Chapter 6

GENETICAL DEMOGRAPHY

/}

- 26:1 -

Genetic aspects of Demogr•phy

The evolution of a papulation can be well

undel-staad and stud1ed in terms of 1ts papulation stl-ucture

and dynamics. It is said that the genetic structure of a

community is determined by its particular composition of

genes are combined in genotypes. Evolutionary forces such as

selection, mutation drift and gene flow determine the. farmer

while the latter is determined by matinb patterns. It lS in

this sense that demographic data become crucial in achieving

greater understanding about micro evolutionary dynamics of

1ne oemographic of differential

fertility and mortality are known to be fundamental in

studying genetic selection

Cava 11 i Sforza and Bodmer,

<Fisher,

1971>. In

19301 Bajema, 1971;

strictly biological

sense, the genetic worth of a newly fal-med zygote is measured

in terms of the number of descendants which will survive ~.

A few population have been studied for reproductive

patterns and some times the scope for selection and random

genetic drift has been estimated <Basu, 1967; Basu,1969;

Rakshit, 1972; Ghosh 1976, Reddy and Lakshmanudu, 1979 and

Reddy, 1983). However only a few population were studied

comp1-ehens1vely Including all these components. The present

study of the Bhunjia is an attempt to study the :

- 264-

th• Bhunji• popul•tion by

demogr•phlc attrlbut•• and to a••••• th• r•latlv• rol••

of fertility and mort•llty dl~~•r•ntials.

2. To assess th• -~~ltct o'f natu•·•l ••l•c:tlon with th• help o'f

Crew's <1958) ind•x of opportunity ~or ••l•c:tion.

3. To elicit the information on br1ted1ng structure of the

Bhunjias.

4. To examine the matrimonial distance in this population.

Family ~

The family type covered by investigation in

dltterent Vlllages of Bhunjia is displayed in Table 91. It is

• ev1dent from the above table that nuclear type of family

(49.46%) have the highest frequency followed by the joint

families of vertical type with appreciate frequency.

Intermediate families have the lowest score <5.73> among the

Bhunjias. The formation of family among them do not follow

any rigid rule. It is affected by the addition of the new

generation by birth and substraction of the old generation by

death. Among most of the landless poor tribals, it is a

common practice to live in nuclear families, as thay are not

' affected as mu!ih as the landed gentry, by the e1·ratic mode of

agricultural production which depends on soil, rainfall,

pes'ts e'tc. \!:>lngn, l'f"/::S). And the Bhunjias earlier lived

soLeLy on hunting and food gathering eco'J_~Y· Nowadays they

foLLow agrlCULture as 'tneu- pr1mary economy pursuits 0 This is

par~~Y supp01·ted by hunting and food gathering. A considerable

- 265 -

number of Bhunjia people work as agricultural and industrial

labourers.

Published literature with respect to the tribals

show extended family system to be more prevalent among the

Urali than among the kanikkar <Nag, 1956>. Sim~lf type of

family

district

is dominant among the Santhals. Mahalis of ~"" miliiEtapur

and also among the Santhals and Birhors of

Haza>-ibagh dist•-ict <Verna, 1977,Raha1964). Nuclear type of

family is common among the Oraons <Maulik, 1967),

Domicile size

Table 92 gives the domicile size of the Bhunjias.

The mean domicile size of the Bhunjias is 4.6. The domicile

size of a population depends upon various factors such as

social, biological and eronomic. The size decreases when

children grow and break away from their parents to

establish their own conjugal units. The other limiting

factors which effect the family size are the occurencea of

death, unmarried and issueless couples etc. Table 92 shows

that out of 279 Bhunjia f.amilies, 48.38% ofthe total f.all • in , ~ne ca~egory DT ~-b member group. 35.48% comes into the

categfry of small family size. In the big family category

i,e, 7 to 10 and above member group there are 45 families

constituting 16.13% of the total population surveyed.

The National Sample Survey data of the operation ,- r

Research Group 11973> indicates that the prefence of ;a family " .

lype of f<Woll y.

A. Sinq.>le f'anoi 1 y

1. Nuclear 2. Incomplete 3. Un irroenobe r

B. Internoed1ate

1. Vert1cal 2. Horizontal 3. Buthways

c. Joint t'amily

1 • Vertical 2. Horizo11tal 3. Vert1co-Horizontal 4. Co-lateral

- iOb·•

IAHLE 'il

-, ype of fannly and mean dontltile ~i.:.::e autun~~

th,; l:ihunji«s

f· requency N<1.l

1 :08 ( 4 'i. 46) 49< •1/' .. 56) 2(0.71)

16(5. /J) '1 (0.35)

6()(21.50) 2 (0.71) 6 (2. ·15)

·1 otal popu lat 1011

623 '10 1

2

432 12 37

mean donoicile size

4.5 2.0 2.6

4. c,· J.<J

3. 1 60. (.;1

6. 1

--- -------·---------~------- -- --·-·-------·-----·-- ----------·---- ----- ···- -·----····

Total 297 <100.00) 1302 4.6

- 26 7 -

TABLE. 92

DistFLbution of fam•ly to 1ts ••ze in tlhujlo~ population

f·amtly siz,;

Sma 11 < 1-3 J Medium < 4··6) Large (7.9) Very larqe ( 10+)

9'1.0 13::...0 3::;.0 10.0

2/'7.0

35.49 48.~8

12.55 3.C>8

100. 00

- 268 -

0 size of 3 or 4 children was d~minant.

Age and Sex Structure of the Bhunjias

Age profile provides a rou~ index of the

growth phase. Table 93 gives a detail picture of the

proulation distribution of Bhunjia in different villages

surveyed. The table shows that the group of 15-44 years ··r\

characte~sing its present high ferti~ity potential. In the

young age group the percentage distribution is 64.08Y. males

and 34.86%. males and 15.33% females fall in age group 45

years and above. Inthe 0-4 years group there are 11.77% males

and 14.10% females. Children aged 5-14years consists 20.52%.

lhe 61.25% males and 66.71% females form active labour force

1,e, 1n 1:na age group l:l-:l'>' years. Only 2.68% males and 0,.95%

Tema1es are found in fthe age gr~~f 60 yrs. above. Comparing

with the census of 1981 it is seen that the present

population is more or less alike with slight difference with

that of the total populati.on of India in various age groups.

Pgpulation pyrtmid

The population structure is a direct consequence of

a number of independent variables affecting reproduction of a

human population living under a given ecological condition.

1ne 1n1:erac1:10n oT these variables determine the degree of ·/-

lSOltlon of a popolation i,e the probability of genetic drift

ana a11 otner m1cro evo1u1:10nay changes occuring within its

gone pool Suzol dzic, 1988>. The distribution of a population

TA

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- 2 71 -

by age and sex together is usually reapresented by a

hor/izontal t p f b Y e o ar graph, known as population pyt·amid.

This is a simple.illustrated tecnigue to study age profile of

a commun1ty. !t tells at a glance birth structure at a given

oate and accumulated effect of past fertility and migration.

The vat·ious bars represent successive age gt·oups

from the lowest age at the bottom to the highest age at the

top, each divided between males at the left and females at

' the right. The length of all bars together, as denoted by the

scale along the hor/1zontal axis, represent 100 X. Each bar

thus represents what proportion the age group is in the

total.

An examination of fig.~~reveals that the population

pyramid of the Bhunjia have a broad base, representing a

triangular model. The reason for this shape is that among

those born, some have died each year reducing the length of

the bars representing age group. Irrlgularities in age

structure as revealed in the pyramid imply either wide

variation in marked fluctuations in birth and mortality or

both factors and this, produced irregularities in the

population pyramids. These irregularities rema.in in

population pyramid of successive dates, gradually moving up

to top of the graph and disappearing only when people die.

The broad based population pyramid of triangular type of the

tribe under study is indicative of the positive of the

- 272 -

youngest ages is very large, the population is dou~l•••

"""' j:>nas., uf ,-ap !J y,-ow""·

Marital status ~ age and ~ in BhunJia

in

Monogamy is the general profile of the Bhunjia

society. They marry their daughters both as infants and as

adults. Arrangement of marriage is generally made by the

parents of the bride and bridegroom and their kinsmen,

Divorce and widow remarriage are practised ftequently.

Mal-riage stat-ts the repoductive cycle in any

soc1ety. An analysis of marital status of different societies

may ,-ef lect social, economic: ar'ld natural d i fferenc:es among

them. The increase or decrease in number of married people

1nd1cates tne Tuture potential of population growth. In other

words, the marital status influences largely the population

growt;n.

table 94 shows the mart~al status among Bhunjia in

different villages. Out of 1302 Bhunjias, 554 or 42.54 X were

unmarried, 702 or, 53.91 %are married, 44 or 3.37 were widow

and 2 or 0.15 were found divorced or separated.

Considering the unmarried column of the table, it

is found that unmarried males (23.11%> are more in comparison

to the females <19.43%) males and females get married after

cross1ng the adolescent; per1od.

Among the people living in their conjugal life

there are 27.03Y. males and 26.88% females in the total

- 2 73 -

11<lH ~4 Man tal , latus by age o~na sex 111 the BhunJ u

______ .,. .. -------------------------------------__ ,.. ___ ------------·---------------·---- ............ ------------Marnell Uivorce/Sepuo~tea

!e gr.oups --- ---------·-··------ \ -----------------------:---------------------; -------------- ------ ----n years) Male Fe&ale Total \Male Fe..ale Total :Male Ftlliile Total :1\ale i·e•olt lotal ---------------------------------------------------------·------------------------ -------------------------4 79 B~ 168

126.25) (3).171 130.:>'2! 9 :& 84 162

(25. q·.; (33.201; (29.251 ·14 sa 41 105

I 19.271 I 18.601 I 18.~1 ·19 ':J7 32 89 3 30 :J3

113.941 ( 11!.;4) ( 16.651 (0.851 18.571 14.101 24 20 21 2~ J3 102 z 2

16.64i 10.391 13.801 18.Z31 120.851 I 14.52i !11.)61 14.451 29 9 7S II 146 1

12.991 121.301 120.<81 12MOi 1100.001 150.00i 34 63 5() I 13 2 2

(17.901 (14.281 116.101 111.761 (4.451 39 57 30 87 4 4

11UOI 110.281 142.401 (23.531 10.451 14 23 19 42 s 1 6

16.531 !5,431 !5.981 (2'/.41) 13.70) t13.63l 19 27 40 67 7 7

17.671 111.43) 19.541 (25.931 115.901 ·4 25 17 42 2 11 13 1 t

(7,101 (4.851 !5.981 111.761 !40.741 129.541 ( 100.001150.001 q 33 9 4Z 1 7 8

(9.371 1e.1>01 15.981 15.891 125. 93) I 18.18) 4 8 3 11 1 1

12.301 10.851 I 1.561 (3.701 12.251 9 7 7

I 1. 98) 11.001 e 2 4 1 1

10.571 (0.571 (0.561 (5.891 12.251 ------------

301 ?53 554 J52 350 70Z 17 27 44 1 1 2 123.111 ( 19.431 (4£.541 127.031 t2l.031 153.911 11.30) 12.071 13.371 !0.0761 (0.0761 10.1~1

- 274 -

BhunJia sample. The percentage distribution of total females

is higher than males in the younger age group. This

difference between the percentage districution of married

males and females showed that the husband is older than wife.

Out of 44 cases of widow/widower females (2.07l0

showed h1gher percentage than males 11.30Kl.

separated cases were few. The small population of widQwed and

in younger age ~roup may be explained in

terms of the system of remarriage. The BhunJias remarry

quickly after the dissolut1on of previous marriage.

lhe marital status of the females based on the data

of 1961 cencus on different tribal groups liv1ng in plain

area show sonsiderably larger number of married person 1n the

age group 0-14 <e.g., Santhal, Draon, Munda, Bhunji and

-( Bhunjia) than that of the North Bengal t,1bal groups IBhutia,

Mech, Ml-u 1 Lepcha, Garo, Chakma and Rabha) • l t is probably

due to the influence of the Hindus with whom the tribals came

1n con~ac~ Tor genera~1ons togetner \Khan, 1969).

~ge ~ marriage in Bhunjia

f.lge at marriage has got an .impoa-tant bearing on the

fertility of women <Sinha, et.al. 1987). lt influences the

fertility potential from the physiological point of view.

Sociological factor l1ke marriage habits may operate via

biological factor of age at marriage or widow remarriage

wh1ch may ultimately influence fertility <Pethe, 1964>.

TABL~ ~5

Pre

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oF

BhunJl~

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- 2 76 -

The percentage distribution of age at marriage for

women at diffe•-ent age group is given in table 95. It is

observed that n1 · b ax1mum num er of ma•-riages in Bhunjia males

ranges between 20-24 years <29-43%1 while that of the females

between 15-19 years <24.55%1. The mean age at marriage for

males is 22.71 0.18 which is lower in comparison to the

mean ma1-r1age age level of India (23.27 years, Census, 19811

but higher than the state level of Madhya Pradesh. (20.57%

Census 19811 Mean marr1age age level for the Bhujia females

are 17.50~ 0.21 which is slightly higher than the state level

of Madhya Pradesh (16.52 yea,-s, Census 19811.

Among the other tribal groups the mean marriage age

among the Totes were found to be 18.8 for males and 15.6 for

females <Chakraborty et.al 19671. The mean marriage age of

the Santhals <males being 22.1 yrs and that of females 17.8

yrsl is slightly lower than the Birhors <males 22.9 years and

females 18.7 years). A decrease in age at marriage among the

agr lCUl t;UI-al sect; 1on of the Korwas was noted by Sri vastav

et;. al 1 '16'/.

Mariage distance among the Bhunjias

The study of marriage distance has social and

genetic implications as well. It is used to determine the

local genetic structure of a population by the amount of gene

flow and the s1ze of geographical a•-ea ove•- which the genes

are flowing. Sewall Wr1ght <1943, 19461 utilised the distance

- 277 -

•ABel '16 Frequency dlstnbutJOn ot' IJiarrtag~ dlStdiiCe HI utffereot Vld~9!!S aM ll! poaied Santplt! Ill' t:l!ttJnjld

···----------- ---------- -- ------ --------------------- ---- -- -- ---- --- -----·-- ------------ --------------------------.------- ----. Dlslance VILLAGE OF fYf'l BMUNJ!A~ Hr K1. -----··----- ------------ ·----------------·---··· -··--·-- ---- --··----··--· ---· ------------··-·· ··---- ------ ·-----·

Hodapal1 Baghnrar Tenduba1 Mohuabhata Jur>g<r Jungra ~mar Tuurenga Ktruknra Pooled ---------------------------- --------------··---· ------------------- - ---------------------------------------------------·

0 8 7 3 16 8 2 15 ' 3 o• (29.6) 121. 9) I 1o.n 116.21 142.11 1 1o.z1 m.:n ( ,;,38) 16.1) 119.W

o-4 s 6 2 14 1 30 < 18.S! I 18.81 ( 11. 1) I 14. 1) \9 .1) 11.70) 12.01 1'1.<:91

5-9 5 8 1 " 6 8 1 4 , "' 0-

122.2! 12).0) 1).5) 12/.3) (31.01 i>. I I I 14.5! ("1.70) 18.2) I 17'.20! 11H4 3 6 14 3 ; 2 J~J

I 11.1! 118.Cl 15.5) I 14. 1) 11).8) 1'1.0) 11;.38! (2.0/ (11.14! 15-19 1 5 8 10 1 2S

13.1) 127.8! 18.01 118.£) 12.01 11./41 1o-24 1 1 2 3 !l

13.1) 11.01 13.61 17 .70) 16.1' 1::...4"11 25-29 0 I 1C! 12

i 11. 1l 11.0i 13.bl 124.!:! {~.J~·)

Jl\-34 2 4 1 ~

12.0! U.2) 17. iOl 12.0! 12.47! JS 39 1 6 7 ' 2 4 5 27

<3.1) 133.:Jl <7.0! 110.5! 13.6! 130.77! I 10.2! !8.36! 4l\-44 4 1 2 7

!7.2! 11.70! i4. i) !2.16! 45-49 4 4 1 'I

!4.0! 136.4! 11.8) (2.78! 5o-54 2 3 3 8

16.2! 13.0) 16.1! 12.47) 55-59 12 13

13.7! 12Ul (4.()2)

!l\-64 1 2 i 1.0) 12.0l to.62l

65-69 1 2 !3.7! (9. 1l 10.62!

71!+ 2 4 I 1.01 (9,1) (3.6) ( 1.24!

~---------------------- --------- ------· iool!d 27( 10'J.OOJ32i 100.001 1&1100.00!'1'/i 100.00l19t100.00l 11! 100.00!55! 100.00! 13! 100.00149! 100.00!3<:3! 100.001

11!1li=10.94 1'1!1L=iG.09 lll!i=18.38 MD=13.92 ~tUJ--8.00 MD=31.b8 ~11. 18 n~·21.j4 ~33.72

ltnutllal Corrlldlrt•:-ft~an dHt<nct IPuil•di · 17.6~ 1.03

3.!J. - 18.!:3 = SLI - •u. 7J

~04.'18 >'2N

S• ... neSI I•JII - 1.~::

~ur\O!U 1~2! • o. 18811

20

18

16

14

12

10

8 6 4 2 0

Fi~s H

is to

. Sh

ow

ing

th

e d

istr

ibu

tio

n o

f m

arr

iag

e d

ista

nce

in

the

Bhu

n_jia

Pe

rce

nta

ge

FJ"

Etq

uenc

y

j I I ..

.. /

0 1

-4

115 ..

0 1

0-1

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-t.

20-2-4..2~-·2'Q3(J-,3.4.3ii-~9.J0-4-.f.fl

.C.~

Ii.(

f ti

4

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>fi

Q-6

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•

dis

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in

kilo

me

ters

{'·.

J __,

CD

.. ~ 71 -

between the place of parents and offspring to measure

'isolation by d1stance'. Majumda•- 1977, reviewed the models

of matrimonial migration that have so far been proposed. A

detail description of marital distance ofthe'Rarhi Brahmin of

Chakdah < Dev i , 1973> show that the tendency of settling

marriage within home district 1s dominant even if they are

displaced fa>- whatever reasons.

The frequency distribution of marr1age distance 1n

different villages and in pooled sample of Bhunjia is given

in the Table 96. It is observed from the above table that the

bulk of marriages 119.81Xl have taken place within the

village but 11.14X of marr1age took place within the distance

of 10 Kms. in the pooled data: Although the marriage were

quiet frequent within the distance of 40 Kms. Highest

marriage distance we>-e observed in the village Khokma (33.72

Kms. > and the lowest marriage distance was observed in the

village Jungar 117.65 Kms.>. Statistical analysis show that

the cU>-ve is of negatively skewed 11.09) and is more peaked

or 'leptocurtic'.

While ·comparing with the other populations of

India, the Bhunjias do not differ much from the Madigas, a

schedule caste of Andhra Pradesh !Babu ~ Naidu, 1992).

From the above d1scuss1ons, it may be concluded

among the Bhunjtas the absence of terrttorial <Roy Choudhury,

1984) and clan exogamy !Chekki, 1968> easy availability of

- 280 -

mates from the same subcaste, physical pt-o:umi tty and

knowleDge oT Tam11y oacKgrouno or each other IDasgupta, 1964)

posslt.>ility of pe1·sonal visits and mutual aid among kin, and

1n~erk1n marr1age. Suspicion and fear of

contl1cts in having mar~tal 1 inks w1 th j\

unknown people of

DlTTe>-ent socio-economic backg>-ound living in fa1- of places,

nave provided l1mited latitudes in mattter as select1on of

mates Wl~hln a snort dtstdnce.

Reproductive patternn ~ maternal age

kept-oductive deta1ls for wome• of all ages who had

been man- 1 ed, a>-e pi-esented • n tab I e 'f7. It is ev 1dent

the above table that of 40'l women married, on 1 y 87 women

never bore a ch1ld 1.e. 4.67K were found infertile at the

time of 1nvest,iigation. The mean number of live-bit-ths at all

ages are 3.64 :!:: 0.77 while that of surviv1ng is 3.40:!:: 0.45.

the number of children born to ever married women in each age

group show that the number of children born, increase with

the increase of age group of mothers. The maximum number of

children ever born to per ever married women in the age group

of 40-49 yeat-s lcomp,leted fertile) is' about 5.21 + 0.94. This

mean numbet- of about six live bit-tths pet- woman is similar to

that observed among the three groups of marine fisherfolk of

Put- i <Reddy, 1984> while it is towards the upper extreme of

the range observed for the Indian populat1on under naturral

cond 1 t 1ons (e. g. Basu, 1969, Raksh1t, 19'>12. Murthy et.al.,

TA

BL

E

97

Rep

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uct1

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2

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5

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survJ.Vln•~

ch

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- 2B2

Ctu'-'-'•'.:1 1nde:~ u1 CJ~·~·urturiJt:; fur selecLJur, in tl·1e OttutiJl .. ::\. r··d r c:ttnete r s

14 i

No .. ~ut \'!Vl.Tlq tc ·1::., yt:ars

(j .. 'i2 1

\/e-~.r 1 c.1hce u t' 11 \'e L.1. r Ll,~ \ vf ,1

I fl J t:: :-~ u 1 ttr u 1 t d l l. t \.' ( 1 rtr ) "- Pd / 1-' S

I=Im + If/Ps

- 2 83-

1978) still It IS low compared to the high biological limit

of 10.9 obse1·ved amonq the Hutttel"Ites

1 9!:'13) •

<Eaton and Mayer,

Genetic considerations

The values of Crew's Index of oppo,- tun It y

natural selection cc,·ow, 1958> and its fe,·tillty <If)

mor·tali ty < 1m) components are presented In table

Accor·d 1 ng to C1·ow's fo,·mula, the selection Intensity

and

98..

<I>

dmong the Rhunjia,, IS u.?f3:3". It IS evident f1·om the table 98

that Im ( .u'g'S) is h1qhec than If ( .2.2$>. A similal- Situation

wc:-l.s 1ound 111 ~J out ut 10 t1-1bal populatlCHl studied by Sphulet-

( 1'-162) and In 5 out of 6 studied by Salzano <1~63).

the Index of tatal selection Intensity. lt, among the Bhunjia

falls towards the lower limit of the range (U.6-3.7)

among 10~

1ndicat1ng

1ntensity.

tr Iba 1 population studied by Sphuler

thereby that selection IS act1ng Wl th

found

( 1962)