India is similar (or not similar) to the Bodley profile of Tribal Essay

India is similar (or not similar) to the Bodley profile of Tribal Culture - Essay Example Yet certain characteristics of them all were common. For example, culture is always based on symbols which people hold in high esteem; a culture of a region is shared by the people living in that particular society; a culture is learned, that is, it is taught to everybody in the society; and lastly, culture is adaptive; in other words, as the world and times change, culture also evolves. When we speak of tribal culture we must remember that it varies greatly from place to place. Certain cultures in the Oceanic Islands (such as Fiji) would be cannibalistic, while tribal regions in India are staunch vegetarians. According to Bodley though, certain features are very much alike; for example, tribal cultures are predominantly agriculture based, with the natives producing their own food and not dependent on outside sources. By definition, a tribe generally consists of a few hundred people living together in settled villages. Their chief mode of gaining sustenance is farming (horticultural or pastorical) and hunting and their economy is simple and uncomplicated. People rely more on barter, gift swapping, and labor in exchange for goods, rather than on cash and credit. Hence comparatively, their monetary status is not as complicated as those living in more industrialized cultures. Neither, in fact, is their way of living. Tribal cultures are usually not as technologically dependent, relying mostly on simple tools for work. Their society is often divided into different lineages and ‘clans’ and most people can trace their descent to common ancestors. Every lineage and clan has a similar status in the tribe, with certain people (probably due to greater riches, or experience) are gifted with the title of ‘elders’ or ‘big men’. They are usually looked up to and have profound influence in most tribal decisions. India is one of the largest countries population-wise, and its growing industrialization is a credit to its present and