Kisan Tribe - Economy

Economy

The economy or Kisan presents a picture of collection of forest produce, agriculture, and domestication of animal, craft making and casual labour. The kisan villages are siruated nearby the forest. Therefore, collection of forest produce is still practiced by them not only for the purpose of consumption but, also for the purpose of getting money by selling them in market. They do the collection root, shoot, leave, flowers, fruits, seeds, mushrooms etc. in the forest different seasons. They are well aware which type of forest produce will be available in which season and in which part of the forest.

Previously, they used to hunt forest animals and birds. But now the practice of hunting has been banned completely. They are now dependent upon turtle, fish, rat and rabit etc. which are available in ponds or nearly it.

The kisan domesticate oxen, calves, buffaloes, goat, pigs, ducks, chicks etc. for raising the family income. They do agriculture with the help of cow, ox, and buffalo. They keep calves to get money by selling them in market. They eat meat of goat, pigs, cock, hen, cock etc. They also make sacrifice of goat, cock, hen, duck etc. offer worship and organize community feast.

The Kisan possess some pieces of agricultural land which their forefathers had cleared for shirting cultivation. But now they cultivate those lands regularly. The land is possessed at family level. Nearly all Kisan families possess homestead land, Bari land and cultivable land. But few families have only homestead land and bari land. Their main means of livelihood is their labour which they sell on wages. They quality of land owned by the Kisan is not good. There is no assured means of irrigation. Cultivation depends upon rain fall. If rain fall is good, it brings good harvest. But if it is not good, starvation takes place.

The Kisan cultivate marua, kurathi, and coarse variety of paddy in their field. They have some Don lands in which good variety of paddy is cultivated. Rabi crops are not cultivated because they do not have assured means of irrigation. Garma crops are also not cultivated. In the Bari land, vegetables are cultivated during rainy seasons.

After harvesting and thrashing, the new grains are cooked and offered to Gods, Goddesses, ancestors and the community members. From agriculture, they are able to feed themselves only for 2 or 3 months. Rest months, they are dependent upon the collection of forest produce and wage earning as casual labour.

Now days, the major means of livelihood for the Kisan is working as casual labour and getting wages. They approach the land owners, mahajan, contractors, etc. to get work of Reja-Coolie. As Reja-Coolie they sell their labour on payment of wages. They consider themselves lucky when they get work regularly because in absence of work, they have to remain unemployed. They have also to migrate temporarily for getting work and wages.

The Kisan also prepare baskets, brooms, mates, ropes, etc. from the forest chops and grasses for household use, store and carrying as head load.