Summary
Contents
Subject index
This volume documents the ethnographies of regionally distinct Dalit and tribal Christian communities, raising new arguments pertaining to the autonomy and distinct identity of these communities in adverse social set-ups.
Stressing upon the plurality of identities, the essays reject the idea of determining these exclusively on the basis of religion. They also chart the multiple levels of marginality experienced by both Dalit and tribal Christians and analyze how these groups negotiate their former religious faith and practices with Christianity.
The book is a response to the urgent need for such studies in social science writings brought to the fore by contemporary political challenges and struggles facing these communities in various parts of India.
Christianization, Hinduization and Indigenous Revivalism among the Tribals of Gujarat
Christianization, Hinduization and Indigenous Revivalism among the Tribals of Gujarat
Introduction
The chapter discusses the ‘de-tribalization’ or ‘assimilation’ of the tribes of Gujarat—either by incorporation into Christianity or absorption into Hinduism—against the backdrop of the increasing politicization of the whole issue of conversion. Tribals of Gujarat have the following faith-based typologies: those holding on to traditional belief systems, those converted to Christian denominations and those Hinduized and following a number of sects both classical and modern. The tribals in Gujarat are not only on the margins of faith, but are also marginalized in terms of their identity and in terms of the economy and the polity. This chapter explores the margins of faith without ignoring the economy, ...
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