Study on Socio-Economic Condition of Dalit Community of Nepal (A Case Study of Kami Community of Syuja VDC, Dang District)

Abstract

The socio- economic condition of Dalit 'Kami' is the subject matter of being concern because no doubt that Nepal has very diverse form of various caste, ethnicity and language. Such diversification has been a glory to a country. Every caste has its socio-economic and occupational aspect. Socio-cultural and occupation of any community affect the economy level. Thus, the study of socio-economic status of Dalit 'Kami' gives general information about overall Dalit. Dalit 'Kami' people are almost interdependent with other caste people. The socio-economic condition of 'Kami' is poor than other caste/ethnic groups. Caste based discrimination and discrimination among religion is gradually decreasing in the society. The socio-economic condition of 'Kami' community (A Case Study of Kami Community of Syuja VDC Dang District) has been carried out using primary data sources obtained from Dalit 'Kami' settlement area of Syuja VDC Dang District. 'Kami' people who live in Syuja VDC have faced untouchability long history as emergence of Nepalese society. 'Kami' became untouchable since caste division flourished in several intervals. Caste division originated from Hindu orthodoxy. Researchers applied various data collection technique i.e. observation, household survey, key informants etc. to explore historical impact over 'Kami' people of Syuja VDC by intermix of social milieu, by which they are obliged to survive under the fragile situation from socio-economic point of view, by the social creation of superiority and inferiority among people resulted towards the constant discrimination over specific caste groups like 'Kami' 'Damai' etc. In Syuja VDC total households of 'Kami' settlements reveals 184 among them 60 households was randomly sampled for conduct of study. People of 'Kami' community are in favour of nuclear family. Most of all 'Kami' of Syuja VDC comprises the Hindu. They could not adopt the full celebration of Hindu ceremonies. Educational status of the Kami is low. Most of them are illiterate. However, female illiteracy rate is quite miserable condition than male. It is mainly causes of prominent female discrimination. On the question of reason for hindrance of getting education, they believed that poverty is main cause to get education by 'Kami.' Similarly, social discrimination is another cause of back-draw of get education by 'Kami' of Syuja VDC. Economic status of 'Kami' comprises at Syuja VDC is very pathetic situation. Main income source of 'Kami' of this VDC are live stocks, landholding, wage labour and traditional occupation. Majority of landholding size by 'Kami comprises less. This data reflects real determination that they are surviving under lack of food sufficiency and lack of excess of landholding size because exploitation and discrimination against 'Kami' by high caste. Yearly, 'Kami' people of this VDC produce less quantity. So, they most have obligations to survive on trembling situation of poverty and malnutrition problem. Most of 'Kami' people receive loan from landholders in high interest to solve their household problems. In the study area, the number of people following traditional occupation i.e. blacksmith/goldsmith for the economic point of view is decreasing. However, the decrease in the adaptation of traditional occupation in favour of 'Kami' leads to imitate or copy, adopt another valuable profession in order to ameliorate the present socio-economic status by perpetual repercussion of the liberal thinking and development endeavours. By the time being everything in the world is constantly changing better off, the prominent example of socio-cultural and occupational change in Syuja VDC by the influence of various internal and external factors. At this VDC, after introduction and establishment of different development oriented activities by various sources made whole 'Kami' people divert into and adopted modern way of life. They are changing their occupation, their traditional belief in 'Kami' community several institutions such as tradition, marriage system, occupation etc. virtually altered in modern way of tradition. Marriage system in 'Kami' community at this VDC is mostly organized by indigenous form. In the study area, researcher has found the major problems of discrimination against the 'Kami' reveal main factor of undermine into plight socio-economic status. Unprecendently imposed social discrimination private as well as public places against the 'Kami' such as prohibition to enter into temple, house discrimination. Similarly, economic discrimination is another rift against 'Kami's' opportunities of economic point of view. 'Kami' castes people are considered second rank of people. So, they are socially economically marginalized from the access of opportunities.