CHAPTER IV
ECONOMIC PROFILE
Economy is an important constituent of the community life and plays a decisive
role in the formation of cultural and social structure of society (Firth, 1951). Economic
life is the fundamental condition for the existence of human. Marx stated that the
character of the society depends on the way in which the economic problems are solved
by it. These ways develop into norms of barter, trade, exchange and property.
(Kuppuswamy, 1972).Economic organisation consists of the ordering and organisation of
human relations and human effort in order to procure as many of the necessities of day to
day life as possible with the expenditure of effort. It is the attempt to secure the
maximum satisfaction possible through adopting limited means to unlimited ends in an
organised manner. This is true of primitive and modern society (Madan and Majumdar,
1986).
Economic organisation of the Riang is concerned with activities that are assigned
to secure physical survival. The exploitation of nature is carried out in the absence of
technological aids. The bare minimum necessary for sustenance is raised with much
difficulty. There was no question of economic surplus. Money as a store and
measurement of value and a medium of exchange are not widely used. The inter-tribal
economic relations are always based on barter and exchange. Economic dealings have no
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profit motive. The only incentive is sense of mutual obligation, sharing and solidarity.
Daily market system was absent and is held occasionally.
Riangs were widespread in the land of Tripura. They had to encounter migration
at different times of their history and had to share their land with other migrants. New
migrants occupied the Riang settlements and at times occupied it forcefully. They are
pushed into the remote areas where they do not have proper access to transportation and
communication. Since then the Riang lived in the interior forests with the resources
available around them. The economy of the Riang like other indigenous groups was
mainly based on a combination of hunting, collecting, fishing and Jhum cultivation
(Sinha, 1958).
4.1. Livelihood pattern
The predominant means of livelihood of the Riang is shifting cultivation that has
helped them to survive over the years.They also practice other modes of livelihood like
fishing, hunting and recently started rubber plantation.
4.1.1. Jhum(Shifting cultivation)
The system of Jhum cultivation is known as hukba; huk(shifting) and
ba(cultivation).The Riangs are proficient in Jhum .They select a good
hathaiortilla(hillock covered with forest) shrubs and bamboo plantation. The implement
used to clear the forest patch is called da-khuntha(big dagger). The site for Jhum
cultivation is generally located outside the village, though a village does not have a
stable boundary as the Jhum-fields shift every year leaving behind the already cultivated
site as fallow land. In Jhum major activities like selection of exact site, cutting and
clearing of forest patch, firing of woods, clearing the debris, sowing and weeding are
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done communally. Both men and women participate in agrarian operations. There are
number of crops cultivated in the jhum fields. The following are the list of crops grown
in the jhum.
Varieties of rice -Bety(perfumed rice), Kowprouh,Gilong, Badia, Garoand
Mikru(Kamin)
Jute: PaihandBongi
Beans : Subai, Subai-blu and Kosoi
Mesta Paih-mukhoi
Vegetables Khakhlu(white scented pumpkin), Chakma(gourd or cucurbit),
Thamso(chilli), Phanthao(round brinjal), Phanthao-brouh(brinjal),
KhaukhlingandHaiching(ginger)
Leafy vegetables: Mandar, Moilao-mandar, Khundru-phoiandUsnoi,
types of tuber Tha, Theingo, Manai, Kormo-wouksaandKormo-ksom
Cereals: Plao-masinga, MaisoiandPlao-maisoi
Sugarcane:MasingaandHaduma-masinga
Oil seeds: Sping, Sping-kphuaiandSping-kson
CottonKhu;
Plants like Lela-kchauh, Lela-ksomandAshu.
The Jhum cycle begins in the months of Osa(September -October)
Kehchi(October- November) in which a huksite is selected, called huk-naimo.
Riangshave a strong belief in dream and divination for selecting a site for Jhum. The
house owner keeps some mud from the chosen site under his pillow while he sleeps
which will help him decide if the site is right.If he has a good dream then believed the
site for jhum is right. If he sees in the dream thunder, lightning and cyclone, it is disaster.
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So he changes the site.The type of soil considered, preference is given to the thickly
grown forestland with bamboo plantation. There is no formal method for allotment of
land to a particular individual. The Riang divide the specific forested areas among
themselves by mutual adjustment.
Earlier times ten to twelve years constituted an ideal return cycle of Jhum. A
jhumcultivator after a year of cultivation leaves the field and looks for a second one. The
next year goes to the third, thus every year a field is taken up till the eleventh year (ten
year cycle) or the thirteenth year (twelve year cycle). By then the cultivator returns to the
plot where he began his jhum. They think by then the first plot is ready for recycle. The
ten or twelve plots used earlier remain uncultivated. This follows that if a hukcultivator
cultivates one standard hectare every year, he allows another nine standard hectares to
remain uncultivated. Once the site is confirmed the symbol of ownership is marked by
the help of an engraved bamboo at the entrance of the main passage after huk-
naimo(selection of site). This is known as wakhar-kaimo, it avoids trespassing by any
other cultivator.Though this ownership of the land is established, it is not permanent. It
can be interpreted as usufruct (Right to use the land).
Once the site is marked then the next step is huk-haomo(clearing of the forest)
done by daoortakkal(dagger). The huge land decides the number of labor force necessary
accordingly both men and women do this work together.The clearing operations are
implemented on socialistic values. It is done on mutual support basis called yago-
kshilaimo. Everyone works on everybody’s land and the owner has to provide the meals.
No cash payment is done for this operation of yago-kshilaimo. Each one works in a
particular field by rotation and all abide by that reciprocal support. There is communal
understanding that allwork together in everyone’s field.
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The clearing of forest is completed by Khasoing(January-February).The chopped
trees are allowed to dry in the sun for about two months. When the time is up to give fire
tothe dry wood a ritual is performed. It is done at the site of cultivation by the
aukchai(priest).A pig or a fowl is sacrificed in expectation of a good crop. This ritual at
the hukland is called hatamailymi. The owner sacrifices a fowl in a ritual called
yachauhmo ,at the yard of his abode. He places rice grain, cotton and a coin in a
kotra(container) before the ritual. He keeps it on the roof of the verandah in expectancy
of a rich crop. After the fowl is sacrificed the owner throws away the ingredients of the
container in a far off place.
In the month of Choileng(March-April) the dry leaves, woods and bamboo are set
on fire. This is done by men alone and called huk-saomo. Women are not part of this
work. The soil also gets burnt and becomes good manure for the plants.Some large
useful trees are not put to fire, but are allowed to persist.The lower branches are cut and
utmost care is taken to save these trees. These are viewedas boundary marks between the
adjacent hukclearings. There is nofence to govern the boundary areas on hill
slopes.Temporary field huts either on raised bamboo poles (charnouhornoksha) or on
treetops with branches chopped off called noksha-prowo helped someone from the
family to stay guarding the field. These huts were made with the roof of walai(bamboo
leaves) in the midst of hukcultivable area.This was tokeep hachuk-karmiorkamo(vigil)
against wild animals like elephants, deer, pigs and monkeys.
After huk-saomo(burning of forest) before the onset of first monsoon both male
and female members clear the ashes.Burnt parts of the wood are gathered and the soil is
made ready for cultivation, called huk-khumo. The area of land used per crop is not fixed
and also no standard measurement. Some of the vegetable seeds are sown before the rice
as some do not need water. Rest of the seeds of different crops are mixed and sown
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simultaneously. Riangs totally depend on rain and the nature for survival.In the month of
Sajlang(Apri-May) seeds of paddy, maize, cotton, vegetables like pumpkin, melon and
cucumber are mixed together in baskets. There is a special type of basket used for the
seeds and it is carried on the back of the cultivator. The basket called kaisni, is carried by
females. Males carry the basket called chinpai, which differs in shape and size. The
malesdig the soil with da-khuntha by the right hand and by left hand seeds from the
chinpaiare sown. The females follow the track of the males in planting the seeds.
Weeding is a must as the land is not really cleared well. The huk-
tangmo(weeding) is done at least thrice by males and females to ward off bamboo shoots
and other weeds. The first weeding is done inAshari(May-June) and is called hagra. The
second weeding maiyaguinSrao(June-July) and the last one in Drumboi(July-August).
Weeding is done from the first to the last tilled land. Weeding is done by dancing and
singing. Young boys and girls sing and dance with the rhythm of drum beat. The
drumbeater is a male who leads the team with the voice of chorus song. All join in
singing. During the weeding season a ritual called hatataimiis observed if the growing
crops wither. This ritual is performed by the aukchai(priest) when a fowl is offered to the
land along with khoi(parched paddy).
When the harvest is ready,before harvesting the paddy the aukchai(priest)
performs the ritual hatamaiklumi by sacrificing a pig or a fowl in the hukfield. From the
beginning of Keingrai(August-September) onwards till Osa(September-October) the
operation of mai-raoormai-raimi(harvesting) is completed where both males and females
participate. When the crops are ripe harvesting is done.Some type of rice grows faster
than the other. Vegetables are taken out as per the requirement of consumption. The
vegetables that are grown can be preserved and used as per the need and requirement of
the family. Jute and cotton are exclusively grown in hukfield. Oil seeds takelonger time,
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which is harvested later. The paddy grown in jhum huk is most preferred by the Riang,
which they use for consumption.
The Jhum hukexposesaground of economic search. Itis a place where the young
people show their brilliance in cultural activities such as drumbeating love song
composition, singing and dancing. The songs that are sung speak of calling on all to
work hard and make life. The youth enjoy singing while working together. The singing
and dancing along with the beating of drums generally takes place when weeding is
done.When the crops grow in size, merry making increases till the stage of harvesting.
With celebration the harvesting is done. It is a joyful event for the Riang working
together gathering the fruit of their labor.
The economy of Riang was often propelled by produce from the agriculture. The
knowledge of agriculture was mainly based on experience, and it was often a gamble
with the forces of nature. However small was the area of cultivation, people could grow
many crops simultaneously without jeopardizing one over the other. The shifting
cultivation has many merits but causes long lasting irreparable damage to the eco system.
The Jhum provided the family and the community with the needed food essential that
were very basic. Varieties of crops such as Rice, Sugarcane, Cotton, Jute, Mesta,
Oilseeds and varieties of vegetables were grown in the Jhum.Riangs who are fully
dependent upon shifting cultivation are migratory in nature. They do not have permanent
settlement.
Wife of Choudhuri, S. Riang aged 68 years, have been
doing jhumfrom early childhood. They were poor and had
to survive on jhum. Even to this day they live on the
produce of thejhum. Their son is a teacher (Government
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employee) in a faraway school. She shared that the plot
they marked for jhum was recently encroached by the
Tripuri from the neighboring village. S. Riang made
repeated requests to the Tripuri but they did not return the
land. They continued to cultivate in the land that was of the
Riang. The meeting was held with village Choudhuriand
his councilbut they too were helpless and could do nothing
about it.They even approached the local MLA,who
happened to belong to the Tripuri tribe. So no action was
taken against the family. Riangs expressed
theirhelplessness in case of encroachment to their land.
Over the years the practice of jhum cultivation has declined. According to a
report of the Tripura Rehabilitation Plantation Corporation Limited, Jhum is carried on
Government khas land, proposed Reserved Forests, Protected Forests and Reserved
Forests (Devvarma, 2012). It is estimatedthat about 25,000 hectares are used every year
for jhum. There are about 26,000 families involved in Jhum(Bera, 2010).Except for Garo
and Mundas, who work at tea garden, the rest of the tribal groups have survived doing
jhum over the years. With the pressure on land and the efforts of the Government to
rehabilitate, the number of jhumiashas come down drastically. Due to the increase in the
density of population, lack of availability of jhum land, changing climate and lack of
productivity has contributed to the declineof jhum. The concept of private property is
catching up among Riangsdue to the growth in population and their inability to protect
the land.
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The regulation on use of forest land has affected the life of Riangs, who find it
difficult to manage their living by jhum. However with the increasing scope for
education of young boys and girls, many have left their traditional village to pursue their
education. Young generation has very little interest in jhuming. Parents are discouraging
the young ones from Jhumingand encouraging them to peruse their modern education in
order to find another livelihood.As a result the young generation is missing an
opportunity to understand the cultural ethos and practices of the tribe itself.Jhumprovides
only the basic necessities of life and not luxury.
4.1.2. Other economic activities
The other economic activities of the Riang comprise of food gathering,
domestication of animals, basketry and weaving. The food gathering activity consists of
the collection of roots, tubers, barriers and vegetables. The dense forests offered plenty
of scope to collect edible products like leaves, vegetables, fruits, roots and tubers. The
commonly collected items are muia(bamboo shoot), muikutu(arum), khanga(wild
brinjal), raicak(soft top of cone), thalikthampai(wild banana) and maikhomi(mushroom).
However, with the continuous receding of forests has led to dependence on food
gathering has decreased.
Riangs rear pigs, goats and cattle to substitute their income. They need animals
for sacrifice on different occasions as well. Selling of their animals brings them money
in need. Riangs used to go in group to hunt animals like wild boar, bear, mouse and deer.
They use dagger and other primitive weapon for hunting animals and birds. The young
boys go out to hunt various birds like, dove, parrot and wild fowl. Even the small boys
know the trick to trap wild animals. They hunt wild boar, python, hare, mouse and wild
birds. Hunting of wild games is done individually, communally or by a small group.
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Only males go for hunting and females are prohibited, as it is a taboo among them.
Riangs with the help of neighbours chase wild elephants from destroying the jhum fields
also they trap tigers and elephants for food.
Riangs are fond of fishing. Fishing is done by males in the streams, rivers,
marshy lands and lakes for consumption at home. The usual methods of fishing are
trapping, catching, killing and poisoning through the juice of ruo(a creeper). During
rainy season streams which are filled with water are sought after. They catch fish from
stagnant water by removing water or by poisoning it with herbal poison. These days they
use modern nets and traps of various designs to catch fish.
An indigenous system is based on kinship and a sense of enough-ness (Gelder
and Adamson, 2009). This is also applicable in the context of the Riangs where wealth
was designed for sharing and these sharing of resources takes place at very specific times
of life—birth, naming ceremonies, marriage and death. Often, if an individual or a family
receives a gift during the especial times, then one is obligated, at some point in the
future, to give a gift to others, which puts in motion a continual, on-going requirement
for redistribution. In Riang economy of the yester years there was a general safety net
available for all. There is no homelessness or grinding poverty was unheard of. There
was a sense of community and sharing of resources.
In the Riang community, there was a very little incentive towards the
accumulation of capital on an individual level, although a sense of individual ownership
was quite developed concerning hunted animals or collected vegetables. The hunting or
collecting territory roughly belonged to the village community; and it is customary for
any one not to infringe poach upon the territory of another. There was very little
competition for the use of more land individually. Capital was mainly defined in terms
of land, store of grains, valuable metals and jewellery. However with the pressure on
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land, due to growth in population, the Riangs realized the importance of properties and
are trying to protect their own land from alienation.
Though the state is rich in natural resources and forests, most of the tribal
communities are agrarian and more than 50% of population depend on agriculture for
livelihood. The contribution of agriculture & allied activities to the Gross State Domestic
Product (GSDP) is only 23%. This may be because of the land available for cultivation is
relatively restricted due to the presence of hills and forests (Economic review, 2011).
The economy of Tripura is characterized by high rate of poverty, low per-capita income,
low capital formation, in-adequate infrastructure facilities, geographical isolation and
communication bottleneck. Riangs are no exception to this hard reality.
The economy of Tripura has endured four decades of insurgency and uncertainty,
resulted in sluggish growth. The economic growth of the Riangs also suffered during this
period due to Government policy police interference and dual taxations. The people of
the state lost many opportunities for development and innovation. The loss of life and
property during this period added to additional burden on the limited resources. This has
hindered the economic growth of the Riang. The State has innumerable challenges to
encounter and need to respond them with creativity, innovation, and tenacity (Economic
Review of Tripura, 2008 -2009). In the midst of this reality the Riang are also under
pressure.
The state has achieved some noteworthy success in developing certain
infrastructures and communication networks yet the people of the region are deprived of
the basic needs like drinking water, frequent power cuts, shortage of medical facilities
and quality educational institutions have been some of the other disturbing social issues
of Tripura. This reality is more acute to the Riang who still by and large are settled in
remote areas of the state.
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At present few of them from the rural setting work as daily wage labors in road
construction, at other people’s field and garden and also small jobs at the border security
camps.With little income, the wage they receive after hard labor is used for purchasing
items needed for daily living. Among the Riang, both men and women are engaged as
daily labourers to support the economy of the family. However, it was observed that men
are paid more than women. Women are burdened with more work as they have to look
after the family affairs also. Labor payments are generally paid in cash for work related
to road construction while payments in kind are usually the norm in rural setting for
work in other’s land. In Bagafa, however, all labor /wage payments are in cash.
It is difficult to find a simple and precise form or trend of change in Riang
economy as it is fast changing. Some of the modern forces of change are: (a) education,
(b) concept of saving, (c) emergence of commercial mentality, (d) change in cropping
pattern to cash crops, (e) open sale of minor forest produce as a means of cash economy.
Mr. R Riang 40 years of age livesin Kalyansing village and
have been practicing Jhum cultivation over the years. He
shared that it has been a constant struggle for him and his
parents from his childhood. He was not sent to school as
the awareness on education was not there in the village.
Some of his friends left the village to pursue education.
Though he wanted to study his parents could not
afford.Tears rolled down as he said he suffered silently.
Helearned from his parents how to do Jhumand he had no
alternative.He married a girl who was poor and
uneducated. He and his wife live in a small room, in a poor
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condition. He has three children two girls and a boy. All
three are at hostel at Gandachera run by missionaries and
are studying in English medium school. The children do
not seem to be interested in study. He has taken up a job as
a guard at a border security camp. He earns Rs. 3000/- and
his wife put up a small shop at her home with some snacks
and the grocery items. He shared that with the earning they
have they can hardly survive with bare minimum. He said
from the forests bamboo shoots, leaves and rootsare
collectedand sold in a market for the survival.They
expressed their difficulty to manage their livelihood with
Jhum. So they had to take up some other thing to
supplement their income. They never wish their children to
stay at the village and take up Jhum. They encourage and
strive to get their three children to pursue education as
much as they can.
The Riang economy is not always a scene of abundance. Riangs have known hard
times. Their resilience to face drought, crop failure, and forced migration over the
millennia has enabled them to embrace change while maintaining their cultural ethos.
There are repeated rituals to propitiate deities to keep them safe from evil eye. They are
people of the nature. They shareresources and care for the nature. All their rituals seek
and propitiate deities of the nature. They do not use more than what is needed. They take
utmost care to save the environment and nature. Some of the ritual they have to protect
the forests. Before they use plants, trees, hunt animals, birds they seek permission to use.
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They always thought land and resources are a gift of god. So they never possessed land
and could be used by all as per ones need.
The Riang in the past, practiced barter. With the presence of non-tribal
communities around them, the Riang learned to purchase items like salt which is the only
thing they lacked. As they did not engage in cash payment they exchanged their land for
salt. With the construction of the road and other infrastructure related work, cash started
to enter the Riang economy. Land suddenly became a prized commodity and innovative
and enterprising Riangs began to sell their land at a lucrative price. At the same time,
opportunist land grabbers duped many a poor Riang into selling their land cheaply.
Slowly many of the Riang lost their land and moved inside the forests. Transformation of
social conditions had a deeper impact on the Riang. These Riangs have been subjective
to an economic system that has a goal of material wealth, rather than human
development as seen among certain indigenous communities. Individual property rights
are treated as exclusive. This ownership paradigm is about excluding people from
resources because one is afraid that they are going to run out of resources. Riangs who
are wealthy in the present time are resisting the communality of resources and moving
towards individual ownership refusing to share these resources even within the
community.
4.2. Government policies
The Jhum land area in Tripura is yet to receive its due importance in the Land
Tenure System of Tripura, since there is no Jhum Land Regulation Act in the state of
Tripura. It is prevalent in the other neighboring states of northeast namely Arunachal
Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland. At the present day all the forest areas of the state
have been brought under the forest laws and rules. The important ones among these are
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Indian Forest Act, 1927; Tripura Forest Rules; Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980;
Tripura Forest (Conservation) Rules.
The Forest (Conservation) Act and its Rules allowed forest land to be diverted for
use for non-forestry purposes with the receipt of same area of khas land by Forest
Department and compensation. These have accelerated the process of getting the
Government forestland for serving the inhabitants in public interest. Of late, there is a
remarkable development in this arena, which aims to look into a wider network of tribal
habitation keeping in view their traditional rights over forest. Naming it as The
Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights)
Act, 2006 (No. 2 of 2007) the Government of India notified it for operation with effect
from 31st December, 2007. Accordingly, The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional
Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Rules, 2007 were promulgated for
implementing the provisions of the Act notified on 1st January, 2008.
The major legal rights recognized under the Act were:
Right to cultivate forestland to the extent under occupation, subject to a
ceiling of 4 hectares.
Right to collect, use and dispose of minor forest produce.
Right inside forests, which are traditional and customary e.g., grazing.
The persons who will get the right are:
Scheduled Tribes who have been living in and depending on forests for
their livelihood prior to 13th
December, 2005.
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Other traditional forest dwellers that have been living in and depending on
forests for their livelihood, for three generations (i.e. 75 years prior to 13th
December, 2005).
The right holders had the duties to ensure sustainable use, conservation of bio-
diversity, and maintenance of ecological balance and thereby strengthening the
conservation regime of the forests.
4.3. Developmental programmes
There is a positive note of development. The major changes that have affected the
Riang of Tripura is that they have been able to get more benefits under the scheme of
tribal development as they are identified as Primitive Group of People(PTG) by the
Ministry of Welfare, Government of India. Their habitations are in area of the state
which is labelled as the ADC area. This provides freedom and autonomy to the tribal
population of the state. In addition to this the recent implementation of The Scheduled
Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006
(No. 2 of 2007) and The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Rules, 2007 provides their traditional rights over forest.
The shift from rural to a predominantly urban society brings about profound
changes in every walk of social life (Michael, 1989, Sandhu, 2003). The growth in
urbanization has accelerated the significance of education in their life. The tribes have
become more open to the need of education which they consider as an important agency
for social change. The change in social, economic, political, religious and educational
field has brought about a remarkable transformation among the tribals particularly
among the Riang.The developments among the Riang are found very slow. It is
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surprising, even after many years of independence their condition is still very backward.
It was observed that 73% of the Riang are not satisfied with the developmental
programmes, it is not adequate.
These days, the Government is taking many steps to bring Riang into the main
stream of development. Government has a particular department to take care of the
different welfares of the Tribes called Department of Tribal affairs. This department is
involved with administering various developmental schemes, formulation,
implementation and monitoring various schemes. The Director of the department will be
the supervising authority over the tribal development activities.
Education
It is clear that the Riang are in their backwardness, it is mainly because of their
backwardness in education. This is also an important cause for their social and economic
backwardness. According to the base line survey average literacy rate is only 30% (male
– 36.85% and female - 24.08%).The Government is giving greater emphasis on
educational programmes. For this reason, major part of the money set apart for economic
development is being spent on education. The followings are some of the educational
programmes organized for the development of the Riangs.
Anganvadis
Many Anganvadis were set up in the different rural settlements. These
Anganvadis are mostly run by the tribal welfare department of the Government. The
scheme is meant to develop aptitude in learning; to encourage children for accelerating
the development of their intellectual capacity to make them strongly attached to hygienic
circumstances. In order to attract the children they provide them lunch.
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Educational Facilities up to the High School Level
To encourage education for all, there are scholarship grants. Apart from giving
scholarship, special stipends are also being given to them.
Financial Assistance for Boarding
The TTAADC and the NGO has hostels for the tribals. Riangs do have a chance
to get educated. All the tribal students get stipend from the tribal welfare. Riang students
who stay at the hostel get stipend that they can easily be educated. These incentives are a
boost for the Riang to be educated.
Promotional Prize to Students
Students who get either 55% or higher marks from the class six onwards are
given Rs.600 every year. Even for higher studies the tribal welfare office offers
scholarship and also for the professional studies.
Assistance for Study at Tutorials
Students who fail in class ten examination are given assistance to get their exam
cleared. There is also a provision for the class ten dropouts to re -write the exams.
Enhanced Assistance to Capable Students
Every year, students are selected from theclass five on the basis of the marks
scored by them and they are sent to eminent residential schools. Under this scheme the
total expenditure on account of tuition fee, residential facilities and educational aids are
met by the Government.
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Housing Project
The PTG has a provision to provide housing help for the Riangs. In this scheme
the poor Riangs are given help to build proper houses. It undertakes the construction of
houses with tin roof. Welfare department gives the tins and the cash to complete the
house. These schemes have helped the Riangs in having a good house for shelter.
4.4. New Economic Scenario
Riang society is no longer considered to be exclusively a traditional or
conservatives as it is gradually being exposed to be cross-current and forces of change
which have in turn brought with it, a radical transformation in the socio-economic,
religious and political spheres of life. The economic conditions of Riangs have changed
since Tripura became a state in 1972.Riangs are gearing towards the creation of an
economic system with a goal of material wealth of the individual family, rather than that
of the entire community or the clan. Riang community had traditional knowledge that
was used to advance and hold the community together as a unit. With changes and
development Riangs have changed over the years. The ownership of land and
transaction on cash basis has become part of Riangs. The cashcrops like rubber
plantation have increased.
Earlier times there were no shortage of land. So there was no grabbing of the
land. Land was for common use. All could use for their sustenance.Owning land shows
the economic stability of the family but Riangs living in the rural areas do not own any
land. They move from location to location searching for fertile area to begin their
shifting cultivation. Tosee the change that has taken place among the Riangs both at the
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rural and urban setting four hundred families were surveyed. It was found that 133
families in the rural areas depend purely on agro- based income while only 66 families
depend on agro- based income in an urban area. 123 families had Government service
along with rubber plantation while only 13 families had some sought of Government
service in the rural area. In total 17 rural families depend only on income from forest
related sources.
Traditional knowledge was unique to Riang culture or society. It was passed on
from generation to generation, usually by word of mouth and cultural rituals, and has
been the basis for agriculture, food preparation, health care, education, conservation, and
the wide range of other activities that sustained Riangs. The younger generations have
very little knowledge of their traditions, as they are away at hostels from their childhood,
for the sake of modern education. So the traditional pattern of cultivation will give way
to new ones of the time.Many of the Riangs living in rural areas may have a small piece
of land to have a house. Riangs who live in urban or semi urban areas have large land
holing either adjacent to their home or in a faraway place and have cultivated cash crops.
The Riangs who are wealthy, employee people from non – tribal community to work in
their farms.
The survey indicates that Riangs who live in the interior areas have to walk some
time to the tune of 25 kilometres to have access to medical facilities, educational
institutions, markets and other government offices. The Riangs who are wealthy and
living in urban areas own means of transport. The survey also indicates that the Riangs
who had access to modern education in their early years were able to secure Government
jobs which enhanced their economic status.Riangs are generally peace loving community
and do not enter into conflict. In rural areas they depend on the outsider communities for
their supply of salt and other needed materials. Riangs also sell their produce to
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merchants who are from other ethnic communities. Urban rich Riangs employ people
from other ethnic communities to work in their houses to do the menial job. As the
researcher visited many Riang settlements the researcher noticed the change in
relationship between the majority non tribals and Riangs. As the economic standard was
rather good in the village the relationship was of cooperation and peaceful living.
Mrs. Das, aged 43, of Bagafa village, worked for a Riang
family for twenty two years as a helper in kitchen and
household chores for a Riang family.The owner of the
house was a bank manager and the wife is a school teacher.
The husband of Mrs. Das works for the same family in
paddy cultivation and rubber plantation. Mrs. Das
expressed that the whole work was managed by six
workers who are regularly helping them in the field and
other works as well. She was very small when she was
sent by her parents to work for them.Sheexpressed her
poor condition back home, so she was married to a man by
the Riang family. Her employer made all arrangement for
her wedding. After the wedding, bothhusband and wife
work for the same Riang family. She shared that there is a
cordial relationship that was observed and she was happy
working in Riang house. The relationship and the benefits
they receive from the family are rather good. Both learned
Kau Bru language and can speak fluently. She said that the
economic standard also decides the relationship of the
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groups. As they are poor and have to earn their living, they
have no choice and keep their options open; hence they
work in Riang house.
The introduction of formal education and subsequently the establishment of
higher educational institutions have strengthened the socio-economic pursuit of Riangs,
with better understanding and showing their outward attitudes towards change. Today
educated women are becoming aware of the equality and the possibilities for a better life.
The educational institutions have strengthened Riangs socio-economic pursuits with the
widening opportunities for women to become economically independent. Their attitudes
and values are thus, increasingly becoming coloured by the equalitarian ethos. In fact,
recognition of the significance and diversity of the interactive relationship of the forces
of stability and change in the tribal Riang society has become very important today. Both
continuity and change exists. There is also either modernization of indigenous culture or
indigenization of modernity in Riang society. In fact, the process of synthesis between
traditions and modernity is underway.
Education has played a vital role in changing the economic scenario of the
Riangs. The first school was started by the British in 1946 at Bagafa among the Riangs.
It is currently known as Bagafa Ashram School. It is reported by an interviewee that
there were only two students and the teacher was paid only two rupees as salary for a
month and he too was from Sind Province of the British India. But there were no schools
in the interior areas of the state particularly in the Riang inhabited areas. The Christian
missionaries have ushered English education even in the remotest areas of the state. The
English education has helped in getting employment for many Riangs. This has ushered
a new era in the life of the Riangs. Education has contributed to an overall development
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particularly among the Riangs who are living in the urban areas. Even the Riangs who
are living in remote areas are making effort to send their children to missionary schools
and hostels. Once this generation becomes employable more effective transformation and
development will be a reality for the Riangs who are still engaged in Jhum.
Mr. Riang, aged 48, from Kalyansing village spoke about
changes in his life brought about by education. He was
born in a remote village in the border of Bangladesh where
his parents struggled to provide education and other basic
needs for him. He recollected the struggle of his early
childhood. Fortunately one of the social service
organizations had helped him to get admission in a tribal
residential school near the town. He stayed in the hostel
where he could study in the school. He could complete his
class ten. Since he was one of the educated persons in the
Riang community he got involved in social service
programs for the upliftment of his own community. The
education that he received helped him to use it for the
betterment of his own people. Later he was elected as a
Panchayat chairman for a five year term and immersed full
scale in community work. He praised the hostel and school
for contributions it has made in his life.
Economic and educational development of Riangs is the prime concern of the
Government and many of the Non-Governmental Organizations today. The Riang
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backwardness is a historical fact. Unfortunately even after the many years of
independence this community is under the clutches of various bondages. Education of
the children is the first priority. With education Riangs can come up to getting jobs. They
need school with hostel facilities that can help them in their learning. Efforts are made in
villages and the intensity needs to be more than ever to reach these interior settlements of
Riangs.
Mr. Riang, 29 years, hails from Kalyansing village,
narrates his story how his parents encouraged him to study.
He is basically from a backward family. His parents were
mere daily labourers, struggled to send him for schooling.
With the help of a Non-Governmental organization his
parents sent him to a school nearby his village. His parents
supported him for his education with much struggle. At
present he is living as a respectable person, leading a life
where he is able to work and earn. This way he could come
out of all the struggles and barriers of development which
his own community was facing. This is an example which
speaks loudly about the importance of education to
overcome the barriers of development. Parents play an
important role in the overall development of their children
and society. Now he is married to a girl from his own
community, she is a graduate and a teacher. He always
remembers his parent’s encouragement to go to the school
for education. He gives all credit to his parents and the
education that has made a significant change in his life.
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In the wave of modernization, the comparatively traditional Riang women are
called upon to leap the gap of centuries to modernity in a very short span of time. The
advent of Christianity led to the establishment of the first mission school which exerted
much influence on the traditional life of the illiterate Riang people in the interior
villages. Thus, the introduction of formal education laid the foundation of change among
the Riang. The change that can be observed in the socio-economic, religious and political
life of the Riang people may be largely attributed to the spread of modern education. A
large number of them are at present recognizing the importance of education and the
advantage of literacy which in turn has resulted in the emergence of a number of
educational institutions in the interior Riang inhabited areas. Withmodernization,
educated elites of Riang women are trying hard to adjust themselves to the new socio-
economic order of the day. In their traditional set up, life was without any competitions
and tension. They are exposed to a more complicated and competitive world order.
Increasingly, women are becoming the earning members and in some family the main
supporter of the family.
Like most other advanced tribal societies where women are given importance
especially in the field of education, Riang women are also playing a dominant role and
their education. In fact literacy rate among the women has significantly increased in the
younger generation with a corresponding increase in the number of women in the higher
education sector. These years even married Riang woman with professional degree feel
that they are wasting their talent if they sit at home. There are a number of Riang women
who are gainfully employed in medicine, teaching, engineering, law, management and
police.Researcher in the field visit came across the Riang girls who are studying law,
advocates, engineers, nurses and various other professions. Women feel they need to
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stand on their own feet as they feel the life is challenging and they don’t like to depend
on their husbands. They are keen one persevering in professional jobs and get settled in
marriage later in life. For they wish to work, earn and manage their living. They prefer
not to depend on their parents anymore. Women have the desire to make free choice for
life partners and profession. From the remote villages the researcher noticed that there
are girls who are completing their class Ten from English medium school. When they are
in the village the tendency is to get married at the early age and then settle. Being in the
hostels away from the families has helped them to focus on their studies and get good
jobs. So the marriage of the girls is also delayed till she gets a job. This has shown the
improved health status of women. In the urban set up, it has been a practice over the
years for the promotion of education of girls.
Mrs. G. Riang, aged 68, from Bagafa village is a member
of advisory board for the tribal development. She said that
sheenjoys equal status with men as she is educated and is
treated on equal terms. She is in the advisory committee of
the state for tribal development. She being Riang woman,
she said that the unity and the good leadership is lacking
which would improve the standard of poor Riang brothers
and sisters who are far from the main stream of
development. She also feels that it is by the effort of
Riangs themselves that Riangs can be uplifted. She shared
the schemes that are available for the development, such as
piggery, gottery and rubber plantation. Often this money is
spent on alcohol. If it is monetary assistance then the
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utilization of finances given to them by the government is
not proper. This also adds to the poverty of the Riangs.
There are many Christian missions, NGOs and
Governments offices that take care of providing various
helps to the group and the result is far from satisfactory.
The financial resources are not made use in the right
manner. She expressed that Riangs need motivation to earn
and improve their standard.
Economic and educational development of Riangs is the prime concern of the
Government and many of the NGOs. The Riang backwardness is a historical fact.
Unfortunately even after the many years of independence this community is under the
clutches of various bondages. Education of the children is the first priority. With
education Riangs can come up to getting jobs. They need school with hostel facilities
that can help them in their learning. Efforts are made in villages and the intensity needs
to be more than ever to reach these interior settlements of Riangs.
The Riang over two decades have been living in a new arena of tribal
development, guided by the rules of the TTAADC. In the year 1983, a project was
formulated by the Government of Tripura for rehabilitation of primitive group (Riang)
living within the Reserved Forest areas of the state. The primary aim was to help the
Riang to change from jhum to settled cultivation. A separate Directorate of Tribal
Rehabilitation in Plantation and Primitive Group Programme (TRP & PGP) was setup in
the year 1986 for better coordination and implementation. The TRP &PGP provide
assistance to Riangfamilies. From the visit to these offices it was gathered that Riangs in
the villages are given financial help to start minor businesses, rubber plantation is done
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for 47 families in the rural setting, financial help for the merit students to continue
studies, tuition for the poor Riang students at the village that they may study well.
Encourage gottery, piggery and loan for business in small scale. It is obvious that the
process of transformation took place in stages. The contact in 1880’s with the Mogsled to
a shift in their traditional practice of Jhum economy to the plough cultivation.His also led
to the change of the pattern of settlement. The Riang have shown considerable change in
terms of economic mobility. Many have taken to plough cultivation. The exchange of
labor called yago kshilaimo which was practice of former days and is practiced in the
Jhum cultivation has now declined. However, this has been replaced by employment of
agricultural laborer on daily wage basis. They have also started growing new varieties of
paddy and wage earning through labor in land is a new source of income for the Riang.
S. Riang aged 52, a teacher of Bagafa Ashram School and
her husband, a bank employee at Tripura gramin bank live
in Bagafa village. They have two daughters; one is a
teacher and has married R Riang, a bank manager at
Sabrum. They stay at Sabrum in the Government quarters.
The second daughter is doing her nursing at Kasturi
nursing school in Andhra Pradesh. She shared that they
have lot of land with rubber plantation. At present they
have 1000 rubber trees which are tapped these days. They
have four Bengali workers at their house and in the rubber
plantation. She expressed that in the earlier days there have
been few instances of tension with non tribals. However
these days they are quite peaceful. Another reason for
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such change also she said is that in the village Riangsare
educated, employed and have acres of land that needs
workers from non-tribal community. In turn non tribals do
not have land, they have to depend on Riangs for work and
earn their living. This relationship is of mutual dependence
and working well for both the communities.