Question

It’s difficult to trace the history of tribal societies of the medieval period?
Pls answer this question

Answer 1

Tribes, Clans and Societies

• The rules of the Varna System were divised by the Brahmanas and mostly they were accepted and followed by all classes of the societies. But there were many societies of the subcontinent that did not follow these rules and were not divided in unequal classes. These societies came to be know as Tribes (a social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities linked by social, economic, religious or blood ties, with a common culture, they also have a recognized leader).

Major Occupations and Lifestyles

• The tribes were mostly indulged in agriculture and hunter-gathering for meeting their economic and food or health needs.
• Different tribes had different lifestyles. Like some tribes were nomadic in nature which moved over long distances with their animals survived on pastoral products and bought and sold different goods on their way. For example, the Banjaras (a nomadic tribe originally from Rajasthan) were the most important trade nomads as the Mughals used them to transport grains.
• There also were castes of entertainers who performed in different towns and villages for their livelihood.
• The others were settled communities. Tribes retained their freedom and preserved their separate culture, different than that of the caste based societies, by living in forests, hills, deserts and places that are difficult to reach.
• Inspite of all these differences and clashes, the caste-based and the tribal societies depended on each other for various needs. Thus due to such relationship of conflict and dependence, both the societies changed.

Culture and Habitat of Different Tribes

• The tribals passed on their culture to the next generations through the oral tradition as they did not have any written records. Different tribes ruled different regions at various points of time in history such as the Khokhar tribe, which was very influential during the 13th and the 14th centuries. Later, the Gakkhars became more important.
• The Langahs and Arghuns were found mostly in Multan and Sind. The Balochis were found in the North Western part of the Indian subcontinent in the region named Balochistan near the Iranian plateau and tibes are divided further into smaller clans.
• The Gaddis were found in the western Himalayan region. Nagas, Ahoms and many other tribes were found in the distant north-eastern part of the subcontinent.
• Chero chiefdoms had emerged by the 12th century in the areas near present-day Bihar and Jharkhand, which were defeated in 1591 by Raja Man Singh, a general of Akbar's army but were not entirely subdued. During the reign of Aurangzeb, the Cheros were subjugated and their fortresses were captured.
• The Mundas and Santals were found in regions of present-day Bihar, Orissa and Bengal.
• The Kolis were found in areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat. Maharashtra and Karnataka were also home to the Berads. Further in the south, we find the tribal habitation of the Koragas, Vetars, Maravars and many others.
• Bhils were found across central and western India. The Gonds were found across the present-day states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

hope it helps you...

Answer 2

Explanation:

it is difficult to trace the history of trible societies as we have very little information about the Trinidad they did not keep any written records and their customs were passed through Oral traditions