Important Questions for Chapter 5 Pastoralists in the Modern World Class 10 History
Important Questions1
What are Bugyals?
Answer
Pastures lands on above 12000 feet high mountains.
VSAQ
2
Gaddi were an important pastoral community of which state?
Answer
Himachal Pradesh.
VSAQ
3
Define the term ‘Pastoral Nomads’.
Answer
Pastoral nomads are those who move from place to place with their cattle.
VSAQ
4
Why did the pastoral nomads raise cattle?
Answer
For the sale of milk and other products of their cattle like leather, wool etc.
VSAQ
5
Who are Bhotiyas, Sherpas and Kinnauris?
Answer
Pastoral communities of the Himalayas.
VSAQ
6
Why nomadic tribes need to move from one place to another place?
Answer
In search of pastures.
VSAQ
7
Raika pastoral community belongs to which state?
Answer
Rajasthan.
VSAQ
8
Where is Serengiti Park located?
Answer
Tanzania.
VSAQ
9
What are Dhars?
Answer
They are high meadows.
VSAQ
10
Where is the Samburu National Park located?
Answer
Kenya.
VSAQ
11
Which state do Gujjar Bakarwals belong to?
Answer
Jammu and Kashmir.
VSAQ
12
What the word ‘Masaai’ means?
Answer
My People.
VSAQ
13
The continuous movement of the pastoral community helps in?
Answer
Recovery of pasture.
VSAQ
14
Which group of Raikas herded camels?
Answer
Maru.
VSAQ
15
Name any two animals reared by the Maasais.
Answer
Sheep and donkeys.
VSAQ
16
In which year did the colonial government in India pass the Criminal Tribes Act?
Answer
1871.
VSAQ
1
Describe the life of Dhangars of Maharashtra.
Answer
• The Dhangar shepherds stay in the central plateau of Maharashtra during the monsoon. By October, they harvest their bajra and move west to Konkan.
• The Dhangar flocks manure the fields and feed on stubble.
• The Konkani peasants give them rice which they take to the plateau as grain is scarce there. With the onset of monsoon they leave Konkan and return to the dry plateau.
SAQ
2
List any three factors that the pastoral groups have to consider to sustain their life.
Answer
• How long the herds could stay in one area.
• Where they could find water and pasture.
• Calculation of timing and assessment of their movements,
• Relationship with farmers on the way, so that the herds could graze in harvested fields and manure the soil.
SAQ
3
Describe how the movement of the Kurumas and Kurubas is defined by the requirement of their cattle.
Answer
• Alternation of monsoons and dry season in dry central plateau of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh defines the movement of the Kurumas and Kurubas.
• They move from the cultivated patches near the woods to the coastal tract during the dry season.
• They leave the coastal area for the dry plateau when the rain arrives and the herd has to be shifted. Their buffaloes like the wet conditions of the monsoon month.
SAQ
4
Who were Gujjar Bakarwals? How did they earn their livelihood?
Answer
Gujjar Bakarwals were the herders of goats and sheep living in the region of Jammu and Kashmir. Their herds moved out of this area between summer and winter and travelled in groups called Kafilas.
• They earned their livelihood by selling milk, ghee, and other products of their herds.
• Women went to the markets and sold home-made products like pots filled with buttermilk, honey, etc. while the men took the cattle to graze.
SAQ
5
Describe the life of Raikas community of Rajasthan.
Answer
• Raikas lived in the desert of Rajasthan.• The rainfall in the region was meagre and uncertain. On cultivated land, harvest fluctuated every year. Over vast stretches, no crop could be grown. So, the Raikas combined cultivation with pastoralism.
• During the monsoon, the Raikas of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner stayed in their home villages, where pasture was available.
• By October, when these grazing grounds were dry and exhausted, they moved out in search of other pastures and water, and returned again during the next monsoon.
SAQ
6
How did the life of the pastoralists change under the colonial rule?
Answer
Under the colonial rule, the life of pastoralists changed in the following ways:
• Grazing grounds shrank as it was transformed into cultivated farms which meant the decline of pastures.
• Forest Acts enacted, pastoralists were prevented from entering many forests that had earlier provided valuable fodder for their cattle.
• In 1871, the colonial government, in India passed the Criminal Tribes Act by which many pastoral communities were classified as criminal tribes.
• Taxes were imposed on land, canal water, on salt, on trade of goods and even on animals. Pastoralists had to pay tax on every animal they possessed and also the land they used to graze on the pastures.
SAQ
7
How did the Forest Acts change the life of pastoralists?
Answer
• Forest Acts prevented pastoralists from entering many forests that had earlier provided valuable forage for their cattle.
• They were issued permits which monitored their entry into and exit from forests.
• They could not stay in the forests as much as they liked because the permit specified the number of days and hours they could spend in the forests.
SAQ
8
How did grazing lands of Africa turn into use for other activities?
Answer
• Since the late nineteenth century, the British Colonial Government in east Africa encouraged local peasant communities to expand cultivation. As cultivation expanded, pasture lands were turned into cultivated field.
• Large areas of grazing land were also turned into game reserves, like the Maasai. Mara and Samburu National Park in Kenya and Serengeti Park in Tanzania.
• Best grazing lands were gradually taken over for white settlement.
SAQ
9
Describe any three features of the life of African pastoralists.
Answer
• African pastoralist community includes Bedouins, Berbers, Maasai, Somali, Boran and Turkana.
• Most of them live in the semi-arid grasslands or arid deserts where rainfed agriculture is difficult.
• They raise cattle, camels, goats, sheep and donkeys and they sell milk, meat, animal skin and wool.
SAQ
10
Explain any three restrictions imposed on the pastoral groups of Africa.
Answer
• The Maasai and other pastoral groups were forced to live within the confines of special reserves.
• They were not allowed to move out with their stock without special permits.
• The pastoralists were also not allowed to enter the markets in white areas.
• Those found guilty of disobeying the rules were strictly punished.
SAQ
11
How did the policy of the British Colonial Government reverse the position of the Maasai and their agricultural neighbours by the end of colonial rule?
Answer
• The British Colonial Government in East Africa encouraged local peasant communities to expand cultivation.
• Pasture lands were turned into cultivated fields.
• Pastoralists could not enter, hunt animals or graze their herds in these areas.
• By the end of the colonial rule, the situation had reversed.
SAQ
12
In precolonial times, in which two categories was the Maasai society divided? Describe the role of both the categories.
Answer
In pre-colonial period, Maasai society was divided into two social categories, namely, elders and warriors. Role:
• The elders formed the ruling group and met in periodic councils to decide on the affairs of the community and settle disputes.
• The warriors, consisting of young people, were mainly responsible for the protection of the tribe.
SAQ
1
Who are the pastoral nomads? Describe any four features.
Answer
Pastoral nomads are those groups who earn their livelihood by subsistence farming and cattle rearing.
• They move from place to place with their cattle in search of pastures, farming and cattle rearing.
• Their movement is seasonal and is guided by the need of their flock.
• They raise cattle, camels, goats, sheep, etc.
• They sell milk, meat, animal skin and wool.
• Some also earn through trade and transport.
• Others combine pastoral activity with agriculture.
LAQ
2
Explain the cycle of seasonal movement of Gaddi Shepherds of Himachal Pradesh.
Answer
Seasonal movement of Gaddi Shepherds of the Himachal Pradesh:
• They spend their winter in the lower hills of Shiwalik Range, grazing their flocks in scrub forests.
• By April, they moved to north and spent their summer in Lahaul and Spiti.
• When the snow melted and the high passes were cleared, many of them moved onto higher mountain meadows.
• By September, they began their return movement.
• On the way, they stopped once again in the village of Lahaul and Spiti reaping the summer crop and sowing their winter crop.
LAQ
3
Why were the forest lands considered as waste lands? Why did the British want to transform these lands into cultivated farms?
Answer
The forest lands were considered as waste lands because:
• These lands did not yield agricultural product nor any other revenue.
• They considered these lands as unproductive and referred to them as waste lands. Reasons to transform these lands into cultivated farms:
• By expanding cultivated land, the British wanted to increase their revenue.
• For increasing production of commercial crops like jute, cotton, wheat, etc.
• Since uncultivated land appeared to be unproductive and Britishers thought it to be unproductive and as a waste land.
LAQ
4
Describe five main features of the Criminal Tribes Act introduced by the colonial government in India.
Answer
• By this Act, many communities of craftsmen, traders and pastoralists were classified as Criminal Tribes. They were stated to be criminal by nature and birth.
• These communities were expected to live only in notified village settlements.
• They were not allowed to move out without permit.
• The village police kept a continuous watch on them.
• Settled groups were considered peaceful and law abiding.
• Nomads were considered criminals.
• Because of their movement, the nomads could not be identified or controlled.
• Because of their movement, the nomads could not be taxed.
LAQ
5
Why were the British officials suspicious of nomadic people? State any five reasons.
Answer
The British officials were suspicious of nomadic people due to the following reasons:
• They did not like mobile craftsmen and traders who sold their goods in villages.
• The British tried to settle them as they wanted to rule over a settled population which was easy to identify and control.
• They wanted them to be peaceable and law-abiding.
• Britishers passed the Criminal Tribes Act. According to this, many communities of craftsmen, traders and pastoralists were classified as criminal tribes. They were stated to be criminal by nature and birth.
• These communities were expected to live only in notified village settlements. They were not allowed to move out without a permit. Village police kept a continuous watch on them.
LAQ
6
Give reasons to explain why the Maasai community lost their grazing lands.
Answer
The Maasai community lost their grazing lands due to following:
• In the late 19th century, the European imperial powers scrambled for territorial possessions in Africa, which led to slicing up the region into different colonies. In 1885, Maasai land was cut into half with an international boundary between British Kenya and German Tanganyika.
• The best grazing lands were taken over by the white settlers.
• The Maasais were confined into a small area. They were confined to an arid zone with uncertain rainfall and poor pastures.
• Local peasant communities were encouraged by the British Colonial Government to expand cultivation and pasture lands were turned into cultivated fields.
• Large areas of Maasai grazing lands were converted into game reserves and pastoralists were not allowed to enter these reserves.
LAQ
7
Explain any five problems faced by the Maasai community in Africa due to colonialism.
Answer
• The best grazing lands were taken over for the white settlers.
• The Maasais were confined into a small area. They were confined to an arid zone with uncertain rainfall and poor pastures.
• Local peasant communities were encouraged by the British Colonial Government to expand cultivation and pasture lands were turned into cultivated fields.
• Large areas of the Maasai grazing lands were converted into game reserves and pastoralists were not allowed to enter these reserves.
• They were dominated by agriculturists.
LAQ
8
How were the Maasai herders affected by the drawing of an international boundary between British, Kenya and German Tanganyika in 1885?
Answer
• The continuous loss of their grazing lands.
• Maasai land was divided between British Kenya and German Tanganyika.
• The Maasai were confined to an arid zone.
• Pasture lands were turned into cultivated fields.
• Grazing land was turned into like the Maasai Mara and Samburu National Park in Kenya and Serengeti Park in Tanzania.
• Pastoralists were not allowed to enter these reserves for hunting or grazing.
• Grazing within a small area meant deterioration of the quality of pastures and malnutrition and death of herds.
• They were not allowed to move out from the reserves with their stock without special permits.
LAQ
9
How did drought affect the pastoral life in Africa during the colonial period?
Answer
• Due to dry pastures, cattle starved because there was lack of forage.
• Pastoralists had to migrate to far away areas.
• During the colonial period, the Maasai were forced to live within a reserve and hence lacked pastures.
• Loss of human lives and cattle due to starvation and diseases. As the area of grazing lands shrank, the adverse effect of the drought increased rapidly.
• There was a steady decline of the animal stock of the pastoralists.
LAQ
10
How were the chiefs of Maasai community appointed by the colonial government benefitted?
Answer
• The traditional authority of both elders and warriors was adversely affected.
• The chiefs appointed by the colonial government collected wealth and bought animals, goods and land.
• The chiefs started lending money to the poor neighbours who needed it to pay taxes.
• They became traders and started living in towns.
• Their families lived in villages and took care of herds. The chiefs had pastoral and non-pastoral incomes.
LAQ
1
“In Maasai land, as elsewhere in Africa, not all pastoralists were equally affected by the changes in the colonial period.” Justify the statement.
Answer
“In Maasai land, as elsewhere in Africa, not all pastoralists were equally affected by the changes in the colonial period.”
• In precolonial time, the Maasai society was divided into two social categories, namely, elders and warriors.
• The elders formed the ruling group and met in periodic councils to decide on the affairs of the community and settle disputes.
• The warriors consisted of younger people who were mainly responsible for the protection of the tribe. They defended the community and organised cattle raids. It is through raids that the power of different pastoral groups were arrested.
VBQ