Table Of ContentFOREST TRADERS
LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS MONOGRAPHS ON SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY
Managing Editor: Charles Stafford
The Monographs on Social Anthropology were
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and Political Science.
FOREST TRADERS
A SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDY OF THE
HILL PANDARAM
BRIAN MORRIS
LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS MONOGRAPHS ON SOCIAL.ANTHROPOLOGY
Volume 55
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LONDON AND NEW YORK
First published 2004 by Berg Publishers
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© Brian Morris 2004
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Preface
The present study is a shortened version ofmy doctoral thesis
presented to the University of London. For the help and
support I received with regard to this study I am indebted to
a large number ofpeople, and I would like to acknowledge:
First, my parents, and those who befriended me and
encouraged me in my earlier studies - Wilf Sheldon, L. W.
Bennett, the late Terry Taylor, Colin Rae, the late- Arthur
Westrop, Colin Lees, Harold Mckay, Francis and Annabelle
Shaxson, Peter Hanney, Meg and Ted Ayres and George and
Helen Welsh.
Then, those agencies who have supported my research.
I would particularly like to thank the Social Science Research
Council and the Homiman Trust for providing me with the
research grants that enabled me to make this study ofthe Hill
Pandaram. Without their sympathetic support it could never
have been undertaken.
I must thank most sincerely the Kerala Forest Department
for offering me every help and encouragement. Indeed with-
out their support my studies among the Hill Pandaram
would have been infinitely more difficult and arduous. I am
particularly grateful to P. T. Devassy, the Chief Conservator
ofForests, for providing me with letters ofintroduction, and
to K. Sadasivan Pillai ofthe Kallar Plantation Division, who
not only helped in providing accommodation for my family
in Achencoil but supported my endeavours in every way
throughout my stay in Kerala. Members of the Forest
Department of all ranks gave me unfailing support, pro-
viding me with temporary accommodation, transport, sus-
tenance and guidance - often in what to me were trying and
difficult circumstances.
People in Kerala, too numerous to mention by name, who
helped to make my year in India such an enjoyable one. I am
particularly grateful to the people of Achencoil. A letter of
introduction to welfare officials kindly given me by the
PREFACE
Director ofHarijan Welfare, P. Bharathan, opened the way to
valuable discussions with the Taluk Welfare Inspector,
Shahul Ahmeed. The staff ofthe Colony School at Achencoil
were always most helpful to me. In particular I rnust express
my thanks to A. Doriappa, A B. Swam~ T. K. Ramachan-
dran Nair and his family, N. Gopalapilla~ M. Neelakantan
Iyer, V. Ramamurthy, M. Melavajakom, K. C. Philip,
V. Kunyamma, 0. Thomas, V. Gopalan and N. Rama-
chandran.
I should like to express my appreciation ofthe many tutors
from whom I have drawn theoretical stimulation during the
past few years, particularly Tony Atcherly, Jean La Fontaine,
loan Lewis, Maurice Bloch and John Raynor. I must also
thank my friends Shirley Darlington, David Parkin, Connie
Gore, David Brown, Lourdes Arizpe-Schlosser and Hilary
Standing for their criticisms and help. Discussions with
Christoph Von Fiirer-Haimendorf and A. Aiyappan were
memorable.
My sincere thanks are due to two people for whom a note
of acknowledgement here is hardly adequate. The first is my
supervisor James Woodburn, who not only guided my first
steps in social anthropology, but closely followed and sup-
ported my research project from its inception. I am further
indebted to him for diligently and very painstakingly criti-
cizing my thesis in its draft form. The second is my friend
the late E. N. Bhaskaran, senior forester in the Kallar div-
ision, who acted as my guide and often my mentor during
my year in India. No one understood better than he the
difficulties of research among a nomadic community such as
the Hill Pandaram. At the time I appreciated the hardships he
cheerfully endured on my behalf and the many ways in which
he went out of his way to advance my research, but in retro-
spect I realize even more clearly how much I am indebted
to him. For this support I am grateful.
Finally, I must thank the l;-lill Pandaram themselves for
tolerating my intrusions. I never pretended to those I met
to be anything other than what I was - a research student
trying to understand their way of life. Many came to accept
me on these terms and offered me hospitality and friendship
in their camps. For this and for many memorable experiences
PREFACE
living among them in the forest I shall always be grateful. In
particular I remember the help and kindness of: Chellan and
Muttamma, Ramakrishnan and Thankamma, Daniskody,
Muttayya, Kaintan, Kesavan and Bhargavi, the late Ponn-
amma, Changaran and LekshmL Ayyapillai and Gomathy,
Kuttan and Ponamma, and the teenagers SasL Parameswaren
and Sarisamma.
Finally, I should like to thank Diane Young for the trouble
she took in typing my manuscript, and my family for reasons
that are too personal to detail here. Taking three young
children aged between four and seven to the field obviously
has its dangers and problems. But for all ofus the experience
was well worth while, and I am grateful to my wife JacquL
and to Ketta, Dodo and Erica for their support, their
sacrifices and their tolerance.
B.M.
'Nobody seemed to know where they
came from, but there they were
in the forest'
Winnie the Pooh
FOR MOM AND DAD WITH LOVE
and to the memory of
Sri E. N. Bhaskaran
Contents
1
INTRODUCTION
i. Methodological perspectives 1
IL Research procedures 5
11
1. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES
i. The_ caste system 11
11. The forest tribes 14
iii. Historical sketch of the Hill Pandaram 21
2. 25
THE SETTING
I. The Ghat forests 25
ii. The Hill Pandaram - introductory notes '29
Ill Physical characteristics 31
IV. Dispersal 33
v. Language and culture 38
vi. Land rights of the hill tribes 40
Vil. The cultural setting 41
Vlll. Tribe or caste? 54
3. ECONOMIC LIFE 56
l The forest settlements 56
11. Forest camps and material culture 64
Ill Hunting activities 69
iv. The nature and scope of the contractual system 80
v. Subsistence food-gathering and the continuity
of change %
Vl The forest economy - some general notes 102
4. 109
PATTERNS OF SOCIAL INTERACTION
l The conjugal bond - some preliminary remarks 111
11. The system of kinship categories 115
iii. Patterns of marriage 123
IV. Social structure 135
v. Socialization patterns and the life-cycle 143
vi Authority structures 158
