Horticulture refers to a technique of cultivation that relies on hand tools such as the digging stick or dibble and the hoe or axe. The most common type of horticulture still in use by many in the World today is called Slash type of horticulture still in use by many in the World today is called Slash In India it is called Jhum.
Geographical distribution:
| 1) America: | a) Hopi Red Indians b) Zuni Red Indians c) Apinaye Red Indians d) Yanamamo Red Indians e) Jivaro Red Indians |
| 2) Africa: | a) Azande (Sudan) b) Yoruba (Nigeria) c) Kipsigis (Ethiopia) |
| 3)Asia : | a) Subanum(Philippines) b) Ifugao(Philippines) c) Dusun, Dani(Borneo) |
| 4) India: | a) Maria Gond b) Rengma Naga |
| 5)Pacific islands: | a) Kurtachi b) Kiwai c) wogeo d) Arapesh e) Trobriand islanders. |
Characteristics:
1) Sedentarism – when people begin investing their labour in land to produce crops for food they must remain sedentary for at least part of the year. One characteristic that can be noted is the tendency towards sedentariness of many groups practicing horticulture. The change from a nomadic way of life to a more settled one produces other changes through social organisation.
2) Low to moderate population densities – Cultivation also provides a more dependable food supply than does hunting-gathering. So, larger populations Because of their greater investment in the environment, horticulturists tend towards stable groupings of people in sedentary semi sedentary communities.
3) Moderate sized self-sufficient local groups – The local groups or villages are neither too small nor too big because three reasons.
- Cultivation assumes a greater importance in subsistence.
- Kinship-based relations begin to extend over a wider area and
- Organisation such as clan organisation develop to a great extent-
Thus, each settlement is moderate in size and self-sufficiently
4) Simple to moderate economic resource
a) Technology – simple hand tools and simple methods of farming are absent. Small amounts of land are worked at one time mostly with hand tools, namely digging stick, dibble, hoe, axe or spade.
b) Division of labour – The division of labour continues to be organized by sexual differences. The men clear the bus, hunt, fight and lend domesticated animals which the women do the basic work in cultivation. Thus, division of labour in horticultural societies s based on some specialization.
c) Land ownership – Horticulturists decide how farm land is to be acquired, worked and passed on. Each family clears a patch of the jungle from various shrubs, bush or brush various shrubs, bush or brush. Sometimes lapping of the branches of standing trees , This material is heaped up for a few days and set fire to turn them into ashes. The ashes are evenly spread over the field. They serve as manure. With” the onset of monsoon, the horticulturists start the palm activities. First, they loosen the soil either with the help of hoe or with the help of a spade, Once the first rains are received the planting of seeds are commenced, Either simple or elaborate rituals are performed to assure proper sprinting and excellent crop. There is patrilineal inheritance of land. Usually, a fence is raised around the field to protect it from wild animals especially rabbits, deers and others. Constant watch is sometimes, a hut is raised on stills to provide shelter to the watchman guarding the crops. Usually young girls and boys are posted at the fields to take care of the crops.
d) Capital – Horticulturists frequently use the slashing knife and the digging stick or hoe as their primary tools, they are easy to make and are freely shared.
e) Production – The horticulturists raise millets, roots, rhizomes – The production is very high even though the methods of fanning are primitive. There is good surplus. However, there are infrequent food shortages. Pig raising everywhere in Oceania provides plenty of protein during such food shortages.
f) Distribution – Among horticulturists, the distribution of goods is in the form of reciprocity and redistribution. People pay tribute in the form of stipulated amounts of goods produced, to the chief or people contribute goods involuntarily to the chief’s- treasury. The chief uses some of the goods for meeting the needs of the family and distributes the remaining goods to people who need them. Kula exchange between the Trobriand Islanders provides the best example of balanced reciprocity
g) Consumption – of the goods produced, some – are consumed immediately and some are preserved or stored for future use. The surplus are exchanged for other goods.
h) Leadership pattern: Full time leaders are quite common. Chiefs and chiefdoms exist in every island. The chief of the clan is considered superior to the chief of others, Therefore, the chief’ s position is justified on the basis of clan rank.
The chief is considered as sole owners of the resources, In tune with this, people pay tribute to the chief or give gifts to the chief. The entire horticulture society is operated in accordance with specific customs followed by the chief, nobles and the commoners.
I) Polytheistic Religion: Religion among the horticulturists is still primarily polytheistic. There may even be a high God. Additionally, another variation of religion, called ancestral variation, or ancestral worship, is also found.
J) Fending more common than war – Nations of territoriality and the pressure of population contribute to the occurrence of large scale conflict of war among some horticulturists. Though fending still exists as well , it is likely to involve larger groups , and to be less individualistic, than is usually the case among hunter-gatherers.