Maps and Images - Concepts - Chapter 5 Class 9 History - Pastoralists in the Modern World - History

Maps and pictures

1. Sheep grazing on the Bugyals of eastern Garhwa

• Bugyals are vast natural pastures on the high mountains , above 12,000 feet . 
• They are under snow in the winter and come to life after April . 
• At this time the entire mountainside is covered with various types of grass , roots and herbs . 
• By monsoon , these pastures are thick with vegetation and carpeted with wildflowers .

2. A Gujjar Mandap on the high mountains in central Garhwal

• The Gujjar cattle herders live in these mandaps made of ringal – a hill bamboo – and grass from the Bugyal . 
• A mandap was also a work place . 
• Here the Gujjar used to make ghee which they took down for sale . 
• In recent years they have begun to transport the milk directly in buses and trucks.  
• These mandaps are at about 10,000 to 11,000 feet . Buffaloes cannot climb any higher .

3. Gaddi sheep being sheared

• By September the Gaddi shepherds come down from the high meadows ( Dhars ). 
• On the way down they halt for a while to have their sheep sheared . 
• The sheep are bathed and cleaned before the wool is cut .

4. Raika camels grazing on the Thar desert in western Rajasthan

• Only camels can survive on the dry and thorny bushes that can be found here, but to get enough feed they have to graze over a very extensive area .

5. A camel herder in his settlement

• This is on the Thar desert near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan . 
• The camel herders of the region are Maru (desert) Raikas , and their settlement is called a dhandi .

6. A camel fair at Balotra in western Rajasthan

• Camel herders come to the fair to sell and buy camels . 
• The Maru Raikas also display their expertise in training their camels . Horses from Gujarat are also brought for sale at this fair

7. A Maru Raika genealogist with a group of Raikas

• The genealogist recounts the history of the community .
• Such oral traditions give pastoral groups their sense of identity . These oral traditions can tell us about how a group looks at its past .

8. Pastoralists in India

• This map indicates the location of only those pastoral communities mentioned in the chapter. There are many others living in various parts of India.

9. A view of Maasai land with Kilimanjaro in the background

• Forced by changing conditions , the Maasai have grown dependent on food produced in other areas such as maize meal , rice , potatoes , and cabbage .
• Traditionally the Maasai frowned upon this . Maasai believed that tilling the land for crop farming is a crime against nature . Once you cultivate the land , it is no longer suitable for grazing.

10. Pastoral communities in Africa

• The inset shows the location of the Maasais in Kenya and Tanzania .

11. An area hit by drought and food shortage

• Without grass , livestock (cattle, goats and sheep ) are malnourished , which means less food available for families and their children . The areas hardest hit by drought and food shortage are in the vicinity of Amboseli National Park , which last year generated approximately 240 million Kenyan Shillings (estimated $3.5 million US) from tourism . 
• In addition, the Kilimanjaro Water Project cuts through the communities of this area but the villagers are barred from using the water for irrigation or livestock.

12. Maasai people herding their cattle

• The title Maasai derives from the word Maa . Maa-sai means 'My People' . 
• The Maasai are traditionally nomadic and pastoral people who depend on milk and meat for subsistence . 
• High temperatures combined with low rainfall create conditions which are dry , dusty , and extremely hot . 
• Drought conditions are common in this semi-arid land of equatorial heat . During such times pastoral animals die in large numbers .

13. The Maasai warrior

• The warriors wear traditional deep red shukas , brightly beaded Maasai jewellery and carry five-foot , steel-tipped spears . 
• Their long pleats of intricately plaited hair are tinted red with ochre . 
• As per tradition, they face East to honour the rising sun . 
• Warriors are in charge of society's security while boys are responsible for herding livestock . 
• During the drought season, both warriors and boys assume responsibility for herding livestock .

14. The Maasai warrior

• Even today, young men go through an elaborate ritual before they become warriors , although actually, it is no longer common . 
• They must travel throughout the section's region for about four months , ending with an event where they run to the homestead and enter with an attitude of a raider . 
• During the ceremony, boys dress in loose clothing and dance non-stop throughout the day . 
• This ceremony is the transition into a new age . Girls are not required to go through such a ritual .