Ethno-archaeological Notes on Hunter-gatherer Munda People in Tropical Rainforests of North-eastern Bangladesh

Öz

The hunter-gatherer groups represent the oldest and perhaps most successful human adaptation on this planet. Until 12,000 years ago, before the starting of cultivation system in the Fertile Crescent, virtually all humanity lived as hunters and gatherers. Therefore, investigations on present day hunter-gatherer societies may hold the key to some of the central questions about humans’life in nature before urbanization. Moreover, they may hold information about the processes which shifted people from their natural habitat. The Munda people of Palkichara village are still observed to be unique with their ancestral way of life despite of being socio-economically controlled by the local tea estate. Hunting and gathering are the two main ways of subsistence which reflect in their every aspects of family, social and cultural practices. Therefore, being completely attached with nature and almost untouched by rest of the world, the Munda people of Palkichara village may provide some pictures of prehistoric hunter gatherer societies. This study is aimed to focus on some significant aspects of the traditional hunting-gathering methods and techniques as well as the questions on how and why the primitive way of life is still active in Munda tribal people of Palkichara village.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Munda,Palkichara,Hunter gatherer,Prehistoric subsistence

Kuzeydoğu Bangladeş'in Tropikal Yağmur Ormanlarında Yaşayan Avcı-Toplayıcı Munda Topluluğu Üzerine EtnoArkeolojik Notlar

Öz

Avcı-toplayıcı gruplar bu evrendeki en eski ve muhtemelen en başarılı insan uyumunu örneklendirmektedir. 12.000 yıl öncesine kadar, toprak ekim sistemine geçilinceye kadar, tüm insanlık avcı-toplayıcı olarak yaşamıştır. Dolayısıyla günümüz avcı-toplayıcı toplumları üzerine yapılan araştırmalar insan yaşamının şehirleşmeden önceki hayatına dair temel sorulara ışık tutabilir. Dahası, insanları doğal yaşam alanlarından çeviren süreçler hakkında da bilgi içerebilir. Palkichara köyündeki Munda topluluğu, sosyoekonomik olarak kontrol edilen yerel çay üretimine rağmen atalarının takip ettiği yaşam tarzı açısından benzersiz olarak görülmektedir. Avcılık ve toplayıcılık, aile, toplum ve kültürel hayatlarına yansıması olan iki temel yaşam kaynağıdır. Dolayısıyla, doğayla tam bir ilişki içinde ve dünyanın kalan kısmıyla bağı zayıf olan Palkichara köyündeki Munda topluluğu tarih öncesi avcı-toplayıcı topluluklar hakkında bazı görüntüler sunabilir. Bu çalışma, Palkichara köyündeki Munda kabilesi insanlarının ilkel yaşamı neden ve nasıl devam ettirdiği gibi soruları ve geleneksel avcı-toplayıcı yöntem ve tekniklerin çeşitli boyutlarını incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Munda,Palkiçara,Avcı-toplayıcı,Tarih öncesi yaşam

Kaynakça

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