The Santhals are relatively progressive and they practice settled cultivation. They live in close knit communities and maintain traditional leadership pattern. With the introduction of modern political system non-traditional leadership pattern has also emerged. The Santhals are hard working people and migrate in off season to West Bengaland even to Assam. Even though they are settled cultivators their cultivation practices have not improved over time and there is no noticeable impact of modern agricultural technology in the area. Though the Santhal society is patriarchal but women play a very important role for the social fabrication. The Paharia Tribe lives mainly on the hills away from the Santhals and is inaccessible to the administration. Very little is known about Paharias from authentic sources. No comprehensive study like Santhals has been made on them. The hill Paharias practice settled cultivation methods and supplement their income by collecting minor forest produces. Unfortunately, poverty in its ugliest form can be seen in Paharia villages. Marriage is the principal institution of the society in Pakur District. Marriage system among the Santhals and Paharias is guided by their customary norms. The tribal society is accustomed with all sorts of marriages such as monogamy, bigamy, polygamy, polyandry, widow remarriage, etc. The Santhals like other tribes look upon marriage such as natural necessity. Divorce is not unknown in tribal society. Their food habits are completely different from the plainsmen. The main languages used in the district are Santhali language, Hindi language and Bengali language. This district of Jharkhand is presenting a picture of mixed heterogeneous society with different languages, cultures and heritages. |