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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
], ]]]
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}}
'''Baiga''' is a ] found in ], ], Chhattisgarh and ] ] of ]. The largest number of Baigas is found in Baiga-chuk in ] and ] of Madhya Pradesh. They have sub-castes – Bijhwar, Narotia, Bharotiya, Nahar, Rai Bhaina, and Kadh Bhaina. Their population as of Census 1981 was 248,949.
{{for|the town in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China whose Pinyin spelling is Báigā|Paingar}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Baiga
| image = Young Baiga women, India.jpg
| caption = Baiga women in traditional dress
| population = 552,495
| total_ref = <ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistical profile of scheduled tribes in India 2013 |url=http://www.tribal.nic.in/ST/StatisticalProfileofSTs2013.pdf |website=tribal.nic.in |publisher=Minister of tribal affairs: statistics division, Govt of India}}</ref><ref name="census">{{Cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/ST.html|title=A-11 Individual Scheduled Tribe Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix|publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|website=www.censusindia.gov.in|access-date=2017-11-18}}</ref>
| total_source = census
| total_year = 2011
| popplace = {{flag|India}}
| region1 = ]
| pop1 = 414,526
| region2 = ]
| pop2 = 89,744
| region3 = ]
| pop3 = 47,393 <!-- 30,006 ST + 17,387 SC = 47,393 TOTAL -->
| region4 = ]
| pop4 = 13,423 {{notetag|The Baiga population in West Bengal was almost negligible during the colonial era but has experienced substantial growth since independence, especially after removal of area restrictions by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1976. As ] indicates, there were 4 individuals in 1961,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gupta |first=J. Datta |title=Tables on Scheduled Tribes, Part V-A (ii), Vol-XVI, West Bengal & Sikkim - Census 1961 |year=1967 |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/32455/download/35636/21541_1961_ST.pdf}}<br>Note: The Baigas were Scheduled only in the Purulia district and the territories transferred from the Purnea district
of Bihar as per The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes lists (Modification) Order, 1956 and their population was only 4.</ref> 0 in 1971,<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x4guAQAAIAAJ |title=Bulletin of the Cultural Research Institute |series=Special series (22–24)|year=1978 |publisher=Tribal Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal |pages=28 |language=en |quote=In this connection it may be mentioned that as Birjia and Chik Baraik had no population in 1961 and Birhor and Baiga in 1971, ..}}</ref> 1,606 in 1981,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=K. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FL0MMQAACAAJ |title=The Scheduled Tribes |publisher=Oxford University Press in collaboration with the Anthropological Survey of India |volume=III|year=1994 |isbn=978-0-19-563255-2 |pages=81 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=Census1981>{{cite web|title=Census of India 1981, Series-23, West Bengal |series=Special Tables For Scheduled Tribes, Part IX- (iii) |year=1981 |publisher=Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal|url=https://new.census.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/32123/download/35304/28963_1981_SPE.pdf }}</ref> 7,624 in 1991,<ref name=Census1991>{{cite book| title=Census of India 1991, Series – 26, West Bengal |series=Part– VII(II), Special tables on Scheduled Tribes |volume= V |year=1901
|publisher=Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal
|url= http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/5349/1/39762_1991_SBE.pdf
|url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615024803/http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/5349/1/39762_1991_SBE.pdf |archive-date=June 15, 2023 }}</ref> 11,681 in 2001,<ref name=Census2001>{{cite web|
title=PCA-IND (ST): Primary Census Abstract (PCA) - Individual Scheduled Tribe |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/21381/download/24513/PC01_PCA_IND_ST_19.xls |website=censusindia.gov.in}}</ref> and 13,423 in 2011.<ref name=Census2011>{{cite web|title=A-11 Appendix: District wise scheduled tribe population (Appendix) |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/43018/download/46686/ST-19-PCA-A11-APPENDIX.xlsx |website=censusindia.gov.in }}</ref> According to the 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 district-specific census breakdown shows that the Baigas are predominantly concentrated in the undivided ], with 987,<ref name=Census1981/> 6000,<ref name=Census1991/> 11205<ref name=Census2001/> and 12845<ref name=Census2011/> individuals respectively. This notable population increase is attributed to members of the ] community, who have been identifying themselves as Baiga in order to avail constitutional benefits as a ].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/26858289|title=Stratification, hierarchy, and ethnicity in North-east India|date=1991|publisher=Daya Pub. House|isbn=978-81-7035-086-6|editor-last=Bhadra|editor-first=Ranjit K|location=Delhi|pages=19|language=English|chapter=Ethnicity, Ethnic groups and Survival Strategy|oclc=26858289|editor-last2=Mondal|editor-first2=S. R |quote= In West Bengal, there is a group of people who are popularly known as ], which means 'cattle herding'.{{nbsp}}{{nbsp}}this group have greater tribal attributes in them. But they do not belong to Scheduled Caste or tribe. As a result, they are trying to rename themselves as 'Baiga', because the Baigas are Scheduled tribe and are getting all Constitutional benefits.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Annual Administrative Report 2011–12 |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/428388118/annual-report-bcw-2011-2012-pdf |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=Scribd |language=en |pages=66 |publisher=Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal}}</ref><ref>Cultural Research Institute Meeting report - 2019. Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal</ref>}}
| region5 = ]
| pop5 = 3,583
| region6 = ]
| pop6 = 544
| region7 = ]
| pop7 = 338
| region8 = ]
| pop8 = 333
| languages = ]{{*}}]{{*}}Regional languages
| religions = ]{{*}}] {{*}}]
| related =
|footnotes =
}}
{{Short description|Ethnic group of India}}
The '''Baiga''' are an ethnic group found in central ] primarily in the state of ], and in smaller numbers in the surrounding states of ], ] and ]. The largest number of Baiga is found in Baiga-chuk in ] and ] of Madhya Pradesh. They have sub-castes: Bijhwar, Narotia, Bharotiya, Nahar, Rai maina and Kath maina. The name Baiga means "'''sorcerer-medicine man'''".


== Genetics == == Demographics ==


]
A 2010 study by the ] and the Texas-based ] identified seven genomes from 26 isolated "''relic tribes''" (sic) from the Indian mainland, ] being one of them, which share "''two synonymous polymorphisms with the ], which is specific to ]''." These were specific ] mutations that are shared exclusively by Australian aborigines and these Indian tribes, and no other known human groupings.<ref name="bmc2009ksg">{{Citation | title=Reconstructing Indian-Australian phylogenetic link | author=Satish Kumar, Rajasekhara Reddy Ravuri, Padmaja Koneru, BP Urade, BN Sarkar, A Chandrasekar, VR Rao | date=22 July 2009 | journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology 2009, 9:173 | publisher=BioMed Central | isbn= | url=http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/9/173/abstract | quote=''... In our completely sequenced 966-mitochondrial genomes from 26 relic tribes of India, we have identified seven genomes, which share two synonymous polymorphisms with the M42 haplogroup, which is specific to Australian Aborigines ... direct genetic evidence of an early colonization of Australia through south Asia ...''}}</ref>
The Baiga tribe is officially recognized as ] in eight states: Madhya Pradesh (414,526), Chhattisgarh (89,744), Uttar Pradesh (30,006), West Bengal (13,423), Jharkhand (3,583), Bihar (544), Odisha (338), and Maharashtra (333). In Uttar Pradesh, the Baiga population totals 47,393. Among them, the Baigas of ] are recognized as ], numbering 30,006,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tribal.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Documents/201212010356439267578File1068.pdf|title=State wise Scheduled Tribes&nbsp;— Uttar Pradesh|publisher=Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123041643/http://tribal.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Documents/201212010356439267578File1068.pdf|archive-date=2016-11-23|url-status=dead|access-date=2017-02-04}}</ref> while in other districts of Uttar Pradesh, they are categorized as ], with a population of 17,387.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/42890/download/46558/SC-09-PCA-A10-APPENDIX.xlsx|title=A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh|publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|access-date=2017-02-04}}</ref>


== Livelihood ==
==Practice of shifting cultivation==
The Baiga tribes practice ] in forest areas. They say they never ploughed the Earth, because it would be like scratching the breast of their Mother, and how could they possibly ask Mother to produce food from the same patch of earth time and time again – she would have become weakened. That’s why Baigas used to lived a semi-nomadic life, and practiced Bewar cultivation (slash & burn) – out of respect, not aggression. Until fairly recently the Baigas practiced 'dahiya' cultivation, that is, ]. Thousands of squire miles of ] ]s have been clean destroyed by them in the progress of their dahiya cultivation, the ground being afterwards occupied by dense scrub of low sal species springing from the stumps. The Baigas are courageous woodsman and hunters.<ref></ref><ref></ref> The Baiga do not plow the land, because they say it would be a sin to scratch the breast of their Mother, and they could never ask their Mother to produce food from the same patch of earth time and time again: she would have become weakened. The Baiga tribes practice ], called 'bewar' or 'dahiya'.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/baiga-tribals-become-india-s-first-community-to-get-habitat-rights-52452|title=Baiga tribals become India's first community to get habitat rights|access-date=2018-03-12|language=en}}</ref>


Live-in relationships are common among the Baiga. If marriage does take place, the man compensates the woman's family for the loss of a working member. This reverse ] either involves footing the bill of the marriage celebration or offering the woman's family mahua liquor. If divorced, the new husband must compensate the old one for the dowry amount. If the divorced couple have children, the wife has the first right, followed by the husband. If neither wants to raise the child, the community will allot a guardian to the child until age 15.
==The Baiga culture==
[[File:BaigaTribe using Household Insecticide(GoodKnight FastCard) forMalaria Prevention Dindori MP INDIA Mar20,2 2016 Submitted by Family Health India GodrejIndustries Photo by EhtishamHusain (26549652776).jpg|thumb|
]
The Baiga tribe women tattooed entire body]]
The Baiga tribe in Madhya Pradesh is known for its unique culture. They do not interact even with other tribals like the ]s, believe in a hand-to-mouth existence, and do not try to access education, eat outside their community, or associate with others.
After a death in the family, the Baigas just leave the house and build another. They are totally dependent on the jungle, they do not engage in tendu patta collection, which is a major livelihood provider in ].


The Baigas in Chhattisgarh are classified as ](PVTG) by Government due to their declining population and low level of literacy. The Government of India has notified 75 PVTG which reside in 18 states and one ] which are classified on the basis of five criteria and in Chhattisgarh Baigas along with Abhujmaria, Kamar, Pahadi Korwa and Birhor are included in this group. The women of these tribes were not provided reproductive rights like right to use contraceptives but in 2018 on a ] Chhattisgarh High Court allowed them to have access to contraceptives. The Baigas were found to be highly focused on family planning.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thewire.in/law/pvtg-chhattisgarh-contraception-high-court|title=Tribal Women in Chhattisgarh Win Right to Access Contraception|first=Anoo|last=Bhuyan|website=The wire|access-date=2020-09-01}}</ref>
==Tattooing tradition amongst Baigas==
]
One of the tribes for whom tattooing is an integral part of their lifestyle is the Baiga tribe. This tribe inhabits the dense hilly forests in the eastern part of the ]s, in ], ], ], ], and ] districts. The Biagas are of ] stock and are one of eight prime tribes of M.P.<ref name="The Tribune: Sunday, April 25, 1999"></ref>


==Culture==
It is believed that this tribe is an offshoot of the ] tribe of ]. A distinguishing feature of the Baiga tribe is that their women are famous for sporting ]s of various kinds on almost all parts of their body. The women who work as tattooing artists belong to the ], ] and ] tribes of M.P., and are called ]s. They are extremely knowledgeable about the different types of tattoos preferred by various tribes. Their mothers traditionally pass on this knowledge to them. Tattooing amongst the tribals commences with the approach of winter and continues until summer.<ref name="The Tribune: Sunday, April 25, 1999"/>
===Language===
[[File:Art of Tattooing.jpg|thumb|
Baiga tribe women in India is known for their art of tattooing or '']'']]


]
==The demographic characteristics==
It is believed that the ancestors of the Baigas spoke an ], however no trace of it is left now.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} Some Baigas (specifically those from the ]) have mentioned "Baigani" as their mother tongue in the past: Baigani is now recognised as a variety of ] influenced by ].<ref>Linguistic survey of India, Volume 6 by ]. Page 241.</ref> Most Baigas speak ], and some of them also know a few local languages such as Gondi and ] depending on the region where they live.<ref name="The Tribune: Sunday, April 25, 1999">{{Cite web|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99apr25/sunday/head2.htm|title=The Tribune...Sunday Reading|website=www.tribuneindia.com|access-date=2018-03-12}}</ref>
P. H. REDDY and B. MODELL of Department of Obestrics and Gynaecology, University College London Medical School, London, UK have studied the demographic characteristics of the Baiga tribe, one of the most primitive of the aboriginal tribal groups of ]. It is found that the Baiga population has grown steadily since the first anthropological study of the tribe in the 1930s. Age at menarche, age at marriage, breast-feeding, and time interval between marriage and first conception are natural. There are more females than males. Sub-tribe endogamy is common; consanguineous marriage is favoured (34% of marriages are between first cousins) and marital distance is low (mean 7·1&nbsp;km). Though the mean menarcheal age is high (15·2 years), mean age at first marriage is low (16·6 years), giving a long reproductive period.<ref></ref>
]


== Language == ===Cuisine===
]Baiga cuisine primarily consists of coarse grains, such as kodo millet and ], and involves very little flour. Another staple food of the baiga is ''pej'', a drink that can be made from ground macca or from the water left from boiling rice. They supplement this diet with food from the forest, including many fruits and vegetables. They hunt, primarily fish and small mammals.


=== Religion and mythology ===
It is believed that the ancestors of the Baigas spoke a ], however no trace of it is left now.<ref>''The Baiga'' by ] (1939), pp. 53-55.</ref> Some Baigas (specifically those from the ]) have mentioned "Baigani" as their mother tongue in the past: Baigani is now recognized as a variety of ] influenced by ] and ].<ref>Linguistic survey of India, Volume 6 by ]. Page 241.</ref> Most Baigas communicate with outsiders in ], and some of them also know Gondi or ] depending on the region they live in.
The Baiga believe their mythical ancestors were Nanga Baiga, the male ancestor, and Nanga Baigin, the female ancestor.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Wilkinson |first=Philip |title=The Mythology Book |last2=Carroll |first2=Georgie |last3=Faulkner |first3=Mark |last4=Field |first4=Jacob F. |last5=Haywood |first5=John |last6=Kerrigan |first6=Michael |last7=Philip |first7=Neil |last8=Pumphrey |first8=Nicholaus |last9=Tocino-Smith |first9=Juliette |publisher=] |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-4654-7337-0 |edition=First American |location=New York |chapter=The Origins of the Baiga |author-link=Philip Wilkinson (author) |author-link4=Jacob F. Field}}</ref> They were born from the goddess Dharti Mata, and Nanga Baiga had "great" magic power.<ref name=":3" />


They helped ] create the world and serve as its guardians.<ref name=":3" />
==Baiga foods==
]
The baiga takes coarse food and shows no extravagance in this aspect. They eat coarse grain, ], and ], drink ], eat little flour and are normally content with what little that they get. One of the prime foods is pej that can be made from grounding macca or from the water left from boiling rice. Local people gave testimony that this food is much better and healthier than many other food that they eat. Also, beyond doubt they eat several items from the forest that includes primarily Chirota Bhaji, Gular leaves such as Chirota, chinch, chakora, sarroota, peepal etc. They also eat BirarKand, Kadukand and other rhizomes. Mushroom is also a delicacy. Numerous fruits such as mango, char, jamun, tendu are also eaten. They hunt as well, primarily fish and small mammals.<ref></ref>


==Forced evictions==
]
Since the 1960s, the Baiga have been the victims of forced evictions at the hands of the Indian authorities.<ref>http://www.galli.in/2011/08/out-of-junglethe-baigas-sayantan-bera.html, 'the village Bhanpur Khera was relocated from inside the Khana National Park (a critical tiger habitat) way back in 1968.'</ref> These are often carried out in the name of ], in an attempt to protect the tiger populations,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.survivalinternational.org//about/tigers|title=Tiger Reserves, India|last=International|first=Survival|website=www.survivalinternational.org|language=en|access-date=2018-07-13}}</ref> but have disastrous consequences for the displaced communities.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/relocation-plan-to-nowhere-land/article3709718.ece|title=Relocation plan to nowhere land|first1=Meena|last1=Menon|newspaper=The Hindu |date=1 August 2012|access-date=21 April 2018|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref>


==Notable people==
]
* ], tribal artist<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baiga tribal labourer debuts as international painter in Milan, Paris |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/good-news/2019/oct/04/baiga-tribal-labourer-debuts-as-international-painter-in-milan-paris-2042860.html |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>


==See also== ==Notes==
{{notefoot}}
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}}
<references/>

===Journals===
* {{Cite journal |date=2015-06-05 |first=Devendra Prasad |last=Pandey|title=An Empirical Study of the Socio-economic Status of Baiga Tribe of Central India |url=https://www.epw.in/journal/2022/31/commentary/empirical-study-socio-economic-status-baiga-tribe.html |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |language=en |volume=57 |issue=31 |pages=7–8 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220802121635/https://www.epw.in/journal/2022/31/commentary/empirical-study-socio-economic-status-baiga-tribe.html |archive-date=2 August 2022 |issn=0012-9976 |eissn=2349-8846}}
*{{Cite journal |last1=Reddy |first1=P. H. |last2=Modell |first2=B. |year=1997 |title=The Baigas of Madhya Pradesh: a demographic study |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9881117/ |journal=Journal of Biosocial Science |volume=29 |issue=1 |pages=19–31 |doi=10.1017/s0021932097000199 |issn=0021-9320 |pmid=9881117|s2cid=32432904 }}
*{{cite journal |title=The Baiga: Survival strategies and local economy in the Central Provinces |first=Archana |last=Prasad |journal=Studies in History |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=325–348 |year=1998 |doi=10.1177/025764309801400209|s2cid=154166992 }}

===Bibliography===
*{{Cite book |last=Elwin |first=Verrier |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/ebooks/baiga-0 |title=The Baiga |publisher=Great Britain |year=1938 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204150512/https://indianculture.gov.in/ebooks/baiga-0 |url-status=live |archive-date=4 December 2022 |location=London |access-date=24 April 2022 |ol=OL19663593M}}
*{{Cite thesis |title=Colonial Administration and Social Developments in Middle India: The Central Provinces, 1861-1921 |chapter=The threatened tribal : The Baigas |year=1980 |url=https://doi.org/10.18130/V3B04X |publisher=University of Virginia |doi=10.18130/v3b04x |first=Philip F. |last=McEldowney|doi-access=free }}

==Further reading==

*{{Cite book |last1=Minz |first1=Diwakar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W5dVaq4_cLoC |title=Encyclopaedia of Scheduled Tribes in Jharkhand |last2=Hansda |first2=Delo Mai |chapter= Baiga |publisher=Gyan Publishing House |year=2010 |isbn=978-81-7835-121-6 |pages=17–26 |language=en}}
*{{Cite book |editor-last1= Ota |editor-first1=A. B. |editor-last2= Mohanty |editor-first2=S. C. |editor-last3= Turk |editor-first3=Khirod Kumar |editor-last4= Nayak |editor-first4=Moushumi |editor-last5=Pattnaik |editor-first5=Kabita |title=Baiga (a little known tribe of Odisha) |others=Photo handbook|publisher=Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI)
|publication-place=Bhubaneswar |year=2021
|isbn=9789380705767 |url=https://repository.tribal.gov.in/bitstream/123456789/75245/1/SCST_2021_handbook_0490.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509140123/https://repository.tribal.gov.in/bitstream/123456789/75245/1/SCST_2021_handbook_0490.pdf |archive-date=May 9, 2023}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{commonscat|Baiga people}} {{commons category|Baiga people}}
* *
*http://www.tribalphoto.com/pages/tribes/india,madhya_pradesh_baiga.html *http://www.tribalphoto.com/pages/tribes/india,madhya_pradesh_baiga.html
*
*
* *
*



{{Scheduled tribes of India}} {{Scheduled tribes of India}}
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{{Scheduled Tribes in Madhya Pradesh}} {{Scheduled Tribes in Madhya Pradesh}}
{{Tribes of Uttar Pradesh}} {{Tribes of Uttar Pradesh}}

{{authority control}}


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Latest revision as of 04:33, 26 September 2024

For the town in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China whose Pinyin spelling is Báigā, see Paingar. Ethnic group
Baiga
Baiga women in traditional dress
Total population
552,495 (2011, census)
Regions with significant populations
 India
Madhya Pradesh414,526
Chhattisgarh89,744
Uttar Pradesh47,393
West Bengal13,423
Jharkhand3,583
Bihar544
Odisha338
Maharashtra333
Languages
Chhattisgarhi • Hindi • Regional languages
Religion
Hinduism • Islam  • Tribal religion
Ethnic group of India

The Baiga are an ethnic group found in central India primarily in the state of Madhya Pradesh, and in smaller numbers in the surrounding states of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The largest number of Baiga is found in Baiga-chuk in Mandla district and Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh. They have sub-castes: Bijhwar, Narotia, Bharotiya, Nahar, Rai maina and Kath maina. The name Baiga means "sorcerer-medicine man".

Demographics

Distribution of Baiga tribe in India

The Baiga tribe is officially recognized as Scheduled Tribes in eight states: Madhya Pradesh (414,526), Chhattisgarh (89,744), Uttar Pradesh (30,006), West Bengal (13,423), Jharkhand (3,583), Bihar (544), Odisha (338), and Maharashtra (333). In Uttar Pradesh, the Baiga population totals 47,393. Among them, the Baigas of Sonbhadra district are recognized as Scheduled Tribes, numbering 30,006, while in other districts of Uttar Pradesh, they are categorized as Scheduled Caste, with a population of 17,387.

Livelihood

The Baiga do not plow the land, because they say it would be a sin to scratch the breast of their Mother, and they could never ask their Mother to produce food from the same patch of earth time and time again: she would have become weakened. The Baiga tribes practice shifting cultivation, called 'bewar' or 'dahiya'.

Live-in relationships are common among the Baiga. If marriage does take place, the man compensates the woman's family for the loss of a working member. This reverse dowry either involves footing the bill of the marriage celebration or offering the woman's family mahua liquor. If divorced, the new husband must compensate the old one for the dowry amount. If the divorced couple have children, the wife has the first right, followed by the husband. If neither wants to raise the child, the community will allot a guardian to the child until age 15.

The Baiga tribe women tattooed entire body

The Baigas in Chhattisgarh are classified as Particularly vulnerable tribal group(PVTG) by Government due to their declining population and low level of literacy. The Government of India has notified 75 PVTG which reside in 18 states and one UT which are classified on the basis of five criteria and in Chhattisgarh Baigas along with Abhujmaria, Kamar, Pahadi Korwa and Birhor are included in this group. The women of these tribes were not provided reproductive rights like right to use contraceptives but in 2018 on a Public Interest Litigation Chhattisgarh High Court allowed them to have access to contraceptives. The Baigas were found to be highly focused on family planning.

Culture

Language

Baiga tribe women in India is known for their art of tattooing or Godna
Baiga leg tattoos

It is believed that the ancestors of the Baigas spoke an Austroasiatic language, however no trace of it is left now. Some Baigas (specifically those from the Mandla district) have mentioned "Baigani" as their mother tongue in the past: Baigani is now recognised as a variety of Chhattisgarhi influenced by Gondi. Most Baigas speak Hindi, and some of them also know a few local languages such as Gondi and Marathi depending on the region where they live.

Baiga tribe's Karam dance

Cuisine

Kodo millet, a primary food of the Baiga

Baiga cuisine primarily consists of coarse grains, such as kodo millet and kutki, and involves very little flour. Another staple food of the baiga is pej, a drink that can be made from ground macca or from the water left from boiling rice. They supplement this diet with food from the forest, including many fruits and vegetables. They hunt, primarily fish and small mammals.

Religion and mythology

The Baiga believe their mythical ancestors were Nanga Baiga, the male ancestor, and Nanga Baigin, the female ancestor. They were born from the goddess Dharti Mata, and Nanga Baiga had "great" magic power.

They helped Bhagavan create the world and serve as its guardians.

Baiga tribe man in their traditional wear

Forced evictions

Since the 1960s, the Baiga have been the victims of forced evictions at the hands of the Indian authorities. These are often carried out in the name of conservation, in an attempt to protect the tiger populations, but have disastrous consequences for the displaced communities.

Notable people

Notes

  1. The Baiga population in West Bengal was almost negligible during the colonial era but has experienced substantial growth since independence, especially after removal of area restrictions by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1976. As census data indicates, there were 4 individuals in 1961, 0 in 1971, 1,606 in 1981, 7,624 in 1991, 11,681 in 2001, and 13,423 in 2011. According to the 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 district-specific census breakdown shows that the Baigas are predominantly concentrated in the undivided Paschim Medinipur district, with 987, 6000, 11205 and 12845 individuals respectively. This notable population increase is attributed to members of the Bagal community, who have been identifying themselves as Baiga in order to avail constitutional benefits as a Scheduled Tribe.

References

  1. "Statistical profile of scheduled tribes in India 2013" (PDF). tribal.nic.in. Minister of tribal affairs: statistics division, Govt of India.
  2. "A-11 Individual Scheduled Tribe Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  3. Gupta, J. Datta (1967). Tables on Scheduled Tribes, Part V-A (ii), Vol-XVI, West Bengal & Sikkim - Census 1961 (PDF).
    Note: The Baigas were Scheduled only in the Purulia district and the territories transferred from the Purnea district of Bihar as per The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes lists (Modification) Order, 1956 and their population was only 4.
  4. Bulletin of the Cultural Research Institute. Special series (22–24). Tribal Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal. 1978. p. 28. In this connection it may be mentioned that as Birjia and Chik Baraik had no population in 1961 and Birhor and Baiga in 1971, ..
  5. Singh, K. S. (1994). The Scheduled Tribes. Vol. III. Oxford University Press in collaboration with the Anthropological Survey of India. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-19-563255-2.
  6. ^ "Census of India 1981, Series-23, West Bengal" (PDF). Special Tables For Scheduled Tribes, Part IX- (iii). Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal. 1981.
  7. ^ Census of India 1991, Series – 26, West Bengal (PDF). Part– VII(II), Special tables on Scheduled Tribes. Vol. V. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal. 1901. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2023.
  8. ^ "PCA-IND (ST): Primary Census Abstract (PCA) - Individual Scheduled Tribe [2001]". censusindia.gov.in.
  9. ^ "A-11 Appendix: District wise scheduled tribe population (Appendix) [2011]". censusindia.gov.in.
  10. Bhadra, Ranjit K; Mondal, S. R, eds. (1991). "Ethnicity, Ethnic groups and Survival Strategy". Stratification, hierarchy, and ethnicity in North-east India. Delhi: Daya Pub. House. p. 19. ISBN 978-81-7035-086-6. OCLC 26858289. In West Bengal, there is a group of people who are popularly known as Bagal, which means 'cattle herding'.  this group have greater tribal attributes in them. But they do not belong to Scheduled Caste or tribe. As a result, they are trying to rename themselves as 'Baiga', because the Baigas are Scheduled tribe and are getting all Constitutional benefits.
  11. "Annual Administrative Report 2011–12". Scribd. Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal. p. 66. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  12. Cultural Research Institute Meeting report - 2019. Backward Classes Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal
  13. "State wise Scheduled Tribes — Uttar Pradesh" (PDF). Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  14. "A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh". Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  15. "Baiga tribals become India's first community to get habitat rights". Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  16. Bhuyan, Anoo. "Tribal Women in Chhattisgarh Win Right to Access Contraception". The wire. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  17. Linguistic survey of India, Volume 6 by George Abraham Grierson. Page 241.
  18. "The Tribune...Sunday Reading". www.tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  19. ^ Wilkinson, Philip; Carroll, Georgie; Faulkner, Mark; Field, Jacob F.; Haywood, John; Kerrigan, Michael; Philip, Neil; Pumphrey, Nicholaus; Tocino-Smith, Juliette (2018). "The Origins of the Baiga". The Mythology Book (First American ed.). New York: DK. ISBN 978-1-4654-7337-0.
  20. http://www.galli.in/2011/08/out-of-junglethe-baigas-sayantan-bera.html, 'the village Bhanpur Khera was relocated from inside the Khana National Park (a critical tiger habitat) way back in 1968.'
  21. International, Survival. "Tiger Reserves, India". www.survivalinternational.org. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  22. Menon, Meena (1 August 2012). "Relocation plan to nowhere land". The Hindu. Retrieved 21 April 2018 – via www.thehindu.com.
  23. "Baiga tribal labourer debuts as international painter in Milan, Paris". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 28 July 2023.

Journals

Bibliography

Further reading

External links

Scheduled tribes of India
Tribes of Jharkhand
Scheduled Tribes in Madhya Pradesh
Scheduled Tribes of Uttar Pradesh
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