Poors Values

It has been argued that the definition of indigenous peoples as “original settlers”
is problematic in the Indian context. Sociologists like Dube (1977) and
Beteille (1998) have pointed out that “tribal traditions themselves make repeated
mention of migration of their ancestors. There is considerable evidence
to suggest that several groups were pushed out of the areas that they were first
settled and had to seek shelter elsewhere.”
53 Today more than 50 million of tribal people live in and around forests. There is
a clear overlap between the forest and the tribal maps of the country, as well
as an overlap with poverty (Poffenberger and McGean 1996).
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Land and Cultural Survival: The Communal Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Asia
harvested for commercial purposes. After India gained independence in
1947, most of the forests were nationalized. The issue of tribal people’s
rights in those forests has been fraught with contention and is central to
political and development policy questions in India.
This chapter examines the history of the debate and demonstrates how
communal tenure over forest land is not only a pressing practical issue but
a symbol of concerns over indigenous peoples’ rights. And it analyzes how
legal and policy changes have addressed those concerns.