ShodhPatra: International Journal of Science and Humanities

From Historical Stigmatisation and Marginalisation to Cultural Preservation of the Sabar Tribe of Purulia District

Tribal identity has always faced tremendous challenges since the colonial period. The Khaia Sobor tribe is one of the most exploited tribes of West Bengal, which comes under the PVTGs (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups). They faced an extreme kind of marginalisation. They didn't have access to the religious places in the village. Often, they were arrested and tortured, but we trace an important role in social upliftment and in the freedom struggle movement of the Manbhum district(Present day Purulia district). They tried to emerge from their social status and protect their culture, but miserably failed. From different facets of materialistic development, they were always considered to be ‘low caste’, ‘Non- Aryan’, ‘dirty’ and ‘unfaithful people’ by the upper caste people and the colonial government. The Kheria Sabar tribe of the Purulia district is such a burning example of caste-based violence and marginalisation. The Kharia Sabar was labelled as a ‘criminal tribe’ during British colonial rule in the colonial documents, and later they faced violence even from the indigenous people. The tribe has lost their soil and presently lives in a multi-ethnic society. Many Sabar activists started working for the development and preservation of their culture. Their cultural assimilation with the Hinduism in the rural society brings forth an interesting transition. Although, we will basically investigate the marginalisation of them along with the loss of culture and will try to investigate how they resisted to preserve it.