TRIBAL THEOLOGY:
Excerpt from Introduction to Christian Theologies in India by Laji Chacko,
pp 202-205.
Tribal Identity
Along with the
Dalits, the tribals of India form the ‘subaltern’ section of Indian society.
This sector forms four-fifth of India’s population, but their corporate
religious and cultural experience has been treated as inferior to that of the
dominant class and less important for the India theological enterprise.23The
English word ‘tribe’ is derived from the Latin word Tribus (Tri- three, bhuour
or bu – to be) which means ‘to be three’. It was used to identify
the three basic divisions of the Romans – the
Tintieneses, Ramneses and Luceres for the purpose of taxation, military
conscription and census taking. The use of the term ‘tribal’ became popular
with the colonization and spread of Christianity and it was used to denote a
group of people speaking a common language, observing uniform rules of social
of social organization and working together for some common purpose such as trade,
agriculture and welfare. It is interesting to note that the term ‘tribe’ or
‘tribal’ does not originate with those people who are identified as tribals but
it was imposed upon by the anthropologists, missionaries and later by the
Constitution of India. The term carries a strong pejorative, negative and
derogatory meaning in India that it implies backward, primitive and uncivilized
people living in the hills and forests.
Tribal Christology
Taking the
Biblical verse from Hebrews 1 : 1 ff, “in
the past God spoke to our ancestors…but in these days he has spoken to us through
his Son Jesus Christ”, Keitzar speaks on making Christ present in our midst
as one of us, not as a foreigner, because God has spoken to our people, too,
through him. Since God spoke to our ancestors, writes Keitzar, our cultural
traditions are important, but it is in Christ God has finally spoken and so all
our heritages must be reinterpreted in terms of God’s final revelation in
Christ Jesus. Keitzar insists that we have to take risks to reinterpret Christ
in the contexts of our socio-cultural traditions and contemporary realities. In order to
develop tribal Christology we need to know the tribal ethos. Tribal
people have a strong sense of community. Each tribal exists because the
community exists, and each one lives for the community and is ready to give
his/her life for it. This community feeling is seen particularly in times of
celebrations, clearing of jungles, preparation of fields for cultivation,
wedding, harvesting, construction of houses, collaboration in times of need, of
natural calamities, etc. It is enough to entrust something to a group of tribals,
and one can be sure that it will be carried out provided
thatthey have
accepted it whole-heartedly. This sense of corporate identity is very strong
among the tribals. It is the communion of mind and heart the Good News in the
Christian sense. A second characteristic is closeness to creation and
attachment to the land. Land is more than a means of production. It is what
gives birth to all the other gifts. It is “mother” earth. There is a strong
spiritual relationship between tribal people and their land. It is strongly interwoven
with their tribal identity. In the words of S. Tuwere, “it (land) is a heavily
loaded term and combines together economics, politics, history, sociology,
ethnicity tradition, identity and spirituality. A third characteristic is a
bunch of qualities together, namely, their democratic orientation, sense of
equality, sense of independence, habit of open, frank discussion, absence of
inhibitions, creatively, simplicity,
sincerity, truthfulness, happy and jovial disposition, hardworking,
hospitality, sociability, practicality, peace loving, etc. all these positive
qualities are a reflection of the Goodness of God and an affirmation of Gospel
values.”
Presenting Jesus as a Tribal
Presenting Jesus
as a Tribal would help to show that Biblical revelation and early Christian
tradition have much in common with tribal cultural realities; that the Old
Testament expresses the faith of the tribes of Israel; that the Bible remains
faithful to its tribal ethos even when its tribal structure was replaced by a
monarchy and that the teaching of Jesus can be seen as a return to this tribal ethos
in its most authentic meaning. Presenting Jesus as a Tribal would mean that
biblical symbols can be very appealing and meaningful to tribal cultures; Jesus
as the Healer, the Liberator, the Compassionate Friend of the poor and the
needy, the Good Samaritan, the Good Shepherd, the obedient one, the Servant of
all, the One who is interested in all peoples, the One who stands for truth,
the One who wants to free us from evil and all corrupt practices and habits,
the One who suffered for us all, the one who gives abundant life, the One who
can lead us to Life Eternal- Life without end, the One who loves “My culture” and
“All the Cultures,” the One who cares for our integral development and
well-being, the One who builds communion of mind and heart with the whole
creation, the One who is ever ready to listen to us, the One who has no
prejudice, the One who respects human dignity and freedom, the One who has a
preferential love for the poor and the weak, the defenseless and the voiceless,
the One who is the fulfillment of all our hopes, and the One who can obtain
forgiveness of all our sins.
Presenting Jesus as the Tribal will help the tribal
people as the fulfillment of the people’s mythologies, folklore, stories,
proverbs, festivals etc. Jesus the Tribal does not negate but radicalizes
true, praise (Phil. 4:8-9). It is in the nature of tribal ethos to remain open
to Healing ministry, Praying ministry and Music ministry as we proclaim and present
Jesus Christ. He is the healthiest ancestor who is still alive among them. He
is the master of initiation. “Who do you say I am”? (Mark16:16) is one question
that can receive the most enriching answers from the tribals. The tribals are
continually writing theology with dances and celebration, with their music and
drama, with their art forms and architecture, with their living experience
as disciples of
Jesus Christ. The tribal response to God who has spoken through his son is being
formulated from the struggles they go through, from their joys, their pains,
their hopes and anxieties and frustrations of everyday life.
Though basically
the tribals are the same, they are different in their resourcefulness,
aspirations and characteristics. The adivasis of Chotanagpur origin, for
example are different from the Nagas and Kuki-Chin tribals of North East India.
Hence, in developing a mission theology for the tribals, and in making Jesus
“Real” to them, the tribal contexts must get more attention: their
spirituality, their poems, myths, songs, tales, legends, dances, stories,
music, rites of passage (birth and childhood rituals, marriage customs, family,
death ceremonies) which become also part of the resources to theologizing. The
place of Christ who is originally related to everything in creation etc., are
part of a tribal theology in the making. Presenting Jesus as a Tribal will give
more relevance to Christian faith among the tribal people when Jesus appears to
them as their Primeval Ancestor, Tribal Chief, the Centre of their festivals
and celebrations, the Guardian of Creation, the One who will never separate
them from their land.
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