History
There are many similarities in the way in which the modern world forced changes in the lives of pastoral communities in India and East Africa. Write about any two examples of changes which were similar for Indian pastoralists and the Maasai herders.
Answer
Two examples of changes that were similar for Indian pastoralists and the Maasai herders are:
- Loss of Grazing Lands — Both communities lost their grazing lands due to the preference given to cultivation. Colonial powers considered uncultivated land as “waste land” and brought it under cultivation. This expansion of cultivation encroached upon grazing tracts regularly used by pastoralists, leading to a decline in available pastures for both Indian pastoralists and the Maasai.
- Movement Restrictions — The colonial governments imposed restrictions on pastoral communities. They issued permits for movement with livestock. Many forests were declared as reserves in India and also in Africa. Thus, both Indian pastoralists and the Maasai faced restriction on their traditional nomadic way of life.
Related Questions
Find out more about the some of the pastoral communities marked in Figs. 11 and 13.
Figure 11

Figure 13

Explain why nomadic tribes need to move from one place to another. What are the advantages to the environment of this continuous movement?
Discuss why the colonial government in India brought in the following laws. In each case, explain how the law changed the lives of pastoralists:
- Waste Land rules
- Forest Acts
- Criminal Tribes Act
- Grazing Tax
Give reasons to explain why the Maasai community lost their grazing lands.