B. G. Karlsson - Contested Belonging: An Indigenous Peoples Struggle for Forest and Identity in Sub-Himalayan Bengal

An Indigenous People's Struggle for Forest and Identity in Sub-Himalayan Bengal

B. G. Karlsson

First Published in 2000 by Curzon Press

Published 2013

by Routledge

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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2000 B. G. Karlsson

Typeset in Baskerville by LaserScript Ltd, Mitcham, Surrey

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ISBN 13: 978-0-700-71179-6 (hbk)

Dances and colourful dresses are often presented as the most cogent marker of the different 'tribal people' of India; as the most salient characteristics of a tribe's culture and identity. At celebrations or important events the national motto 'Unity in Diversity' is demonstrated by performances by tribal dance troupes. Jawaharlal Nehru himself was a promoter of tribal culture and, as he put it, the tribals are people of the frontiers who above all, 'sing and dance and try to enjoy life' (1960:2).

The Rabhas also have their dance troupes, and the first time I witnessed their dancing was during a short reconnaissance tour with a Bengali friend. We stayed in a Rabha village and, immediately upon our arrival, people asked whether we wanted to see Rabha dances. Some church celebrities from Mizoram had visited the village recently and had asked the villages to dance. They had enjoyed the dancing very much and contributed 200 Rupees (Rs) to the troupe. Slightly uncomfortable in the role of honourable guest, I did my best to put a stop to it and sad that no special arrangements were needed. But nobody took notice of my objections; after sunset we were placed on chairs in the centre of the village, and all the villagers gathered around us. Music began and a group of young women started to dance. The climax was when two girls danced toward us and garlanded us with necklaces of paper flowers. The image of American tourists arriving on Hawaii or some other exotic pacific island and getting a flower necklace around their necks, came to my mind. But nobody else seemed to suffer from such disturbing images, and they seemed to enjoy the show. Some days later, my friend and I were again invited to accompany some Rabha youths from another village who were going to perform at a Government celebration of national unity. The young girls and boys danced similarly to what we had witnessed earlier. The girls were also dressed in the same type of white blouse and 'traditional' Rabha skirt, lufun , and the shawl known as kambang . The music was also in the same distinct Rabha style or tune, called Kocha sur .