Impacts of Urbanization and Development Activities on Sustainable Development and Resource Management of the Majhi People of Nepal
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Centre for Sami Studies Faculty of Humanities, Social Science and Education Impacts of Urbanization and Development Activities on Sustainable Development and Resource Management of the Majhi People of Nepal Jagadish Acharya Master of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies May 2018 Impacts of Urbanization and Development Activities on Sustainable Development and Resource Management of the Majhi People of Nepal Thesis Submitted by Jagadish Acharya Master of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies Center for Sami Studies Faculty of Humanities, Social Science and Education UiT The Arctic University of Norway May 2018 Thesis Supervisor Professor Torjer Andreas Olsen i ii Abstract This study deals with how the Majhi people who are dependent on rivers for livelihood are affected by the rapid growth of urbanization and development activities. Due to the urbanization and development activities, they not only lost their traditional occupations like boating and fishing in the rivers but also are forced to be displaced from the traditional territory. The thesis is based on qualitative field research conducted in Dolalghat, an emerging city of Kavrepalchwok district of Nepal in 2016. Overall, it talks about their traditional occupation like boating and fishing which was their way of resource management. Moreover, it presents the ecological, social and cultural impacts on Majhi community, their present livelihood strategies, the attitude of young generation towards traditional occupation and finally about the expectation and aspiration of the Majhi people. The findings show that instead of being benefited by the so-called indicators of prosperity; urbanization and development activities, the Majhi peoples’ life is becoming economically harder day by day. Before the urbanization and development took place in their native area, they had subsistence livelihood strategies. They did not have hand to mouth problem. They could easily survive utilizing the local natural resources. But along with the growth of urbanization and development activities, they lost their traditional occupation for livelihood and their native territory and natural resources are also intervened by the outsiders. The Majhi people are still in a transitional stage of adopting new strategies for livelihood. They neither have a good education and economic background nor have some new skills. Keywords: Majhi people, traditional occupation, urbanization, development activities, sustainability, traditional ecological knowledge, resource management iii iv Acknowledgment I am highly indebted to all the people who have directly or indirectly contributed to bringing this work in a complete form. The most valuable contributors to this work are the Majhi peoples who shared their views, knowledge, and experience with open heartedly. My special thanks go to Dan Bahadur Majhi, Govinda Lal Majhi, Basanta Majhi and Pemba Bhote for their overall information about the Majhi people and the indigenous movement of Nepal. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Professor Torjer Olsen for his guidance, encouragement and constructive advice throughout this research. I owe gratitude to the staffs of Centre for Sami Studies for their overall help and support during my study. I would like to acknowledge all the members of MIS 2015 for your cooperation, support and constructive suggestions and feedback during class discussion. Finally, I am indebted to my parents, family members, relatives and friends for their motivation to complete this work. My special thanks go to my better half Saru Subedi who supports and encourages me in my all ups and downs. The smile and babbling of my little cute daughter Aarya Acharya always motivated me to complete the project. Jagadish Acharya Tromso, Norway May 2018 v vi Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgment ............................................................................................................................... v Chapter 1: Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Focus of the Study ................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Background of the Study ...................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Statement of the Problem ...................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Research Questions ............................................................................................................... 5 1.5 The Significance of the Study ............................................................................................... 5 1.6 Delimitation of the Study ...................................................................................................... 6 1.7 Structure of the Thesis .......................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2: Historical, Social and Cultural Background of the Majhi People .................................... 7 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Origin and History ................................................................................................................ 7 2.3 Language and Population ...................................................................................................... 8 2.3.1 Majhi or Bote? ................................................................................................................... 8 2.4 Cultural Practice and Tradition ............................................................................................. 9 2.4.1 Religion ............................................................................................................................. 9 2.4.2 Worshipping ...................................................................................................................... 9 2.4.3 Festivals ........................................................................................................................... 10 2.5 Life Passage, Rites and Rituals ........................................................................................... 10 2.5.1 Birth Ceremony ............................................................................................................... 10 2.5.2 Naming ............................................................................................................................ 11 2.5.3 Rice feeding ..................................................................................................................... 11 2.4.4 Chhewar (Hair Cutting) ................................................................................................... 11 vii 2.4.5 Marriage........................................................................................................................... 11 2.5 Social Structure ................................................................................................................... 13 2.5.1 Majhesaba ........................................................................................................................ 13 2.5.2 Customs and Customary Laws ........................................................................................ 15 Chapter 3: Methodological Approach .............................................................................................. 16 3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 16 3.2 Study Area .......................................................................................................................... 16 3.3 Gaining Access to Informants ............................................................................................. 17 3.4 Selection of Informants ....................................................................................................... 18 3.5 Data Source and Method of Data Collection ...................................................................... 19 3.5.1 Interview .......................................................................................................................... 19 3.5.2 Focus Group Discussion .................................................................................................. 20 3.5.3 Observation ...................................................................................................................... 21 3.5.4 Document Review ........................................................................................................... 21 3.6 Field Experience ................................................................................................................. 22 3.7 Ethics and Reflectivity ........................................................................................................ 23 Chapter 4: Conceptual Framework .................................................................................................. 25 4.1 Sustainability and Sustainable Development ...................................................................... 25 4.2 Indigenous Knowledge as Traditional Ecological Knowledge ..........................................