Question 1: Explain why nomadic tribes need to move from one place to another. What are the advantages to the environment of this continuous movement?
Nomadic tribes need to move due to seasonal changes, seeking pastures and water. Continuous movement benefits the environment by allowing pastures to recover and regain fertility, preventing complete barrenness through sustainable use.
Question 2: Discuss why the colonial government in India brought in the following laws. In each case, explain how the law changed the lives of pastoralists:
- Waste Land rules
- Forest Acts
- Criminal Tribes Act
- Grazing Tax
(a) Waste Land rules: Formulated to increase cultivated land, it led to a decline in pastures and livelihood loss for pastoralists.
(b) Forest Acts: Reserved and protected forests restricted pastoralist movements, hindering access to pastures for sustenance.
(c) Criminal Tribes Act: Viewed nomadic tribes as criminal, forcing them into settlements and restricting movement.
(d) Grazing Tax: Introduced for revenue, increased tax burden led to losses for pastoralists, hindering access to grazing tracts.
Question 3: Give reasons to explain why the Maasai community lost their grazing lands.
The Maasai community lost grazing lands due to colonial rule, international boundaries dividing their lands, reservation of pastures for white settlements, and adverse impacts of cultivation and game reserves.
Question 4: There are many similarities in the way in which the modern world forced changes in the lives of pastoral communities in India and East Africa. Write about any two examples of changes which were similar for Indian pastoralists and the Maasai herders.
Two similar changes for Indian pastoralists and Maasai herders were the loss of grazing lands due to cultivation preferences and the suspicion and decline faced by both nomadic communities under colonial powers.