Samipya 1992 Vol 09 Ank 01 02

Author(s): Pravinchandra C Parikh, Bhartiben Shelat
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 56

Vagharis of Gujarat : An Ancient Tribe (Facing Crucial Change and Anti-Historical Process)
J. M. Malkan*
Introduction
Human race was saved from extinction by the ancestors of Vagharis during the neolithic village culture based on agriculture and hunting. But now Vagharis themselves need to be saved from further deterioration and extinction. They need to liberate themselves from age-old customs and beliefs heading towards darkness, ignorance which are coming in the way of their development. But they are not in position to abandon their customs. Their grip over the entire community is so tight that any effort made to dislodge it, is fanatically opposed. Here an attempt has been made to highlight the factors responsible for deteriorating the Vagharis and how they are facing crucial change and undergoing an anti-historical process. Hunters and Gatherers
In the past, this term was applied only to those people who lived entirely on hunting and food gathering from forests.
The overwhelming part of cultured man's existence has been spent in hunting and gathering for over 20,00,000 years. That is why the men's 'natural biological and psychological make-up is found more readily in foraging society than in agricultural or industrialised one. 1
In 10,000 B. C. the world's population consisted solely of hunters, gatherers and fishermen. By A.D. 250, with spread of pasturalism and agriculture, this total came down to one percent, of the population. By A.D. 1900, it was a mere 0.001 per cent. To-day hunters-gatherers include small, scattered groups in the Philippines, Malasia and India, the Pygmies, bush men and Hadza of Africa and in traditional life-style, the aboriginal inhabitants of Australia and Northern-North America. Full time hunting and gathering is dying out. Of course, few groups are still found eng. aged in part-time hunting and gathering.
The whole community was divided into three classes of which the hunters lived on hunting, another on tending cattle, and the third on agricuiture. The hunters depended chiefly on meat.2
Retired as Joint-Director, Social Welfare; Ex-Secretary, Socially and Educationally Backward Class Commission (Third), officiated for one year; Ex. Secretary-Gujarat Minorities Board, Govt. of Gujarat (for Six years)
Vagharis of Gujarat : An Ancient Tribe ]