Singhbahg Baiga Tola
When we reached Singhbahg Village, a diverse village in which Baiga live only on the outskirts, there seemed to be nothing that they were not lacking. The center of town is a densely populated warm and inviting place, with a few pipal trees, where next to one, the local temple sits. The stretch of land that the Baiga live on offers little in the form of greenery, or shade, except for underneath cracking walls of pale brown houses . Dusty and drenched in nothing but sepia tones, the atmosphere appears like something out of an old-western ghost town. Chetram Baiga, an elder in the family home we stopped at, did not offer his last name, perhaps being that differentiating themselves as Baiga is the only requirement of their surnames. He said that they had been living in this plot of land for the past 5 years, yet have seen little development. Before here, they were living in Mabla and Malajkun village and before that Kanha Park.
They do not farm at all, although they know how to, they do not have adequate water or grains. This families main source of income in collecting and selling logs which they will make and average of 40 rupees per bundle. They moved here from Mabla and Malajkar villages because there they were not able to collect any natural resources. They know the art of making all products from bamboo but there is none to be found for miles around this locality. Water is a huge problem because nothing in the name of an hand pump or a well exists except for in the center of an adjacent village but they do not dare to venture there. There is a small river nearby where they collect water.
They have received no help from the government, only empty promises but never satisfy their words. They say that they are eager to get help, but it is evident that they do not have the proper channels of communication, perhaps due to their illiteracy and innate hesitance to reach out to other communities. Later we found that in the center of the same village there are many adiwasi and other castes that have received benefits from the government and the village panchayat. It seems the Baiga on the outskirts of the village are unaware of the panchayat’s activities and therefore could not reap the benefits that allow their neighbors to thrive. They do not even have personal identification certificates such as job, ration and tribe identity, and had somehow not ever heard of such things. Now that they were aware they they are entitled to have these documents, Chetram says he will try to obtain them.
As we were talking , about 200 meters in the distance a truck had stopped to pick up a few men with colorful scarfs wrapped around their heads. These men were wage laborers who pay 15 rupees each way to be picked up by this truck whose only business is to carry laborers to the fields. They say they have never had problems with receiving wage from bosses They will make 50-100 rupees per day working multiple jobs. They also have to pay around 15 rupees to get picked up on Saturday and Sunday.
The saddest thing about this group of Baiga was not so much the lack of resources and poverty, but the lack of any recreation or joy from cultural expression. When asked whether or not they had a traditional story to offer, they could not summon one line, or character. Fagnibai Baiga, who seemed to be around early twenties but with skin worn and wrinkled from the sun, did have the archetypal Baiga tattoo on her forehead. Other than this symbol, nothing else about them showed the mark of Biaga identity. They say they work very hard but at night they tend to just go to sleep, without mahua wine, without dance, and even the children seem to have little ambition for play, and have no toys, except for a single rubber tire, and no games. They are said to just in the habit of wandering here and there.
As we were talking , about 200 meters in the distance a truck had stopped to pick up a few men with colorful scarfs wrapped around their heads. These men were wage laborers who pay 15 rupees each way to be picked up by this truck whose only business is to carry laborers to the fields. They say they have never had problems with receiving wage from bosses They will make 50-100 rupees per day working multiple jobs. They also have to pay around 15 rupees to get picked up on Saturday and Sunday.
The saddest thing about this group of Baiga was not so much the lack of resources and poverty, but the lack of any recreation or joy from cultural expression. When asked whether or not they had a traditional story to offer, they could not summon one line, or character. Fagnibai Baiga, who seemed to be around early twenties but with skin worn and wrinkled from the sun, did have the archetypal Baiga tattoo on her forehead. Other than this symbol, nothing else about them showed the mark of Biaga identity. They say they work very hard but at night they tend to just go to sleep, without mahua wine, without dance, and even the children seem to have little ambition for play, and have no toys, except for a single rubber tire, and no games. They are said to just in the habit of wandering here and there.
What little government intervention is said to come from the option to go to school. Baihar is also where the primary general school is and all of the kids have to go walking 2km to get there. During our visit at around 11 am on a Tuesday, there were at least three children in this family alone that were present. Chetram says that they boys were not in school at the time we visited because of celebration of Nordurga, and for that they have holiday for 2 days, yet I have my doubts about this. Earlier he had mentioned that the children also go into the jungle to help collect the logs, so there is a strong chance that they stay home to help support the family.
Kalegoan Village
In appearance of this in the village is dusty and undeveloped, and sad cement structures built far from one another hint to the sense of community being very weak. There is a ghost town feel but some life stirs as we see a curly grey head peak out from a doorway 20 meters from where we stopped. As we enter the house a tall and lanky elderly woman in the corner of the room becomes visibly uncomfortable as she shifts while keeping her hand clamped over a blanket draped over her right leg. The man in the doorway with a left foot twice the size of the right one smiles sadly and welcomes us to sit.
Kitu Singh Durway and Dungariaby, both Bharotia Baiga, both are severely injured and have no proper bandaging save a cruddy sheet for the wife. Kitu sits and walks around with a 6 inch festering wound atop his foot, that seems to have never had the chance to heal. Their story quickly unfolds with an accident having occurred 3 months ago. The couple and some neighbors were both at the market and as it got too late to catch a bus, they all took a ride in a tracker that turned over on the way home. The local police sent them all in a four wheeler to Balaghat District Hospital, where Kitu says that he and wife spent 4 days. They then spent 11 days in Baihar hospital after returning home to no food and being unable to move around. They say that have never received proper bandaging at the hospital, only pills and shots. Since returning home they have had to put all their medical expenses on credit at a private doctor 2 km away. At the time they were in debt of 500rps so the doctor had cut off their medication.
During the story, neighbors slowly begin to stop by and one by the name of Ronda Maravi, a Gond, shout loudly about how many people come to ask questions, but will do nothing. She exclaims that they need old age pensions and at the very least some medical subsidies, but the local Panchayat is corrupt an unhelpful. The only income that many of the Baiga can manage is menial labor, yet many of the Gonds have land and cattle. The bamboo trade was stopped 2 years ago by the forest department. At first glance, this village seemed to be the typical situation of Baigas as the vulnerable, underdeveloped denizens of a mixed tribe village. Even the Gonds complain of the Panchayat not helping them, Ronda saying that she has had to bribe the secretary two times for irrigation canals but has not even received a single hose. A trip to the house of the Panchayat leaders showed their opulent existence but no presence, as both leaders were on a tour of some kind.
A 5 minute walk to the other side of the village brought a view of Baigas in a far more stable condition. Pita Singh Durway, also Barotia Baiga spoke of the transitions many have went through after having contact with Gonds. According to him, Baigas in this area have more developed housing and lifestyles because of the influence of others in society. He himself is a sweeper in a hospital in Baihar, having gotten the job after graduation from 8th standard. He says he would have never gotten a job like this had it not been the death of his mother that caused him to need to find employment. Unfortunately, although he is supposed to be granted one acre of land that belonged to his father, he has not received the land deed transferred to his name because of the costs of the process. His father had learned farming from Gond neighbors, and he would also one day like to make use of the land.
While Pita agrees that the material development is from influence of others, the cultural traditions are very much Baiga. His family will still go into the forest with a hen to make sacrifice for Baredeo, their ancestral god. During May and June they do this for the continued health of the forest. Other than this once a year venturing, since two years ago they have only gone into the forest for emergency bamboo if part of the house falls. Pita said that as a child no one had questioned them about going into the woods, but since then the demarcations of Kanha Preserve must have been extended. If they dare to venture past the fence that is visible from where we sat, they will be harassed and sent to jail.
His mother, who is really his step mother, had once been one of two wives of his father, having multiple wives not being a taboo in Baiga culture, and also not a patriarchal phenomenon but what Pusiaby Durway says is “out of love.” She sports the traditional dress of rosaries, silver bracelets, hair tied up with colorful string, and of course, tattoos.
His mother, who is really his step mother, had once been one of two wives of his father, having multiple wives not being a taboo in Baiga culture, and also not a patriarchal phenomenon but what Pusiaby Durway says is “out of love.” She sports the traditional dress of rosaries, silver bracelets, hair tied up with colorful string, and of course, tattoos.
When the Panchayat was mentioned, all showed and made sounds of disgust that needed no translation. It is certain that their village leaders are not supporting them although at one time they were elected by these same people. They say that they only leads nominal existence of signatures and bribe taking. For 20 years, Pita’s father had been a member of the Panchayat, being elected over and over and being well loved by the public. In this community they all help each other with what they can, and in their own good will, but the only way the Panchayat helps is with ration. The election occurred one year ago with familiar promises and enticements in the form of feasts hosted by nominees, but now they must wait 3 more years for to elect someone new. The leaders have motorcycles, keep all the money given by district for villagers needs and have access to all the resources they need while many villagers are struggling.
The next generation seems to have no desire to go back to traditional occupations such as bamboo product manufacturing. Kimari Sumapati Durway and her brother Desrut Durway both want to continue to be educated and to either get service jobs or be teachers in their village.
The next generation seems to have no desire to go back to traditional occupations such as bamboo product manufacturing. Kimari Sumapati Durway and her brother Desrut Durway both want to continue to be educated and to either get service jobs or be teachers in their village.