ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF A NICOBARESE SUDHENDU CHANDA* VILLAGE: IN CHOWRA ISLAND

INTRODUCTION space occupied by the Nicobar is 164 miles, In the Nicobar group of islands, num­ while the extreme width is 40 miles, hav­ bering 22, Chowra is situated towards the ing a total area of 643 square miles. The extreme north — 40 miles south of Car most fascinating island in the Nicobar Nicobar and 41 miles north of Terassar. group is Chowra — the native, "Thatat", The distance between the northernmost is a small island with an area of 2.80 island of Car Nicobar and southern tip square miles but with a maximum density of the southernmost island — Great Nico­ of population. It is in the Tashil Nan- bar is about 160 miles. Chowra is 190 cowri and is under the jurisdiction of the miles from Port Blair. The entire Nicobar Police station, Nancowri. group of islands is situated in the South- Chowra is a thickly inhabited island East portion of the Bay of Bengal between compared to other islands of the Nicobar the 6 and 10 degrees North Latitude and group. There has been a steady growth of between the 92nd and 94th degree east population since 1883, as may be seen longitude. The extreme length of the sea- from the following table:

(+) : Increase. (—) : Decrease. (Population figures compiled from Census Reports) The distribution of population is not lages with the figures of population shown, uniform all over the island, even though according to the 1961 census reports of there is an appreciable pressure on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands: land. Towards the inner areas and western portion of the island village settlements are comparatively thin and mostly un­ inhabited, the central, northern and western regions being mostly covered with woods and hills. As a rule, the settlement areas are confined to the eastern coastal belt of the island. There are altogether 10 villages in the * The village Kuitasuk forms the subject of the island, of which five are inhabited and the present survey the writer visited during his stay in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This village may remaining five are still uninhabited. The be said to be a ring of huts with an open space in following is the list of the names of vil­ the centre spotlessly clean and covered with sand. *Mr. Chanda of 723/3, Ashoka Nagar, 24 Paraganas (W.B.) collected the material during his field work in the Chowra Island during 1968 and 1969. 26 SUDHENDU CHANDA

THE VILLAGE carved out on the sides at specified places In the village Kuitasuk, right on the as foot-holds generally serves the purpose sandy sea-shore there are a few commu­ of a ladder. nity houses. The most important of these The Kuitasuk has 57 families as against is the clean community house or elpanam, 46 of 1961 census consisting of 294 persons which is a large, well-constructed bee-hive as against 220 of 1961 census and are dis­ type of house and is maintained by the tributed in one community. The average whole village and used as a guest house size of a household for the village as a as well as for the community functions, whole works out to 5.1 persons per family. such as the village feast and seasonal festivals. There are also few unclean com­ In order to give an idea about the munity houses which are called 'birth and quantum of the labour force and also death' houses situated not very far away about the composition of the people be­ from the main huts. These common un­ longing to the productive and non-produc­ clean community houses are also main­ tive age-groups — a study of the distribu­ tained by the villagers as a whole. The tion of population by age-groups — a study village has various sections, each having of the distribution of population by age- small groups of huts. In this village as in group and sex is given below: other villages, there are three Kivi-Panam or the headmen in whom the leadership of the village is vested. For the community as a whole, there is one chief headman or the Kaviyo-takaru. There are altogether fifteen headmen in the island. The first headman of a village is responsible for the maintenance of law and order within the village and guides all collective work undertaken by the villagers. Above all, the chief is the supreme arbiter and judge of It is seen from the table 1 that in the the community. age-group of 0.14 the males constitute (54) 18.4% and females (48) 16.3% of the total In the village the slope of the beach is population. Males and females taken rather sharp with the result that right up to the water's edge huge waves beat against together constitute 34.7 per cent of the the shore. This village may be said to be total population. Similarly, in the age a ring of huts with an open space in the group 15-59 the males constitute (96) centre, spotlessly clean and covered with 32.7 per cent of the total population and sand. Separated from the beach by the the females constitute (81) 27.6 per cent. coconut trees is the main village in which Further, total persons in this age group dome-shaped or bee-hive types of houses form 60.3 per cent of the total population stand round a large open space in good while in the age group 60 and above form position to each other. The huts are prac­ 5.0 per cent of the total population. tically devoid of any material possessions About 60.3% of the population belong­ but full of wooden statues. A piece of wood ing to the age group 15-19 constitutes in ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF A NICOBARESE VILLAGE : IN CHOWRA ISLAND 27 general the potential labour force of the able on this island but has to be brought village and may be termed as the econo­ from a nearby island of Teressa. For how mically active class. If 34.7 per cent (in­ long this law has been in operation it is fants and children) and 5.9 per cent (old) not possible to say, its origin is lost during of the population are summed up, one the passage of time, but it is proved by gets an idea of the economically depen­ the fact that the supply of clay on the dent class which constitutes 39.7 per cent. island was exhausted years ago, probably A great proportion of population belong­ as said by the people 'that the clay was ing to the economically inactive or depen­ of very poor quality and brittle and not dent class is an indicator of the great so good as Teressa's clay'. burden on the economically active class, In his census report for 1931, Bonning- so far as the question of maintenance of ton reports that prior to making pots the the dependent class is concerned. Chowra women sprinkled themselves with II. ECONOMY OF THE ISLAND pig's or chicken's blood in order to pre­ The island of Chowra occupies a vent the pots from cracking and wore peculiar position in the economy of the collars made of young banana leaves. This Nicobars. It is a small island with a com­ practice is no longer in vogue as they paratively dense population and produces realise that the demand for pigs and only enough coconuts for its own con­ chickens is so great that women folk are sumption, in consequence there is no seen preparing pots without undergoing trade, but circumstances have made it such formalities. The potters' wheel has necessary for the people of Chowra to not yet been introduced in Chowra and obtain in some other way the trade articles the pots are handmade, the process adopt­ which the inhabitants of other islands get ed being that of coiling. Starting from the in exchange for coconuts and pigs. base long pencils of clay, some 10 feet in length are coiled one on top of the other By some means, which cannot be traced until the size required is made. The soft now, the people of Chowra have gained clay is shaved into a pot with hands only a moral ascendency over the people of and its inner and outer surfaces are other Nicobar islands who look upon smoothened with fingers. A woman makes Chowra as the abode of evil spirits and three to four small pots in a day believe that the people of Chowra have a while big size pots require even two peculiar power of influencing the said days. Before the pots are fired, they are devils. To the other Nicobarese, Chowra left in the shed under the hut for three is considered to be the home of magic and to four days to harden so that any crack witchcraft in the Nicobar groups of or defect therein could be discovered. islands, and it is mainly due to the belief Thereafter the pot is ready for firing. In and fear of offending the evil spirits con­ this process the pot is kept in an inverted trolled by the Chowra islanders that the position resting on stones or broken pieces making of earthen pots is tabooed on the of pot so as not to touch the ground. A other islands and it has remained a mono­ circular ring is kept on the top of the pot, poly of Chowra in spite of the fact that which is also made of clay and which has the clay required for the pots is not avail­ several notches on the periphery. Sticks of 28 SUDHENDU CHANDA fuel-woods are kept all round the pot rest­ months before they were given a tree. The ing against these notches so that they do making of the canoe itself by hollowing not touch the pot itself. After firing, black process by smouldering took about a stripes of about one to two inches in width month and so it was ten persons' labour are painted on it. The paint consists of for about three months that was needed resin extracted from the husks of the for the manufacture of a canoe. This is coconut boiled over a fire. Each pot can one reason for the high price for their be identified, as its maker leaves her canoes. special mark on the outside, just below The villagers from Car Nicobar and the rim. some central groups of islands are the As the making of earthen pots is taboo main purchasers of these canoes and the on other islands and probably women inherent fear of the Chowra people is the were the first to discover the art of pot­ main reason why they pay heavily for tery, and as it was considered to be the these canoes. The canoes are always made home of magic and witchcraft, every to order and its price is fixed only on islanders, except Chowra, were as the delivery. The price is never paid in cash spirits have devoted — believe in cooking and the purchaser invariably pays what­ certain kinds of food in these earthen pots ever goods may be asked for by the canoe- of Chowra and in fact, they are forced to makers in return. This may include vari­ make long voyages to Chowra in their ous articles like cloth, tobacco, coconuts, canoes (made of Chowra) to purchase knives, axes, different types of daos, pigs, their annual supply of these pots for etc. It is believed in Car Nicobar that the which the purchasers invariably pay what­ canoe will not prove to be auspicious ever goods may be asked for by the pot- unless it is prepared and placed at the makers in return. Chowra Island and the purchaser pays to the maker an annual tribute as long as the In addition the pot trade, the Island of canoe is in use. The Chowra men visit Chowra has acquired the monopoly of the Car Nicobar annually with their pots and sale of the large canoes to other islanders. customarily they stay with the persons who The Chowra men are extremely good in may have purchased canoes from them making dug-out canoes but since no suit­ and get from them cloth, pigs, coconuts, able timber for making canoes is available rice and other requirements. on the island, they have to go to other southern or central groups of islands and Just as making of canoe is the work of work for getting the timber. The process the males, the making of pots is done by of getting timber is such that a group-of females. Pots are prepared by women folk men may go to Katchal Island or any in almost every household. other island and work there for a couple of months or more and in return they The economy of the villages is agricul­ may be given a tree from which they tural, e.g. plantation and cultivation and could make a canoe. When asked how the household industry. The people depend chief captain of the Island had obtained upon the produce of their plantation, as the wood for a canoe which he prepared, well as their live-stock, fishing, and, above he said that ten men had to work for two all, by selling canoes and earthen pots. ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF A NICOBARESE VILLAGE : IN CHOWRA ISLAND 29

Moreover, in their day to day life, the vegetarian food, but as its availability is people are dependent on the countries of limited, they do not have it in all meals. the forest. The income from fishing and They are fond of all types of stimulants. forestry constitutes a second source of in­ Almost all of them chew betel and betel . come, while the plantation and selling of leaves which are grown in the jungle as canoes and pots are the first source of well as in plantations. Lime is produced income of the people. The producers by burning coral stone found on the themselves are mainly the consumers of beach. Both men and women are very their wealth. But mutual help and co­ fond of smoking. Normally they make operation with others in the village are their own bidis which are called 'Ki-loyan'. always sought to ensure maximum pro­ The most popular intoxicating drink is duction which helps to stabilise the toddy, which is tapped out of the inflore­ economy. scence of coconut tree. Women also drink It is therefore, very difficult to give an toddy but not so much as men. idea of the income of the people because The requirements of clothing is only the articles required by the people are scanty. The dress of the males in Chowra produced by them in their own plantation is a loin cloth of very diminutive dimen­ or got from forest area and there is no sion called kisat which is tied on the correct equation of the value of these waist with one end hanging behind loose articles in terms of money. The income of in a manner resembling a tail. Women the villagers through the exchange of wear the Burmese type of dress of bright their industries products to the others colours. The upper garment is a tight islanders, is also not a correct indica­ blouse and the lower a loongi like tion of their total income. The expendi­ "sarong". Usually a piece of cloth is tied ture of the people may also be said to be on the waist over the loongi to keep it in equal to their income. The villagers have position. At present men are also seen absolutely no saving habit and in fact wearing beach-shorts. Usually, men do not they do not like to take any form of loan wear any upper garments in the village. at any cost and so there is no indebtedness While doing day to day work in the vil­ among them. lage women do not wear any upper The Nicobarese believe in the mixim garments and it is normal for them to 'eat, drink and be merry'. The main items appear in this condition before the of expenditure are food, drinks and cloth­ Nicobarese now. Small children usually ing. On special occasions like festivals remain naked. Both men and women wear and rituals, it is again the expenditure on traditional caps on festive and important these items that increases in many folds. occasions. These caps are made of straw They are not very particular about food, and coloured cloth. The caps of men are though coconuts, pandamus, yams, raw flat at the top with two ends protruding banana and papaya may be said to be the like the ears of a dog while the cap of chief vegetarian diet of the people and women has a flat round edge and two long fish, mutton, pork and fowl the non- stems on either side on the top rising vegetarian diet. They prefer to have non- straight upwards. 30 SUDHENDU CHANDA

III. OCCUPATIONAL STRUCTURE in raising plantation and cultivation and The basic occupation of the Nicobarese household industry is 98.2 per cent while of Chowra may be said to be raising plan­ out of these 57 families, 50 families or tations of coconuts, yams, other fruits and 87.7 per cent are also engaged in fishing vegetables, making of canoes and pots and live-stock as subsidiary economic acti­ which form the main industry of the vities and 10.5 per cent of families are islanders and to look after livestock as engaged in raising, fishing and live-stock well as fishing. Besides these, they do and industry. household work, such drawing water, col­ According to the industrial classification lecting coconuts and other products of the of 1961 Census the total population of the forests and firewood, for consumption as village has been classified into workers and well as for daily use in their homes, non-workers as 138 and 82 respectively out repairing of canoes and houses, making of of 220 total population. toddy, etc. Female folks also play a signi­ A worker is defined as a person engaged ficant role in the economic activities of the in some economic activity. A non-worker, family in making earthen pots. Their activities are many, such as, rearing plan­ on the other hand, is not engaged in any tations, bringing produce from planta­ productive economic activity. tions, collecting firewood, drawing water The detailed numbers of workers and from wells, cooking, washing clothes, non-workers of the village may be repre­ cleaning house and looking after the sented in the following table, based on the children. Thus, on the whole, the village data collected by the writer : women work more than the men. Children Table 3 shows that more than half too start helping their parents in different of the working force of the village belongs easy types of work from an early age. to age-groups 15-34 while nearly half of Table 2 has been prepared on the basis the total workers of the total population of the main activities of the head or of belongs to age-group 15-59. But the most the principal earning member of the significant feature of this table is that two family. Out of fifty-seven families, only age-groups of 0-14 (Children) and 60 + one family is not engaged in any econo­ above (old aged persons) which do not mic activity but living with other families ordinarily comprise the labour force, con­ and help them in their work. Leaving tribute to one-fifth (nearly) of the total aside this one family, 56 families are taken number of workers in the village. Industry together, the total number of families and plantation as well as livestock and engaged in raising plantation and cultiva­ fishing play a rather subservient role in tion the total number of families engaged the village economy. Human labour is

TABLE 2

Nos. OF FAMILIES ENGAGED IN ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF A NICOBARESE VILLAGE : IN CHOWRA ISLAND 31

TABLE 3

the primary resource of the village, so great difficulties were encountered because much as that even the children and the most of the workers of the village were old men are called upon to contribute engaged in several economic activities. their resources till the last days of their However, here in preparing the table the lives. Of the total population 57.1 per cent basic industry and plantation and culti­ are workers and the remaining 42.9 per vation as well as fishing are considered as cent are non-workers. As regards the non- main occupational pattern can serve the workers, it is found that 23.1 per cent of purpose of specifying their main or pri­ them belong to age-group 0-14. So far as mary occupation. In most cases, it is found the participation of women folk in the that for about seven months in a year working force is concerned 27.2 per cent they are engaged in cultivation and in­ of the total females are workers. It is also dustry and for the remaining five months significant that 21.4 per cent of the women they are engaged in forestry, hunting, fish­ folk above 14 years of age are workers. ing and live-stock. Raising 168 workers of the village are distributed on the basis of Occupational structure of a person indi­ the age-group. cates activity in which the person is en­ gaged for most part of the year. But it Table 4 shows that 168 workers out of should be pointed out here in the begin­ which 44 or 26.2 per cent of the total work­ ning that in classifying 168 workers of the ing force are engaged in plantation and village according to specific occupation, cultivation and the remaining 73.8 per

TABLE 4 32 SUDHENDU CHANDA cent in non-agricultural occupations. The The persons who are classed as non- table also shows that industry constitutes workers may be grouped in two sub­ the largest (55.4%) single group of work­ categories : ers, followed by the workers engaged in (i) Where persons engaged only in plantation and cultivation, which account household industry or in any for more than half of the total working- household work, or do very minor force. But this table of occupational struc­ duties; (ii) and the persons which include de­ ture has the obvious limitation, inasmuch pendants, infants, children not as the occupations of the 26.2 per cent attending school, and persons dis­ of plantation and cultivation and 18.4 per abled. Non-workers classified by cent of fishing and live-stock have a com­ sex, age-groups and the nature of posite occupational structure consisting of activity may be represented in industrial occupation. Table 5.

TABLE 5

Table 5 shows that 27.5 per cent of total TABLE 6 non-working persons are engaged in minor activities, such as household work while the remaining 72.5 per cent are doing noth­ ing. It is also seen that in the age-group 0-14 only 12.7 per cent do some work, while, the remaining 41.3 per cent are completely dependents. Labour force is defined to include all the persons in the working age-group of 15- 59, the working force, on the other hand, comprises all persons who are actually en­ gaged in some economic activity. Distri­ The ratio is that the working force bears bution of population on the basis of to the labour force exceeds unity. This working force and labour force may be apparent contradiction is not an unusual seen from the Table 6, feature of a tribal village, where even ECONOMIC STRUCTURE OF A NICOBARESE VILLAGE : IN CHOWRA ISLAND 33 children and old folk, who do not come primitive mode of cultivation. The pig is in the working age-group of 15-59, are to the most precious wealth after plantation contribute their labour for livelihood. The and industry by a Nicobarese family. In table also shows that women folk partici­ the village or even in the island of pate in the economic activity almost to the Chowra, there is no satisfactory solution same extent as the men folk. of the water problem. So far as the preju­ SUMMING UP dices of the people and the influence of witch-doctors remain as insurmountable The economy of this Chowra village is based on plantation, industry and fishing. barriers to construct a water reservoir, the People depend upon the produce of their shortage of drinking water in the 'island plantation and industry. Forest products remains as acute as before. also play an important role in their econo­ The Nicobarese of Chowra are the least mic life. At present the villagers got more interested in the affairs of the greater material prosperity and eat, dress and live world. They are not so responsive to the much better than before as business by the strong, magnetic attractions of the colours outside traders was controlled by the of modern civilization notwithstanding Government to some extent. With the the advancement of thinking, upliftment availability of medical facilities, they enjoy of education, betterment of communica­ better health. The nature of their subsis­ tion. Rather certain inner sentiments and tence economy cannot meet all their re­ social bond and harmonious relations with quirements. Besides the contact with the modern world in some respect has brought each other still pull them towards the to them some new needs, such as smoking traditional ways of life. of cigarettes, drinking of tea and wearing Although the Nicobarese might retain of good clothes. There is no unemploy­ their present simple way of life and basic ment problem among them as there is no outlook and their demand for material dearth of work. As a matter of fact, most goods may not go up as much as the the villagers are self-employed on their people of other sophisticated societies, own land. nevertheless, due to the greater outside In spite of hard labour the people are contacts in near future in course of time, not able to get good yields. The main the demand for material goods is bound reasons are lack of irrigation and their to rise.