Halba tribe

Halba
It is a central India tribe of Baster district of Madhaya Pradesh State. It’s population is
50,000 (1991 census) and sex ratio is 1:1.
Their physical features are Proto-australoid type (narrow head and nose, brown skin
color).
They speak Halbi language. This language is spoken by many other adjacent
communities who are non tribal. Government is also using this language for spreading
information among them.
Halba is a patriarchal society, where the property is inherited from father to son.
Kinga, Batla, Guruka are their gotra and many other subgroups of every gotra is also in
their life. They live in nuclear family system.
Birth Ceremony
Janmore (birth ritual) is celebrated at the time of birth and a biradari bhoj & liquor (made
by from mahua) is given, if they get a male child. No ritual is concerned with female
issue. Varjana (taboo) is in practice during pregnancy. The pregnant woman can’t touch
any sacred object of her home.
Marriage Ceremony
It is monogamous society. Where consent and service marriage are in practice, they
prefer Dudh Lautava marriage (patrilineal cross cousin marriage). Child marriage is
totally prohibited.
Divorce is in practice but woman can’t obtain divorce. It is the right of Halba male. A
divorced woman can’t marry with unmarried male. She can only remarry with a widower
or a divorced man. Kharcha (bride wealth) is returned to the bride at the time of divorce.
Widow can’t marry with unmarried male.
Mahala, a ritual is concerned with a search of a bride and her consent marriage. This
ritual is followed by kharcha (bride wealth), which should be paid before the settlement
of marriage. Kharcha is decided by their panchayat according the economic condition of
both sides. Muhurt is the setting of date of marriage which is decided by Panjiyar (the
oldest person of the community – the priest is absent among them). He decides day and
time of marriage but his presence at the time of marriage in prohibited. Mandapam is
concerned in manufacturing of liquor (made from Mahua seeds) and all other rituals are
also performed under the mandapam. Brother-in-law or any parallel relative of
bridegroom acts as the priest and does all the sacred duties. The flames of two candles are
mixed to each other it is sign of completion of marriage. Lamsena (a person who is
unable to give bride wealth to bride’s father) does service of the parents of the bride
equivalent to bride wealth (example of service marriage). The span of service may be 3 to
7 years.
Death Ceremony
They burn the dead body. Vidai, a single ritual is concerned with farewell of soul of dead
person on the tenth day after the death. Mahua liquor, rice and meat are offered to soul
and community men.
Panchayat is in existence, which decides bride wealth in every marriage and hears every
dispute regarding marriage, land etc.
Religion
Halba worship all Hindu gods and goddesses, but Buiadevi (goddess of land) and Karna
Devi (goddess of welfare) are their prime deities.
Economy
They are basically cultivators but due to expansion of education 5% Halba are in service.
Their earnings are good and they are acquiring modern facilities.
Education
Baster district has 3 primary schools and one junior high school in the Halba area. They
are very much aware about education. 27% are literate. They know to write Halba
language.
They are familiar with modern life because government is using their language for
information. It is making a good environment for their development. Traditional
panchayat has been replaced by Panchayat raj system. With the help of financial
assistance they are engaged in home industry as bucket manufacturing, rope making etc.
Now they are semi-tribal due to the influence of education language and acculturation.