Ethnographic study using anthropological methods and techniques

Ethnographic study using Anthropological Methods and Techniques

Group members Mandrila Biswas Prachi Bhagane Saakshi Yadav Saloni Jha

Contents 1. Tools Used 2. Introduction - Anthropology - Juna koba Village - Child Rearing Practices in India 3. Literature Review 4. Field Visuals 5. Insights 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography

Tools Equipments: • •

Field diary camera

Tools: • • • • • • • • •

Meaning within meaning Oral history Ethnography Objective interview Attitude survey Candid interview Voice and Video recording Insight sorting and grouping Category note taking

Introduction

What is Anthropology?

Are you as interested as I am in knowing how, when, and where human life arose, what the first human societies and languages were like, why cultures have evolved along diverse but often remarkably convergent pathways, why distinctions of rank came into being, and how small bands and villages gave way to chiefdoms and chiefdoms to mighty states and empires?

--Marvin Harris, Our Kind Those words, written by the American anthropologist Marvin Harris, convey some of his fascination with the field of anthropology. But what is anthropology?

Anthropology: The word anthropology itself tells the basic story. From the Greek anthropos (“human”) andlogia (“study”), it is the study of humankind, from its beginnings millions of years ago to the present day.

Anthropology is the study of humans, past and present. To understand the full sweep and complexity of cultures across all of human history, anthropology draws and builds upon knowledge from the social and biological sciences as well as the humanities and physical sciences. A central concern of anthropologists is the application of knowledge to the solution of human problems.

There are now four major fields of anthropology: biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and archaeology.

Anthropologists are known for their close observation of human behavior in natural settings and their focus on human biological and cultural diversity in time and space.

Juna Koba Place: Gandhinagar Juna koba has majorly 3 different communities: Rawal, Thakur and Rabari (Desai).

The village is oriented organically according to the caste system. As we enter the village gate, the Rawal houses along the left of the village main road and facing them are the Thakurs along the right side. The end of the village is distinctly separated and is inhabited by the higher caste Rabaris (Desais).

Child Rearing Practices in Juna Koba (Our Study area ) •

Focus area: Grooming, education, mother figure, father figure, play

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Grooming: We sought to observe how children are dressed as newborns, toddlers, and kids. Overall we studied age groups from 15 days to 7 years.

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Education: We studied the general attitude towards education and its co-relation to status, economic condition, gender and food (MDM).

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Mother figure: We observed mother figure was essentially a medium for handing down culture from one generation to the next. She is also responsible for child nourishment. The relation of child with mother figure is more prominent due to considerable amount of time that they spend together. The role of mother is taken by Mother, grandmother (maternal & paternal), elder sister, Anganwadi teacher, Maasi and also sometimes father.

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Play: Observed interaction with play objects, animal and people around them. Utensils, containers, food items, twigs were often used as toys.

Literature review

Child Rearing Practices in India •

India is composed of a diverse population with assorted religious, political and cultural views on child-rearing practices. With so many differences among Indians, it is impossible to ascribe a unified set of customs and beliefs about child-rearing to the entire country. Influential factors on child-rearing practices such as socioeconomic status, education and individual experience vary from family to family.

parent's bed is quite common. For the first six months, around 90 percent of mothers in India breastfeed, according to Childinfo.org.

Some continue to do so for up to two years, but the numbers drop off sharply after the first half year of life. A 2008 University of Mysore study, "Childrearing Practices Among Kurubas and Soliga Tribes from South India," reveals that showing affection can greatly benefit a child's personality development.

DISCIPLINARY TECHNIQUES SOCIAL DIFFERENCES •

According to Infochange, India has 375 million children.

Around the turn of the millennium, approximately 75 million children did not have adequate nutrition. This is one example of how social differences can relate to discrepancies in lifestyle, including health, access to education and attitudes toward child-rearing practices.

Another example of differing attitudes emerges from data gathered by the Berlin-Institut. In some regions, such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, each woman has an average of more than four children. In others, the average is less than two. These numbers reveal that differences exist within smaller segments of the Indian nation.

PHYSICAL CLOSENESS •

Babyzone reports that Indian mothers spend a lot of time in close physical contact with their young children. As babies, Indian children might receive a daily massage and sharing a

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The Mysore study on tribes from South India found that mothers often take on the main role of both disciplinarian and nurturer. That is not to say that fathers do not participate in their children's lives; they generally do, but as more of a background player. Discipline can take many forms, including

Child Rearing Practices in India •

physical punishment. Poffenberger suggests that regular proximity of extended family members serves as a dampening influence on anger. Not all parents choose direct punishment; according to his research, some prefer methods such as deprivation as a form of discipline.

GENDER PREFERENCES • Many Indian parents prefer male children over females. The CIA's World Factbook indicates that there are more males than females in every age group in India except those older than 65. An NDTV article from 2010 acknowledges the on going fact that "female fetuses are often aborted after a couple sees an ultrasound." Similarly, Poffenberger posits that neglecting female children, even to the point of death, may meet with "at least passive support" in some regions of India. It is clear that male and female children are often treated differently, with girls regarded as less valuable in some families.

Field Visuals

Family 1

Figure 1

Figure 2

Details : Mother : Rasmik Ben Age : 20 years Child : Maulik (boy) Age : 7 months Caste : Rawal Figure 3

Figure 4

Observation : Maulik is the first child of Rasmik Ben. (ref. figure 1) Rasmik Ben has got Godhri (ref . Figure3) stitched for him which act as a mattress. These Godhris are made out of old sarees. Maulik adorns a pair of black beaded thread in his hands. ( ref figure4). This is for warding off the bad omen.

Family 2

Figure 1

Figure 2

Details : Mother : Hetal Ben Age : 20 years Child : Vanshika (girl) Age : 1 year old Caste : Rawal Figure 3

Figure 4

Observation : Hetal Ben (as shown in fig.1) has given birth to her first child Vanshika (ref. fig 1) .Currently the child is being raised at Hetal Ben’s mayka.

The child adorns two sets of bangri(bangles) and anklets, gift from both the grandparents.(as shown in fig.4). Vanshika is handed down the traditional jhoola of her mother(ref. fig 2), which would be returned once she grows. The child enjoys the attention of her fellow playmates, but her favorite playmate is the stuffed teddy a gift from her dad. (ref, figure 2)

Family 3

Figure 2

Details : Mother : Jyotsana Ben Age : 28 years Child : Sahil ( boy) Age : 6 months Caste : Rawal Figure 1

Figure 3

Observation : Sahil , a baby boy is the 2nd child of Jyotsana Ben.(ref. figure 1) He has an elder sibling Sejal aged 6 years. Sahil as an infant is solely dependant on his mother for food (breast feeding) . He has been adorned with 3 set of bangris : black plastic, white plastic and one beaded.(ref. figure 2) These bangris server the superstitious beliefs of “nazar bandh� and adornment. Godhris ( small foamed bed sheets) are made out of old sarees.(ref. figure 3).

Family 4

Figure 1

Figure 2

Details : Mother : Sangeeta Ben Age : 27 years Child : Jasoda Ben ( girl) Age : 2 years Caste : Rawal Figure 3

Figure 4

Observation : Jasoda Ben a girl child of 2 years, is the first child of Sangeeta Ben. ( ref. figure 4). The child owns a pair of silver bangris and anklets which has been forcefully removed by her due to the heat. A second hand walker ( ref. figure 3) also finds its place in her possession list. Apart from this there were no dedicated “toys” as her play-thing. Jasoda enjoys playing with empty cream tubes , talcum powder cans ,and a straw hat. (ref. figure 1 & 2) . When asked “where are her toys?” her father replied flatly “ she breaks them.”

Family 5

Figure 1

Figure 2

Details : Mother : Ramila ben Age : 22 years Child : unnamed ( boy) Age : 15 days Caste : Rawal Figure 3

Figure 4

Observation : The new born baby of Ramila ben is just 15 days old. Ramila ben has given birth to her first child at her mayka. The mother and child are taken care by Ramila ben’s mother who also does all the house hold work.( ref. Figure 3).The traditional Jhoola ( ref. figure 4) is handed down to the child by his grand mother. The koya ( frilly fabric hung to the jhoola) ( ref. figure 1 & 4) is stitched by a neighbor for rs. 20 , whereas the fabric and design details are provided by Ramila ben. The Godhri (small bedding) (ref. figure 2) is also made out of old saree.

Family 6

Figure 1

Figure 2

Details : Mother : Asha Ben Age : 25 years Child 1: Riddhi (girl) Age : 7 years Child 2 : Divya (girl) Age : 4 years Child 3 : Riti (girl) Age : 3 years Caste : Rawal Figure 3

Figure 4

Observation : Out of the 3 daughters of Asha Ben , Riddhi the eldest goes to the school. ( ref. Figure 1) A significant difference was noticed in the hairstyles. The school going kid has longer braided hair whereas, the younger kids have short hair. (ref figure 3) All the kids had their ear pierced at the age of 1.5 months . (ref. figure 2). The piercing is done by a goldsmith at Nava Koba, nearby village. All the three adorned gold tops.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Family 7

Details : Mother : Neeta Ben Age : 20 years Child : Avni ( girl) Age : 1.5 years Caste : Thakur Figure 1

Figure 4

Observation : Neeta ben gave birth to her first child , Avni at the age of 18. Currently , she stays with her husband , and the couple have a shared responsibility of child grooming. The Jhoola ( ref.figure 1) was bought by Avni’s father at Shivratri mela at sector 21. A chime (ref. figure 2) is being hung on the jhoola top , which becomes a play accessory for Avni during lullaby. Avni was enjoying her snacks of chips , soon after which she fell asleep in her jhoola , swayed by her father.

Family 8

Figure 2

Details :

Figure 1

Mother : Suneeta Ben Age : 27 years Child 1 : Kunjal ( girl) Age : 7years Child 2 : Ajeet (boy) Age : 4 years Child 3 : Ayusha ( girl) Age : 1 year Caste : Thakur Figure 3

Observation : Out of the 3 kids , Kunjal the eldest goes to school . She studies in 2nd grade and knows to read and write in Gujarati. (ref. figure 3) All the kids were tied a black thread called as “dori� in their neck, which was supposed to fight bad omen. Ayusha the youngest of the 3, was in a poor health , as she has survived a fatal sickness soon after her birth. (ref. figure 2) Ayusha did not have any dedicated toy for her play. Plastic jars and bottles served as a toy. Ajeet the only male child of the three enjoys special attention from his grandfather, and is generally excused from his mischief.

Family 9

Figure 2

Details : Child : Hinal Age : 3 years Caste : Desai Figure 1

Figure 3

Observation : Hinal aged 3 years happens to be the birthday girl! She goes to school and proudly carries her “chota bheem “ school bag.(ref. figure 1) Hinal is very close to her grand mother , who willingly shares with us her life stories. She used to be a cook in her younger days , at PTC . She tells us the significance of her innumerable tattoos , as each one of them represent the name of a dear old sakhi a.k.a. Friend. (ref. figure 3) Granny sings local folk songs to her grand daughter and coaxes her to sing along. (ref. figure 2).

Dadima’s Lullaby Inspired by daily routine work

Evirite mare jawu nishal (I don’t want to go to school like this The foot sandal makes chhap chhap noise) pagana champal sab sab thae (The washed lehenga is getting spoilt) Dhoeli lehngi maari baageri jae Evirite mare jawu nishal (I don’t want to go to school like this)

Dadima’ Lullaby Inspired by things around them

Chalo sakhi chalo sakhi ne nadiyon ne teer (Lets go friends lets go friends to the riverbanks) Reti na bangla banawase (And make a house of sand) Ne netar ni gadiyo (And a car made of cane) Ne rooda basada ane vaas (Or of beautiful wood pieces or bamboo) Veti ane bangra banawoshu (Rings and heavy bangles we will make) Vasalli banawiye vasalli vagadiye (Lets make flute and lets play flute) Vasalli vagadasu la jagna jagadsu (We’ll play flute and wake the world) Chalo sakhi chalo sakhi ne nadiyon ne teer (Lets go friends lets go friends to the riverbanks) Reti na bangla banawase (And make a house of sand)

Family 10

Details : Mother : Kinjal Ben Age : 21 years Child : Kunali (boy) Age : 2 years Caste : Rawal

Observation : Kinjal Ben with her only child Kunal stays at her parent’s place. She had a rough married life as her husband was drunkard. Thus she decided to return to her “mayka� and never go back again. She and her kid is being taken care by her family. Kunal is very attached with his maternal set of relatives. His favorite playmate is their pet dog. (ref. figure2).

Family 11

Figure 2

Details : Mother : Alpa ben Age : 19 years Child : Himanshi (girl) Age : 2 years Caste : Desai Figure 1

Figure 3

Observation : Alpa ben’s first child Himanshi is the apple of her eyes.The child is groomed and raised in a close proximity of her grand mom , who stays nearby. (ref. figure 1)Himanshi ben fantasizes her daughter as a pretty fairy (ref, figure 4) and has got her picture clicked looking the same. The child is tied with a black thread “dori” around her neck which is believed to fight bad omen. (ref. figure 2) At her place, Alpa ben has tied a saree in her verandah which serves as a make-shift jhoola. (ref. figure 5&6) .

Figure 5

Figure 4

Figure 6

Family 12

Figure 1

Figure 2

Details : Mother : Ranjana Ben Age : 25 years Child : Akshara (girl) Age : 6 months Caste : Desai Figure 3

Figure 4

Observation : Ranjana Ben is a mother of 3 kids. Her new born baby Akshara takes up all her time currently. (ref. figure 1 &2) Her other 2 kids Lakshmi and Shyam go to school in 2nd and 3rd grades. The traditional family Jhoola has been passed on to Akshara which was previously shared by her other siblings.. (ref. figure 2) There’s a make-shift jhoola of saree hung aside , which is shared by neighbor's kids as well. Akshara also gets to play with the used toys of elder siblings. (ref. figure 4)

Family 13

Details : Great grand Mother : unnamed Child : Maan (boy) Age : 2 years Caste : Desai (Rabari)

Observation : This family was a traditional Rabari family. The child was take care by his maternal great grand mother. Grooming such as bathing, massage, kajal and such rituals was done by the lady herself. (ref figure mentioned below) . Even though the mother of the kid was around, yet the care taking was done by the old granny.

Aanganwadi

Figure 1

Figure 2

Observation: Aanganwadi falls under the public health care system of the Government of India. This centre is a program to combat child hunger and malnutrition. Basic health care activities include contraceptive counseling and supply, nutrition education and supplementation, as well as preschool activities. The kids here are taught to read and write in Gujarati ,Hindi and English. Along with that they are also encouraged to draw and paint (ref , figure 1 , 7& 8) The kids also recite local poems and dance along with it. ( ref. figure ref figure 11 & 12)

Figure 3

Figure 5

Figure 4

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 10

Figure 8

Figure 11

Figure 9

Figure 12

Rawal kids play

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Observation : Juna koba divided in territories according to the caste system depicts a peculiar pattern of play among kids as well. The Rawals ,who stay at the outermost periphery of the village, their kids are not allowed to mingle with the Desai kids. These kids as shown in the above photographs form their own games which are very indigenous and local in its flavor. With no dedicated playgrounds or toys as such , whatever comes handy becomes a plaything. Example : a used tyre tube , tile pieces, concrete, a plastic full of sand, some mapped ground games. (references above)

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 11

Figure 10

Figure 12

Figure 13

EXPLORATIONS

Paintings

Making Godadi

Entrance

Entrance

Parabari(chbutra)

Rituals

Interior

Kitchen and Interiors

Interior

Jewellery

Jewellery

Folk Rhymes Some songs show influence of other cultures

Hum ne maari ben pani be Mehndi lewa gaya ta (Me and my girlfriend Went to get mehndi) Mehndi na ucha jhaar che Aane haath laal chol che (The mehndi tree was very high And my hands are red) Maari mummy ne ema kidhu Kachro vadi nakha je (My mother called in between And asked to sweep the litter) Maara mann ma em theyu Thadi feki nakha je (In my mind I felt To throw the plate)

Maari mummy ne ema kidhu Vasana ghasi nakha je (My mother called in between And asked to clean the utensils) Maari mummy ne ema kidhu Vasana ghasi nakha je Thadi feki nakha je (My mother called in between And asked to clean the utensils I felt to throw the plate) Maari mummy ne ema kidhu Potu kari nakha je (My mother called in between And asked to mop the floor) Maara mann ma em theyu Ke potu feki nakha je (In my mind I felt To throw the mop)

Insights • The people of Juna Koba use Jhoola (cradle frame) for putting their babies to sleep while singing lullabies. They make small size, hand stitched mattresses with old sarees which are also used as blankets. The cradle (aka Khodayu) is customized out of old saree or purchased from Mela-(fair). The nurture is considered as a maternal responsibility across all social groups in village. The Jhoola is an heirloom from the maternal house of the baby which was earlier used by his mother, maternal uncle and aunts. They never sell it and store by dismantling it. Sometimes a whole Saree is tied from end to end like a hammock to make a jhoola. A separate cloth is attached to pull and swing the jhoola. The design of khodayu may vary from basic simple styles to frilled or embroidered details •The accessories of adults and children in Juna Koba exhibit their belief system. Both adults and children wear black thread to ward off evil. Kids are also made to wear pair of black and white bangles in each hand and black dot is put for the same. Women and children wear fancy bangles, earrings, anklets. Children’s anklets are made up of aluminum, copper, silver or cheap metal according to economical capabilities of their parents. Women wear necklaces with Om or Kuldevi on it along with fancy ones. Most women have tattoos of their friends and sisters names or initials itched on their arms. It suggests a very strong bond between the women and her friends and sisters. The mother’s friends and sisters play a very significant role in child rearing practices..

• We observed that village is oriented organically according to the caste system. As we enter the village gate, we find the Rawal houses along the left of the village main road and facing them are the Thakurs along the right side. The end of the village is distinctly separated and is inhabited by the higher caste Rabaris and Desais. The Rawal and Thakur men engage in field work, growing vegetables, driving or construction work while women engage in tailoring or cleaning activities. Some prosperous Rawals and Thakurs have shifted to Nava Koba and engage in small scale businesses like beauty parlours, cloth shops etc. They even own televisions in Desai households in Juna Koba and some of their children are well versed in English.

Insights • This kind of village arrangement transcends to the outdoor play pattern of the children of both the communities in the evening. The Rawal and the Thakur kids play along their area while Desai kids keep to themselves. The toys of Rawals and Thakurs are mostly second hand bought from local market while Desai kids have new toys. Rawals and Thakur kids play with broken tiles, sand, old tyres also they play outdoor games like Hunta- kukadi (hide and seek), Ais Pais, Langadi, Duad –pakad etc. Most of them use naturally available materials like braches, twigs, flowers or household things like broken utensils, plastic bottles, food items, old CD covers etc. as their toys. Rawal and Thakur kids from Nava Koba play only with other kids of similar castes. Despite economic status caste system plays dominant role. Kids sing and on latest movie songs which they watch on television. They also watch cartoons Oggy and three cockroaches, Doremon, Ben 10 etc.

• School going accessories The shrimad rajchandra adyatmik sadhana Kendra donates school bags, Tiffin boxes, water bottles and other stationeries to students.

Students generally wear uniform however those who can’t afford wear regular cloths in school. The school merchandise has influence of popular cartoon characters like Chota Bheem and Ben 10.

• Bathing Toddlers are bathed in the afternoons by their moms, aunts or grandmothers. They are bathed with soap and water and oil massage is generally avoided in the summer. However hair is oiled after bath. The Rabari family we visited also applied kohl on the child’s eyes.

Toddlers are put to sleep after bath..

• Clothes Children especially girls are seen imitating their mothers and teachers. Overall the clothes and footwear are quite modern and colorful and are bought from local shops and market. Many households have portraits of their children in fantasy attire resembling a mixture of a fairy and a goddess. The older generations wear traditional clothes while the newer generation has adopted modern versions. Children often wear school uniform throughout the day even after school hours.

Insights • Hairstyle Babies and toddlers have negligible hair. Children between 2-5 years have cropped hairstyle irrespective of gender. Once the girls reach school going age, they maintain long hair which is neatly styled with clips, braids and hair bands. Boys maintain cropped hairstyle in school.

• Folk rhymes Folk rhymes give us an insight into the daily routine and leisure activities of the villagers. Oral rhymes are effective in passing on traditional values and beliefs.

• Aanganwadi Aanganwadi in Juna Koba provides pre school training to children till the age of 5. Mid day meals are provided and children eat together sitting on the ground. Children come with their siblings and engage in learning, drawing, coloring, singing, dancing, and playing with second hand toys.

• Affinity towards mother figure Indian mothers spend lots of time in close proximity with their young children. In Juna Koba we found children in close proximity to not only their mothers but also their mother figures. We found that the mother figures are often represented by their elder sisters, aunts, grandmothers, fathers and grandfathers. Children often resort to them for nurture, comfort , care and protection.

Conclusion •

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The children of Juna Koba, a predominantly Hindu Village with caste demarcations of Rawals, Thakurs and Desai(Rabari), are raised within a hierarchal kinship structure and Hindu religious beliefs. “Obedience to authority, passivity, and interdependence are highly valued,”. “Childhood is viewed as a sensitive time period where children are mouldable. Thus, the environment, especially the parents, are believed to play an important role in child development.”

Mother moms lovingly massage their babies daily and carry them close to their bodies. Co-sleeping during the early years is another characteristic of the close mother-infant relationship. Discipline is often strict and children are taught to obey their parents. Physical punishment is sometimes used to discipline, control, and teach the child appropriate behaviours.

Bibliography • • • •

http://www.slideshare.net/naorembinitadevi/child-rearing-practices-in-the-indian-context http://www.jstor.org/stable/668869?seq=1 http://www.livestrong.com/article/1006432-child-rearing-beliefs-practices-indian-culture/ http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/childrearing-practices-different-cultures-3410.html