing educational policies and programmes in the independent India with the advent of developing educational infrastructure and awareness in the remote areas. This resulted in the gradual increase in the percentage of literacy rate. But, perhaps tribal groups, especially PVTGs, could not come up effectively in full pace with their cohabitants and become part of this developing change in their villages and surroundings, due to their situational demerits. Moreover, there is a need of reform in educational policy and system for tribal communities, especially PVTGs as per their cultural needs and expectations for increasing literacy rate along with better awareness and cultural sustainability. This paper deals with the issues related with the low level of literacy in Central India along with suggestions and suitable examples from the study area.

Background: Himalayas constitute vast mountain range in Asia spreading over 2500 Km (from east to west) at a high altitude along the northern fringes of the Indian subcontinent. The population dynamics in Himalayan domain has been immensely influenced by the variations in climatic and topographic conditions. As a result, population trends in relation to several demographic parameters are observed as population growth varies across this immense geographical contour. Objective: The present study attempts to assess and compare several crucial demographic parameters of select population groups (tribes and caste groups) residing in Himalayan province so as to provide a comprehensive picture of their demographic profile. The variation in demographic variables has also been addressed in relation to socio-economic and biological attributes. Materials and Methods: Multiple demographic determinants viz., sex-ratio, index – of – ageing, age at marriage and menarche, crude birth rate, total fertility rate, crude death rate and infant mortality rate are utilized to address demographic diversity in Himalayan population groups. Results: The sex ratio has been observed to be higher among reported population groups in Central Himalayas in comparison to Western and Eastern Himalayas. The measures of fertility – CBR, GFR and TFR – depict high values in certain population groups of Central Himalayas (Johar Bhotia, Rang Bhotia and Raji) in comparison to Western and Eastern province. Contribution: The present paper provides a comprehensive picture of the demographic profile among select Himalayan population groups. This will aid to understand the trend in demographic characteristics in the Himalayan province.

Sickle Cell Anemia is a complex inherited autosomal recessive Hemoglobin disease/disorder. It is not only generate the illness but also responsible for stigma in the society. Through the stigma the patients and their family members become more sufferers throughout their life. The mismanagement causes death before medication of the patients. So, there is a need of awareness about sickle cell anemia for various groups of the people like medical personal, researcher, social workers, psychologists, family members and patients. This paper reflects the sickle cell anemia history, origin and distribution in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. This paper also highlights the knowledge and attitude of the patients with Sickle Cell Disease. The patients’ level to policy level recommendations would be the vital for the need of the patients and their families as well as will create an approach to medical attention.

Recent scholars and development workers have emphasized on Developing World farmers’ farming materials and ethno-ecological knowledge and its potential for practical use in the fields. The northeast upland Khasi of Bangladesh what kind and extent of knowledge and farming materials are being used to augment of soil-nutrient to grow the tree crop in uphill is not uncovered. The aim of the present study was to explore their manure concept, source of manure and management system with practice in tree crop farming how their farming knowledge was integrated with indigenous knowledge and modern scientific knowledge. In this study the data was obtained using qualitative approach through participant observation and in-depth interviews from the local participants of the study area. Later elicited data were analyzed and categorized to find out their system. The findings illustrated that the global changing trend and social, political, economic factors as well as individual initiative bounded Khasi to be influenced and perceived the modern farming phenomenon and assimilated diverse origin farming inputs and knowledge systems. To explore these issues and the impact of prevalent farming concepts, the study investigated these factors, which revealed the inherent consequence of Khasi farmers’ soil fertilizing knowledge with tree growth. The result of investigation signified that the Khasi soil-fertilizing procedures are integrated, and closer to the modern agroforestry system, which might be used locally, regionally and nationally as farming packages to other areas.

Demographic transition as well as urbanisation is a great factor of the socio-economic behaviour of tribal communities but it is also affecting their health status because simple tribal people have ability to adopt themselves in their habitation throughout their life span whereas impact of alien environment and uprooting from their habitat and settlement in another place generating fertility and pregnancy associated problems amongst them. Fertility rate is usually defined by the total live birth within the fertile age group but pregnancy rate measures the actual parameters of having child (Child Birth) which is based on total live birth, total abortion and loss of foetus. Hence it is hypothesised that the pregnancy rate is absolutely related to the wealth and education level of the tribal population in both rural and urban areas. With above background and hypothesis, the main objective of the study is to find out the fertility and pregnancy rate by residence and find out its associate factors which are responsible for high and low pregnancy rate. Secondary literature review and primary data collection are the basic tools of this research paper whereas District Level Health Survey Report 3, Sample Registration Report (2009), Annual Health Survey Report (2011) and different published articles, news, Internet and books have been followed as review and primary data are gathered from field work by pre tested structured schedule with the help of interview and Focus Group Discussions. The Specific formulas are used to find out the rate of pregnancy and its associated measures which are correlated with economy and education of the target group. After analysis results /findings are justified with secondary literature. For the study purpose tribal dominating village Nerli and urban area Bacheli of district south Bastar Dantewada, Chhattisgarh had been selected. The total live birth is 28 point less than the TLB of rural areas whereas abortion rate is 52.06 point high in urban area along with the loss of foetus is also 10 point high in that area in same income group. Hence, the high abortion rate and loss of foetus had been seen in low wealth quintile in urban population while abortion rate and loss of foetus were high in the middle wealth quintile category in rural areas. It is positive result of our research that the abortion rate and loss of foetus both are comparatively low in high wealth quintile group in both rural and urban areas as compare to low and middle economy group. In account of literacy the abortion rate and loss of foetus were lower amongst literate people of urban (141.76) and rural areas (98.55) as compared to illiterate people of both residential areas (urban: 180.46 and rural: 73.16) but it has been significant of the study is both abortion with 43.21 point and loss of foetus with 1 point high in rate in urban population rather than rural population. The findings of our study are the evident about the tribal population who had been resided in urban areas had lower pregnancy rate (242.67) and also low fertility rate (2.3) with higher abortion (322.22) and higher rate of the loss of foetus (6.1) which plays an essential role of declining in their population in Chhattisgarh. In order to solve the fertility and pregnancy related problems there is a need of assessment by anthropologists and medical practitioners together to find out the pregnancy and fertility related socio-physical factors for their betterment.

This is in a nutshell review for understanding local knowledge dynamics through indigenous knowledge, including prevalent knowledge, which is combined of a diverse form of knowledge formal, informal and global knowledge systems. This review has been upheld indigenous knowledge, emphasizing the pieces of knowledge, illustrating the diverse source and extents of knowledge with practice. It also explained local, modern and the hybrid knowledge system with its past, present and future trend and potentiality with implementation of knowledge. The local knowledge dynamics portrayed the stance, structure and attributes of knowledge and nature of knowledge with recent diffusion process how it is connected to local way of life and conserve the interest of native people facing various societal and global constraints. This review provides a holistic idea of indigenous knowledge synthesizing the native phenomenon of farming, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, agroforestry, health, medicine and so on. It reveals the surrounding ecology and environment, how it is administered through local knowledge and practice, which is constructed on the basis of trial and error practice with prolong time.

Child care is one of the most significant social events that have been in human society since time immemorial. It is the process by which a child gets extreme protection in to the culture of human being. The process starts at the family itself and it is through the mother and other family members that the child gets the protection accordance with the customs and norms of the society. In the tender years the child need extreme care and affection and gradually when it grows up certain measures has to be adopted by the fellow members to make the child adjust with the social environment. Feeding practices, weaning, toilet training, bathing practices, sleeping, etc., are some of the criteria which are of utmost importance in upbringing of the child. In this present endeavour an attempt has been made to delineate about the early measures in relation with child care and upbringing among the Deoris of two homogenous villages of Upper Assam. The empirical data for the present study has been collected at regular interval during the month of January to April, 2017.