Book

The Kol tribe of central India

Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal2 • Published In 1946 • Pages: xiv, 333

By: Griffiths, Walter G., Guha, B. S. (Biraja Sankar).

Abstract
This source presents a well-rounded ethnographic study of the Kol tribe located in the central highlands of India. The author, a missionary of the Methodist Church, gathered his data during a residence of fifteen years in Jabalpur (Jubbulpore), Madhya Pradesh. It should be noted that most of the data contained in this source pertain to the Hinduized Kols, rather than those in Rewa whose customs differ somewhat in form and content. It is noteworthy that, in contrast to the usual bias found in a majority of missionary reports of this type, the data presented here are clear and concise statements about native ethnography, wholly lacking in any attempts at proselytizing. Although the author's data are somewhat deficient in the material culture aspects of Kol society, there is abundant information on almost all other phases of Kol ethnography, from birth to death, religion, the family, magic and witchcraft, social structure, folklore, fine arts, and economics. Marriage ceremonies are especially well described. Seven appendices present information on kinship terminology, personal names, additional notes on Kol songs and poetry (illustrated elsewhere in the text), castes, a glossary of native terms, anthropometry, and a bibliography. The index is exceptionally well done and should be used. The plates scattered throughout the text are not in numerical order so the researcher should refer to the list of illustrations for page references (pp. xiii-xiv).
Subjects
Identification
Dwellings
Diet
Food preparation
Castes
Reproduction
Arranging a marriage
Nuptials
Spirits and gods
Prayers and sacrifices
Sacred objects and places
Magic
Verbal arts
Mythology
Texts in the speaker's language
Texts translated into english
Music
Life history materials
Anthropometry
culture
Kol
HRAF PubDate
2014
Region
Asia
Sub Region
South Asia
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Missionary
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle; 1964
Field Date
ca. 1940
Coverage Date
1900-1940
Coverage Place
Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
Notes
Walter G. Griffiths ; with an introd. By B. S. Guha
Includes bibliographical references (p. 317-333)
LCSH
Munda (Indic people)