Sabar people
The Sabar people (also Shabar and Saora) are one of the scheduled tribes in India who live mainly in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal. During the British Raj, they were classed as one of the 'criminal tribes' under Criminal Tribes Act 1871, and still suffer from social stigma and ostracism in modern times.[1][2]
Also known as Saora, the Sabar tribe finds mention in the Hindu epic Mahabharata,[3] while in some parts of East Singhbhum district mainly in Musabani, they are known as in Kariya.[4] Noted writer and activist Mahasweta Devi is known for working with these forest tribals.[5]
This reclusive tribe is found primarily in East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand [6] and in Midnapore District of West Bengal.
The traditionally forest-dwelling tribe lack experience in agriculture, and rely on the forests for their livelihood. In recent years, with the spread of the Naxalite rebellion in the area, the police often restrict their access to the forest. In 2004, five persons in the Sabar village of Amlasole, in Midnapore district, died after several months of starvation, [7] leading to a national media furore. Subsequently, Durbar Mahila Samanway Committee (DMSC) started a school in the area, funded partially by sex workers from Kolkata.[8][dead link]
In June 2008, the Sabar suffered severe flooding in many of their West Bengal villages, and then received large amounts of aid from Catholic missionaries.
Further reading
- The Book of the Hunter, by Mahasweta Devi, translated by Sagaree and Mandira Sengupta, Seagull, 2002. ISBN 81-7046-204-5.
- Hated, Humiliated, Butchered by Mahasweta Devi, Tehelka, October 12, 2007
References
- ↑ Dilip D'Souza on the Sabar tribe 'Rediff.com, October 16, 1999.
- ↑ Accused Of Being Accursed by Dilip D'Souza, 'Rediff.com, June 10, 1999.
- ↑ Orissa Tribes bharatonline.com'.
- ↑ Sabar Tribe india9.com.
- ↑ Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Ma - Mahashweta Devi Tehelka, September 11, 2004.
- ↑ Sabar tribals go on ‘Bharat Darshan’ The Hindu, February 27, 2008.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Piyali (name changed) and a few of her friends, all commercial sex workers, first decided to help out at Amlasole after they read about the starvation deaths there.
