Ecosystem study of bodo tribe, in assam

This is the research findings of 40 days staying in a tribal village.

1. Ecosystem Study of Dalbari , Daklabari , Dakshinsuppa and Goibari Village, Barama,Baksa , Assam BY Saswatik Tripathy Faculty Guide- Mr.A.Gurunathan Field Guide- Mr.Paresh Hegde Coordinator- Mrs.R.Sasikala The Dhan Academy

2. Maps Source- Google

3. Demographic data: Dalbari Daklabari Dakshinsuppa Goibari Total Population- 181 Sex ratio - 946.24 State sex ratio- 958 Context- Tribal Ecosystem- Irrigated Life Expectancy- 65 years State Life Expectancy- 68 years Total Population- 411 Sex ratio - 975.96 State sex ratio- 958 Context- Tribal Ecosystem- River ecosystem Life Expectancy- 65 years State Life Expectancy- 68 years Total Population- 308 Sex ratio - 1053.33 State sex ratio- 958 Context- Tribal Ecosystem- Irrigated Life Expectancy- 65 years State Life Expectancy- 68 years Total Population- 67 Sex ratio - 1161.29 State sex ratio- 958 Context- Tribal Ecosystem- Rain fed Life Expectancy- 65 years State Life Expectancy- 68 years *Source – Anganwadi and ASHA worker

4. Objectives and Methodology: Sl. No Objectives Tools and methods 1 Understand the Demographic dimension and relationship of different biological community interactions of the village. Secondary data source like block office or Anganwadi . Observation and PRA (Linkage diagram) 2 Understand the socioeconomic perspective of the village and standard of living of the village. PRA tools and FGDs. Interview and questionnaire. 3 Understanding of cultural and ethnographic perspective. Interview and FGD. 4 Understand the political and developmental issues Proxy indicators, PRA, Interview and FGDs.

5. Village boundaries: Dalbari Daklabari Dakshinsuppa Goibari Goibari Dakshinsuppa Bangalipara Badulipara Koklabari Mainabari Fakribari Gilabari Badulipara Bangalipara Gilabari Dalbari Bangalipara Mara P agal Diya River Dalbari Akshiya *Source – Observation and PRA

6. Village Maps: Dalbari Daklabari Dakshinsuppa Goibari History of the village names Dalbar : Villaage of Aquatic weed Daklabari : Village between Dalbari and Kaklabari Dakshinsuppa : Southern Village Goibari : Village of areca nut.

7. Cultural Dimension The word Bodo derived from the word Bod which means Tibet, its shows that they came from Tibet They follow the religion named Bathoism Ba means five and tho means deep. They believe that the world is made of the five element. They actually the worshipers of their forefather known as Obonlaure . The age of marriage for boys is 18 and for the girls it is 16-17. Arrange and love and inter-caste marriage is common the 4 villages . *Source: Group Discussion

8. Festival and Food Habit January – Magh Bihu February- Batho Puja March- Holi April- Rangoli Bihu August- Bihu Karma October- Durga Puja November- Kati Bihu The rice is the main staple food and fish and pork is favorite of them . Bodos are mainly no vegetarian. They can eat any four leg animal only the beef is exaptation. They eat even fox, Porcupine, snake, rat, frogs etc. They don’t use any type of pulses they make dal with rice powder. They prefer the country breeds of any animal or birds for eating. Only on Tuesday and Saturday they eat vegetarian food. *Source Seasonal Calendar

9. Health In the 4 villages there are 3 Anganwadis but the anganwadis are very irregular the workers never open the Anganwadis . they take the rice and dal and distribute it home to home. There is one health sub center in Gilabari village all villagers of my four village use to go there, one nurse permanently stay there and weekly twice doctor came to the sub center. But the local MBBS is more famous and effectively work in the village than the nurse and doctor. Education One Lower Primary School in my 4 villages.It is in Dalbari village. 972 No. Dalbari L P School. Total number of student 31 in which 11 boys and 20 girls. Total teaching staff 2 and non-teaching staff for midday meal 2. Books and uniform are given to the student free. Olongbar High School total student 106. Teaching staff 9 and cook 2. After that students went to Barama College. The school have a library with 300 books. Ekalvya school is a fully residential CBSE board school. It has total 520 students and 35 teaching staff and 45 nonteaching staff. But most of the students are not local. *Source – Visit to health center and school and Interpersonal discussion

10. Languages Traditional Institution Batho Temple Committee : This a committee of male and female of different villages. They usually practice the devotional songs and dances and perform in ceremony or special worships. For that they charge some money. The money is then saved and if someone needed money in the group they give it as a loan in a very low interest. Bodos have there own language. Bodo language is one of the scheduled languages of Indian constitution. On its early stage it was written in Assames and Bengali letters, later a movement started to write the script in Roman letters. Later in 1975 the central government make the Devanagari letters as the official scripture of Bodo . The males know little bit Assames and very few people know Hindi. *Source- Group Discussion

11. Transportation The road condition is very bad. The regular travelers use two wheelers for traveling and those who don’t have two wheeler use the auto rickshaw for transportation. But it is not a regular service. The ambulance facility is available in the village. Family Structure Village name Joint family : Total Family Dalbari 6:41 Daklabari 1:19 Dakshinsuppa 3:60 Goibari 17:90 Political Dimension BPF- Bodoland Peoples Front is the only dominating party there. BPF make alliance with BJP and make the government. In the place of Panchayat there is VCDC- Village council Development Committee. It is a 3 tire system cabinet level , block level and village level. The village chairman is not elected but selected by the other members of VCDC Economic System: Mainly the economy is substantial economy. The system of exchanging is barter system even they exchange family labour also. Use of cash is very low. *Source- Matrix ranking, Problem tree, Social map, Observation, interview .

12. Economical Condition Dalbari - Daklabari Dakshinsuppa Goibari To understand the economical condition a scale was made of 5 categories of economical condition. The categories are as follows – A More than 10 bigha land/ Govt. Job/ Tractor/Rs.8000-10000 per capita income/Self Depemdant B 5to10 Bigha land/ Bike/ 5000-7000 per capita income/ Own agricultural Land C 3-5 Bigha land/ Own agricultural land/ labour work/ Cycle/ 3000-5000 per capita income D 1-2 Bigha land/ Labour work/ Cycle/ 2000-2500 per capita income E Land less/ Very few working members. *Source – Wealth ranking

13. Livelihood Main livelihood of Bodos is farming. They are also good in animal and birds rearing. They are good in waving in handloom Bodos are the first cultivator of rice and silk in Assam. There are some landless Bodos also they either take the land from others as rent or work as daily wage labour . Some people have fish farming also, but it is very few in number they just do it for home consumption mainly Now a days some people get government job like teacher and Army. Vulnerability Due to high alcohol consumption liver problem is quite common and life expectancy is low. Malaria is the main epidemic diseases. Access to financial services There is a CSC (common service center) of SBI ( State Bank of India) band AGVB( Assam Gramin Vikash Bank). Some of them are connected with Kalanjiam . Source – FGD and Interview

14. Ecological: Dalbari Daklabari Dakshinsuppa Goibari Water : Ground water level is very high with high iron content Weathe r: Highest temperature 30⁰ C Lowest temperature 3⁰ C Livestock : Cow, Pig, Hen, Goat, Fisheries : Rohu , Katla , Mrigale , Silver carp, grass carp and common carp Flora and Fauna : Mango, Jack fruit, Bamboo, Areca nut, Litchi, Guava, Banyan etc. Crops : Paddy, Mustard, Potato, Vegetables, etc. River basin : Marapagaldia river *Source – Transact Walk

15. Male and Female Daily calendar

16. Venn Diagram Most Influential institution Medium Influential institution Lower Influential institution FPS Barama Hospital Anganwadi School VCDC Post office Primary School - Medical sub center Local MBBS - Medical shop

17. PRA Tools

18. PRA Tools

19. Key Findings: Bamboo is the backbone of Bodo society. 70 % of daily household, agricultural and fishing tools made of bamboo. Their agricultural practice is the cause of the high level of ground water In the village. They are aware about the sanitation and in case of emergency only they prefer open deification. May be there is not any well managed toilet but they made it with as per the capability. There is no specific job for specific gender, everyone do everything. A huge land holder can be poor and a landless can be rich.

20. Attitude, Skill and Knowledge Attitude I learn how to remain calm in difficult conditions also. Humbleness and work according to the situation. Skill Mobilizing people. I apply the BOD (human development index indicators), LH ( different livelihood study) ECON (Cost of cultivation of different livelihood) PALM, SEED ( cultural study ) Preparation and use of surveys, questionnaires and other related formats for obtaining necessary information Knowledge: I understand the bodo life, culture and their unique economy . There can be many cause of being poor .

21. Developmental Issue Some local level leaders do not let the VCDC work accordingly. In the Batho Temple committee some people increase the interest of loan for their own greed. Alcoholism Suggestions: Commercial fish farming integrated with pig cultivation will be a good livelihood opportunity. They are well skilled to use bamboo if some training given for making handicrafts from bamboo it can be a livelihood.

22. Case study A Case Study on Ajit Das a Mushroom farmer Name- Ajit Das Family member- Wife and Son Landless Doing the mushroom cultivation for last 4 years Particular Cost (Rs.) 1kg dry straw 3 1 Plastic bag 2 Spawn 100g 20 Packing charge 10 Maintenance 15 Total 50 Cost per bag Rs.50 Cost for 6000 bag 300000 Production from one bag is 1kg Price of 1kg is Rs.140 From 6000 bag income 840000 Net profit in 2 months 540000 Assuming in one year 5 cycles are there then net profit in one year 2700000

23. Limitations and Challenges Language is become a huge barrier to me but now I am using mix language to communicate. The households in the village is very scattered so mobilizing and rapport establishment if little difficult. I have to walk daily around 5-6 km to cover the villages it takes time what can I use in productive work. It became dark within 4.30pm here and the cold in night don’t let me sleep in nights. Rains cooling temperature slowing down my speed. Frequent Power cut also making some problem. Very bad network connection make problem for daily update.

24. Thank You