Impact of Christianity on tribes

Influence of Christianity on India Tribes:

D.N. Majumdar (1937) Sachidanand (1964), Jyothi Sen (1968), B.N Shay (1963), Leela Dube (1969), A.R. Kutia (1969), Martin Oraon and a few others have studied the impact of Christianity on the tribals in India. According to their studies Christian Missions belonging to various denominations have been working in tribal tracts with the prime motive of achieving conversion. They use certain means especially in terms of social service, education and medical aid. The first impact was felt among the Khasis of Meghalaya in 1813 and the Oraons of Jharkhand in 1845 .

  • According to Panigrahi.D.C (2001) the impact of Christianity has its positive and negative effects on the life of Indian tribes.
  • About 5-1/2 % of the total tribal population comprising nearly 2.5 million have faith in Christianity.
  • Major Concentration of the Christian tribals is in the North East Himalayas region. Half of the Christians live in this area.
  • The other half resides in middle India mostly in Chhattisgarh and in certain pockets of Orissa and Jharkhand.
  • The Andaman and Nicobar Islands contain a large Christian tribal population comprising nearly 2/3rd of their total No.
  • In South India Kerala is the only state where Christians among the tribals can be counted up to 10,000 souls (individuals)

Areas

  • Mizoram- 90%
  • Nagaland- 90%
  • Meghalaya- 70%
  • Manipur- 34%
  • Central Indian tribes- Munda, Oraon, Baiga, Birhor, Kharia
  • South Indian tribes- Todas

Impact:

  • 1. Christianity has provided the first model of westernisation to the tribals in the shape of church organization, western education and above all western values and morals (equality, freedom, and Justice). E.g. S.C. Roy (1920) Majumdar (1937) deal with reference to the tribes of Chotanagpur Jharkhand. According to them the most remarkable influence of Christianity has been among the Mundas, Oraons and Kharias. There tribal found the missionaries and the western way of life as more beneficial than Hindu way of life. The relations between Hindu land lords and tribal farmers have never been satisfactory. At the hands of Hindu land lords, the tribals as suffered many troubles they had gone to the extent of insurrecting against the rulers in order to avoid the sufferings these tribals embrace Christianity while the Mundas had to suffer from many ills in the hands of land lords . The Hos and Santhals migrated to areas where they could live in comparative peace and extend their settlements on to virgin land free from exploiting land lords and land grabbing middle men. The Hos occupied koihan(fertile) a compact area inhabited exclusively by themselves. The Santhal have spread for beyond their original confines and are distributed over a very wide area than the Hos and the Santhals have not felt much need for the assistance of the church organization or the benefit of western education in their struggle of or economic emancipation where the tribals lived in compact groups and were superior in number their the tribal organization has remained strong and conversion to Christianity was not appreciable. Thus, those who suffered most at the hands of local Zamindars or land lords favoured westernization through conversion as a powerful means for survival.
  • 2. Another impact of Christianity on the tribes in India is the cultural interpretations of a number of tribal beliefs and rituals. According to Sachidanand the Christian tribals observe the different Christian festivals such as Christmas, Easter, all saint day Israel Jatara. Cultural reinterpretations of a number of tribal beliefs and rituals can also be met with.
  • 3. The impact of Christianity among tribals favoured more materialistic tendencies than spiritualistic tendency. Jyothi Sen studied this particular aspect in Jharkhand she opines that the Christian missionaries are doing the best possible under the circumstances but the fear there is that so long as acceptance of Christianity as the supreme spiritual way remains the aim of the mission. The later has to operate under a handicap once the common people of India begin to march along the path of economic and social progress on their own account the reason for participating in progressive steps under the mission where it is no more than a means will lose much of his values and attraction.

Shahay (1963) who studied the impact of Christianity on the central Indian tribes has shown how several cultural processes like oscillation, scrutinization , combination, indigestion and retroversion are taking place among the Christian tribals in central India this may be true with respect to other parts of India.

THE impact of Christianity , after Hinduism and the process of Hinduization, has been the most important area of acculturation studies among the tribes of India . The spread and impact of Christianity may be traced back to the establishment of the British colonial rule which led to the establishment of mission orgnization and Churches in tribal areas especially in the north-eastern part and parts of Bihar, Orissa and Bengal . The missions on the one hand took to propogation of Christianity and on the other laid down an extensive network of social sevices such as education and healthcare. Thus, Christianity is the earliest agency of welfare in the tribal areas.

INTRODUCTION of Christianity , no doubt, gave the tribal people a sense of confidence to tackle the new world and a sense of self-respect but at the same time it added to the complexities of their social-cultural life . It divided the tribal societies, wherever it succeeded, into vertical divisions. For example the Khasi of Meghalya were divided into Christian Khasis and non-Christian Khasis. The non-converted Khasis often looked at the converted Khasis contemptously. Wherever the Christian Khasis dominated in population they became a dominant community but wherever they were in small numbers they Could not cope up with the pressure of the non-coriverted majority and had to migrate to the urban centres or get themselves absorbed in the employment of missions.

THE spread of Christianity led to a number of problems in the process of acculturation. When any tribal community takes up the process of Hinduization , they find it a gradual process-the changes are not sudden. Alongwith Hinduization the tribal beliefs and practices continue but adoption of Christianity leads to a sudden and radical departure from the past. Many of the traditional tribal beliefs and practices are denigrated and discarded. When we look at various aspects of culture change among the tribes as a result of adoption of Christianity, we find that the spread of Christianity encouraged right in personal or private property, patriarchal family system and doing away with such of their traditional institutions as ‘youth dormitories’

IN CERTAIN situations Christianity was adopted by the tribal people as a sign of revolt or as a reaction to their ruthless exploitation by landlords , moneylenders, and traders who happended to be Hindus.The Kol rebellion (1932) and spread of Christianity in and around Chotanagpur region may be a case in point. Christianity has also been the earliest channel of westernization in a number of tribal communities and regions. A new and western life style involving the western style dress, taking food on chair table and going to Churches on Sundays attired in western dress are a common feature in a number of Christian tribal communities. Use of Cosmetics, perfumes, soap and shampoos, western ,music etc. may also be seen in a number of areas among the Christian tribal.

IN THE north-east region the spread of Christianity has brought about most radical transformation. The advent of Christianity in Mizoram may be traced back to the first quarter of twentieth century. The spread of Christianity and spread of formal and modern education in Mizoram were complimentary to each other. The missionaries started formal education in the Lushai Hills. They wrote books both for general education and Christian religion. Tribal languages were also promoted and developed along with spread of English language. With the spread of Christianity , belief in spirits and their appeasement through sacrifices and rituals were replaced by the new faith. “Under the old Mizo Customs marriages and divorces were‘ easily gone through. With Christianity marriage, monogamy has attained a religious overtone. In Mizo tradational custom if mother dies while giving birth to baby. New infant also burried along with mother. but missionaries established orphan homes for motherless babies and also hospitals for safe deliveries. It was as fashionable to become a Christian and get educated and westernized among several associations Naga tribes such as Konyak Nagas and Ao Nagas. The Church organizations advocated abstinence from drinking country rice beer or any other alcoholic drink. They also advocate monogamy and discourage divorce.

K.N SAHAY, (1963) made a detailed study of the tribal Christian converts of Chotanagpur. This study helps us to understand as to how Christianity has brought about a change of self image and identity among the tribal converts. He tells us that the immediate result is that the tribal converts begin to consider themselves different from the nonChristian and acquire a “sense of superiority’’ over the latter and think that they practice the “best religion of the world”., The catholic converts consider themselves to be the true adherents of Christianity. It is significant that the Oraon society which was culturally homogenous has come to be divided now because of the working of various denominations of Christianity. With conversion their self image and identity have also undergone tremendous transformation

Impact

  • 1. Egalitarianism
  • 2. Rise of private property replacing the communal property
  • 3. Ideas of equality, freedom, and Justice
  • 4. Animal sacrifices are being given up
  • 5. Monogamy is more commonly adopted.
  • 6. Rise of Nuclear families
  • 7. Patriarchal families are replacing the traditional matriarchy
  • 8. Tribal institutions- youth dormitories are being slowly given by due to the prude principles of Christianity
  • 9. Rise in the education and health indicators due to the work of missionaries
  • 10.Division among converted and traditional tribal groups which often lead to tense situations
  • 11.Use of English language on par with tribal language
  • 12.Giving up faith in old gods and monotheism
  • 13.Rise of new social institutions
  • 14.Barter system of exchange is being replaced by market system.
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