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.