Area F: Contemporary Missiological Issues Miss. 24 - An in-depth study of any of the following contemporary Missiological issues (b) Traditional/Indigenous People: Issues and Challenges College Examined 2 Credits 1. Scope: The term "Tribal," a pejorative term in itself is an official identity given to a cluster of communities in India by the Constitution of India. Not only does the derogatory name express the marginal existence of the people, the tribal/indigenous communities of India have been facing various threats, "colonial" domination, and oppression in their history. This course is a study of the issues and challenges surrounding the traditional people in India, their nature of existence, and their struggle for identity and justice from a Missiological perspective. Special attention will be given to their response to Christianity, and the emerging contextual theologies based on their identity and experience. 2. Aims and Objective: 1. To introduce to the students the Indigenous people's world and their world view. 2. To make students understand unique features in the Indigenous Culture. 3. To make the students understand the difference Christianity made on the Indigenous Culture. 4. To identify the pastoral problems involved in working among the Indigenous people. 5. To identify the awakening movements among the Indigenous People and their Missiological challenges. 3. Method of Evaluation: Written Examination - 60% Paper presentation and Class participation - 40% Course Outline: Theme 1: Introduction of the issue Indigenous, First Nations, Indigenous/Adivasi People, American Indian, Global overview of the present and distribution of indigenous societies and how they are linked to Christianity. The seminar topic as an issue of ecumenical importance. Tribal awakening, a counter movement to globalisation. Students' assignments - "Where am I at Home: Social, religiously and culturally?" Implications of Tribe and Tribal from historical and sociological perspectives. Theme 2: World view of the Adivasi Reconstruction of one or two ideal types (Max Wever) of tribal world views. Family and kinship - in groups and other family rituals, marriage, comparison between tribal and Hindu marriage arrangements. Primal religion, spirit beings, the living and the dead, deities, tribal notion of salvation. Influences from outside on tribal religion effecting change such as modern education, government agencies, Hindu and Christian missions. Indian anthropological study and the politics of the identity of indigenous people in India. Ethnographical and regional distributions of indigenous people in India. Theme 3: Ethics of the Indigenous People Interrelationship between social structure, religion and ethics reciprocity and retaliation. The concept of culture as such and the concept of tribal religion being intertwined with culture. The nature of tribal existence: The problem of modernity and tribal identity. The nature of the existence of the indigenous people: The issue of land, forest erosion and the struggle for survival. Theme 4: The coming of Christianity Brief historical account of and reference to one or two case studies pointing out the various circumstances under which Christianity arrives among the indigenous societies. Christianity among indigenous community: Missionary works and approaches. Explore in a case study, reasons why indigenous people turn to Christianity. Work this out "from inside." Pay attention to those motivations which rested in tribal society itself in relation to the outside pressure. Work out what aspects of Christianity appeals to them from their own background. The emerging indigenous Church, group conversion, fellowship, giving and receiving, forms of self organisations among indigenous community. Patterns of Church growth in indigenous society with reference to Churches in India and in Africa. Problems of the "second generation," crises in the second generation as point of departure for grass roots theology and indigenous society. Theme 5: Pastoral problems Notions of sickness, health and healing. Reconstruct traditional notions of illness and its diagnosis and treatment. Institutions of sorcery and black magic. Treatment of calamities. Locate instances of sorcery and black magic within the context of group conflicts. The Shaman, the priest, and the pastor as consultant and healer in Indigenous society. Role models for pastors in such situation. Theme 6: Religious protest among indigenous societies of the world An overview of movements of religious protest in Africa, Latin America and India. A case study of such a movement, for instance a Black Church. Eg. The Church of Simon Kimbangu in Congo. Work out the dynamics of such a movement and how it is negotiating a compromise between indigenous tradition, Christianity and the modern world. The message and theology entailed of such movements. Theme 7: Indigenous economy and modern economy Reconstruct suggestional modes to organise survival, cooperation between groups, trade and war. The ideology of retribution. Changes effecting economic change. Religion as related to political and economic change. Attitudes towards social and economic change in indigenous society. Theme 8: Their survival and renewal a. Towards a theology for life in the ecumenical movement. Political implications of indigenous Christian identity with special reference to issues in the Jharkhand state and Northeast India. Themes and issues in emerging indigenous theology. Theme 9: Christianity - the interlocutor in civil society The Church as an agent to enable indigenous people to find the place in the modern world. Responses and development of Christianity. Theme 10: Transformation of Their World-view. Selected Readings: Barkataki, S. ed. Tribes of Assam. New Delhi: National Book Trust, India, 1969. Bendangangshi and I.T. Apok Aier. The Religion of the Ao Nagas. Mokokchung: Bendangangshi, 1980. Béteille, André. "The Concept of Tribe with Special Reference to India." Archives Européennes de Sociologie 27 (1986): 297-318. Bose, P.K. "Congress and the Tribal Communities in India." In Diversity and Dominance in India." Vol. 2 of Division, Deprivation and the Congress. Edited by Ramashray Roy and Richard Sisson, 58-80. New Delhi, Newbury Park, CA, and London: Sage Publication, 1990. Boal, Barbara. Fire is Easy: The Tribal Christian and His Traditional Culture. Manila: Christian, n.d. Chatterji, Saral K. Society and Culture in North-East India. Delhi: ISPCK, 1996. Chaudhuri, Buddhadeb. Ed. Tribal Developments in India: Problems and Prospects. New Delhi: Inter-India Publications, 1982. __________________ . Tribal Transformation in India. The Tribal Studies of India Series. 5 vol. New Delhi: Inter-India Publications, 1992. Ekka Alex, 'Land and Tribal Identity' in Land and Tribal World Views, Ranchi: Regional Theology Centre, 2009. Fusch, Stephan, The Aboriginal Tribes of India, Delhi: Macmillan Company of India, 1973. George, P.T. Missionary Pragmatism, No-People to God's People. Delhi, ISPCK, 2013. Karotemprel, Sebastian and Deepali Nandi. Tribes of Northeast India. Calcutta: Firma KLM Pvt. Limited, 1984. Lakra, C. "Christianity and Tribal Identity." Religion and Society 36/2 (1989): 30-39. Lakra, John. "Are Tribals Hindus?" Sevartham 24 (1999): 5-18. Longchar, A. Wati. Ed. An Exploration of Tribal Theology. Tribal Study Series, No. 1. Jorhat: TSC, Eastern Theological College, 1997. ______________ . An Emerging Asian Theology: Tribal Theology - Issue, Method, and Perspective. Tribal Study Series, No. 8. Jorhat: TSC, Eastern Theological College, 2000. Longchar, A. Wati and Yangkahao Vashum. Eds. The Tribal Worldview and Ecology. Jorhat: ETC, 1998. Mahanti, Neeti. Tribal Issues: A Non-conventional Approach. New Delhi: Inter-India Publications, 1994. Minz, Nirmal. "A Theological Interpretation of Tribal Reality in India." In Frontiers in Asian Christian Theology: Emerging Trends. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1994. __________ . "Mission in the Context of Diversity - Mission in Tribal Context." Religion and Society 36 (Mar, 1989): 7-21. __________ . Rise Up, My People, and Claim the Promises: The Gospel among Tribes of India. Delhi: ISPCK, 1997. Miri, Mrinal. Ed. Continuity and Change in Tribal Society. Shimla: Indian Institute of Advanced Study, 1993. Miri, Sujarata. Ed. Religion and Society in North-East India. Delhi: Vikas Publication House Pvt. Ltd., 1980. Munda, Ram Dayal. "Non-Christian Tribal Response to Christian Mission." In Paths of Mission in India Today. Augustine Kanjamala, ed. Mumbai: St. Paul's 1997. Munda, R. D., ed., Indigenous and Tribal Solidarity, Delhi: Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal People, 1997. Nehru, Jawarharlal. "The Tribal Folk." In The Tribal People of India. Rev. Ed. 1-7. New Delhi: Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Briadcasting, Govt. of India, 1973. Pachuau, Lalsangkima. "Tribal Identity and Ethnic Conflicts in Northeast India: A Tribal Christian Response." Bangalore Theological Forum 31/1 (July 1999): 157-167. _________________ . "In Search of a Context for a Contextual Theology: The Socio-Political Realities of 'tribal' Christians in Northeast India." National Council of Churches Review 117 (Dec 1997): 760-772. Pathy, Jaganath. "What is Tribe? What is Indigenous? Turn the Tables Towards the Metaphor for Social Juctice." Religion and Society 38 (1991): 18-26. Ponraj, S. Devasagayam. Tribal Challenge and the Church's Response. Bihar: MEB, 1996. Puthenpurakal, J. Ed. Impact of Christianity on North East India. Shillong: Vendrame Institute of Publications, 1996. Roy Burman, B.K. Tribes in Perspective. Encyclopedia on Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and Disadvantaged People - 1. New Delhi:Mittal Pubs., 1994. Saraswati, Baudyanath. Tribal Thought and Culture. New Delhi: CPC, 1991. Sen, Getti. Ed. Indigenous Vision: People of India - Attitude to the Environment. New Delhi: Sage Publication, 1982. Sengupta, Nirmal. "Reappraising Tribal Movements - 1: A Myth in the Making." Economic and Political Weekly 23 (May 1998): 943-945. Sharma, Suresh. Tribal Identity and the Modern World. Tokyo: United Nations University Press, New Delhi: Sage Publications, 1994. Shashi, S.S. Ed. Encyclopaedia of Indian Tribes. 12 Volumes. New Delhi: Anmol Publications Pvt. Ltd., 1994. Singh, K.S. Ed. Tribal Movement in India. Multi Volume. New Delhi: Manohar Publications, 1982. ________ . Ed. The Schedule Tribes. People of India, National Series Vol. III. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1989. ________ . Ed. The Tribal Situation in India. Shimla: Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, 1972 (reprint 1986). Shyamlal. Tribals and Christian Missionaries. New Delhi: Manak Publications Pvt. Ltd., 1994. Thanzauva, K. Theology of Community: Tribal Theology in the Making. Aizawl: Mizo Theological Conference, 1997. Thomas, M. M., ed., Tribal Awakening, Bangalore: CISRS, 1983. Thomas, V.V. Dalit and Tribal Christians of India: Issues and Challenges. Melapuram: Focus India Trust, 2014. Verma, R. C., Indian Tribes through the Ages, New Delhi: Government of India Press, 2003.