Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 27, 1916.djvu/135

 REVIEWS.

The Oraons of Chota Nagpur : Their History, Economic Life, and Social Organization. By Sarat Chandra Roy. With an Introduction by A. C. Haddon, M.A., Sc.D., F.R.S., M.R.I.A. Ranchi, 1815.

This is the second study of an im[)ortant Indian tribe made by Mr. Roy, The Alimdas arid Their Country, by the same author, having appeared a few years ago. Both works are of sterling merit, being clearly the result of prolonged and careful observa- tion. In the Introduction to The Mundas and Their Country, Sir Edward Gait states that when he was Commissioner of Chota Nagpur, Mr. Roy was constantly appearing in his court as the sturdy advocate of the Mundas in their disputes with Hindu landlords and moneylenders. As his books indicate, Mr. Roy would thus appear to have a close personal interest in, and affection for, the people of whom he writes, and those who are aware of the extent to which the primitive tribes have suffered, owing to their simplicity and ignorance of legal procedure, in their dealings with the more astute and unscrupulous members of the above classes, will recognise that they could have no better friend than a competent legal advocate. The present volume contains an Introduction by Dr. A. C. Haddon.

The Oraons are one of the principal tribes of the Dravidian family, and they dwell on the Chota Nagpur plateau. They no doubt came from the south of India to their present home, but in suggesting that the migration took place so long ago as the period of the legendary events of the Raraayana, Mr. Roy is, I think, relying on somewhat fanciful arguments. There are reasons for supposing that it was much later, and well in the historical period. The Oraons have been admirably described by Colonel Dalton in the Ethnology 0/ Bengal, and by the late Rev.