The Role and Rights of Santali Women in Historical Context

The Santal Rebellion and Women's Contributions

The Santal rebellion, commemorated on June 30, marks the uprising of the Santal Adivasis against colonial land alienation in the Santhal Pargana area. While Sidho, Kanho, Chand, and Bhairav Murmu led the rebellion, their sisters Phulo and Jhano also played crucial roles by entering enemy camps, gathering intelligence, and neutralizing British forces.

Current Gender Inequality in Land Inheritance

Despite their historical contributions, Santali women today face gender inequality in land inheritance due to:

• The patrilineal kinship system preventing women from making ownership claims on ancestral land.
• The "taben jom" custom, which allowed daughters land at marriage, has diminished, overshadowed by rituals like the Sohrai feast.
• The Santal Parganas Tenancy (Supplementary Provisions) Act, 1949, which governs land inheritance, does not recognize "taben jom".

The "Ghar Jawai" System

The "Ghar Jawai" system allows a son-in-law to act as an adopted son with inheritance rights, contingent upon male agnates' consent. This system has regressed, creating discord:

• The absence of Village Assembly's sanction in marriages.
• Increased involvement of police and courts.
• A significant portion of land disputes stem from "Ghar Jawai" marriages.

Challenges and Perspectives

Current challenges highlight the disconnect between indigenous communitarian values and gender parity. Legal pluralist Marc Galanter emphasized the inadequacy of "people's law" to ensure egalitarianism, suggesting that without gender parity, it cannot be a viable alternative to modern judiciary systems.

Conclusion

Commemorating the Santal Hool's legacy remains incomplete if Santali women, who were integral to the rebellion, continue to be deprived of the rights they helped fight for.