The term tribe is derived from the Latin word
tribus: tri means three, bhuour or bu means to be; thus literally "to be
three". This category was used to identify three divisions of the Roman
people – Tintienses, Ramnenses and Luceres. It was a political and
administrative category used in the Roman Empire for its citizens, used for
taxation, military levies and censuses without a pejorative meaning. This
category or term tribe or tribe has been used by anthropologists as "a
group of people speaking a common language, following uniform rules of social
organization, and working together on common typical characteristics, common
name, contiguous territory, relatively uniform culture or way of life, and
traditions of common origin". However, some anthropologists have come to
use the term tribe negatively to maintain the distinction between tribal
society and modern society with the former as a people without political
institution and the later with a systematic political institution. In contrast,
the 20th century anthropologist understood tribal society as consisting of a
relatively small number, having social, legal, and political relations as well
as its own moral, religious, and worldview. Yet, despite the recognition of the
political institution, the tribals were still seen in the modern category as
wild and uncivilized people "they are a completely ignorant, miserable
race of mortals".
In India, the use of the term Scheduled Tribes
in the Constitution has no definitive definition but is used to designate the
religious identity and economic status of people who are economically poor and
socially marginalized and who do not belong to the Muslim and Hindu
communities.
Indigenous
Indigenous peoples are referred to variously as 'First Nations', 'Natives' and
tribes. The term indigenous people has no universal or fixed definition.
Aboriginal communities, tribes and peoples are
groups, races and peoples that have a continuous history with pre-occupation
people and colonies established on their lands and are considered distinct from
other peoples. that now predominate in those territories or parts of them. They
currently form the non-dominant parts of society and are determined to
preserve, develop and pass on to future generations the territory of their
ancestors and their ethnic identity as the basis for the continuation of the
state according to its cultural structure, social institutions and laws. This
historical continuity may consist of the continuation of one or more of the
following factors over a longer period of time to the present day:
a) Living in ancestral territory, or at least
some of it;
b) common origin with the original inhabitants
of these lands;
c) culture in general or in specific
manifestations (such as religion, life under a tribe
system, belonging to an indigenous community,
dress, livelihood, lifestyle,
etc.);
d) language (whether used as the only language,
as the mother tongue, as the usual means). Communicate at home or within the
family or primarily through culture, general language or language;
e) residence in certain parts of the country or
in certain areas of the world;
f) other relevant factors.
Tribal theology
Recognizing the "differentiated liberation
struggle" of various tribal and ethnic groups in the NEI, "tribal
theology" can be defined as a conglomeration of identity-specific
theologies of various tribes that seek to interpret the Christian faith in
terms of their specific identity as well as shared identity and experience.
Tribal theology can be elaborated as: 1) Contextual theology, which takes
seriously the situatedness of creation, social, political, economic and
religious context of people to produce relevant theology. 2) It is a theology
of culture because it seeks, on the one hand, to reflect Christian faith and,
on the other hand, to re-appropriate liberating and life-affirming cultural
values for theological articulation. 3) It is a theology of liberation that
appropriates the liberating message of the gospel to the political, social,
economic, religious and moral dimensions of life. 4) It is a theology of
identity that seeks to restore the dignity and maintain the tribal Christian
identity by adopting the tribal music, architectural style, restructuring of
the worship pattern and other good cultural values present in the culture and
tradition. 5) It is a theology of development/social transformation that seeks
to grow together in harmony with tribal community life to build a shalomic
society or common good for all. 6) It is also a contextual liberation theology
that deals with the liberation of men and women in tribal society.
Contextual theology
In 1972, Shoki Coe and Aharon Sapsezian,
directors of the Theological Education Fund, coined the term
"contextualization" to be applied to the areas of mission,
theological approach, and educational method and structure. They defined as
follows:
Contextualization is not just a fad or
catchphrase, but a theological necessity demanded by the incarnational nature
of the word. What does this term mean? It means all that is implied in the
familiar term "indigenization," and yet it seeks to go further.
Contextualization has to do with how we evaluate the distinctiveness of Third
World contexts. Indigenization tends to be used to mean a response to the
gospel from the perspective of a traditional culture. Contextualization does
not ignore this, but takes into account the process of secularity, technology
and the struggle for human justice that characterizes the historical movements
of peoples in the Third World.
Stephen B. Bevans aptly defined contextual
theology as: “a mode of theology in which consideration is given to: the spirit
and message of the gospel; the traditions of the Christian people; the culture
in which it is theologized; and social changes in that culture, whether brought
about by Western technological processes or grassroots struggles for equality,
justice and liberation". Contextual theology, which is also popularly
referred to as liberation theology, embarked on a dissatisfaction with the
classical/traditional theological enterprise that failed in emergency analyzes
of the historical, political, social and religious context of the host culture
for transformation. The enterprise of contextual theology is seriously
concerned with context as an indispensable resource alongside the Christian
heritage for illuminating Christian faith and practice.
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