Socio-Economic Status and Income Generating Activities of Bote Community: (A Case Study of Rajahar Vdc in Nawalparasi District, Nepal)
Date
2008
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Department of English Education
Abstract
Economy of a community is often found to be greatly influenced by the physical structure
of the area they have been inhabiting. Botes are no exception to it. Their economic life
has been greatly shaped by their habitat. At present, most of them live beyond the
subsistence level of economy and there are very for who comparatively enjoy better
economic status, yet generally their economic status fails to come closer to other
neighboring socio-cultural groups who are considered economically well. The present
study entitled "Income Generating activities of Bote Community" was conducted in
Rajahar Village Development Comittee, Nawalparasi, District, Nepal. The main
objectives of this study were to find out income generating activities, socio-economic
status, occupational structure of Bote community
Botes are indigenous people of Nawalparasi. They especially live in the bank of Narayani
river. Major source of income of Bote community is fishing and boating. Traditionally
they are less dependent on farming. River is the main source of their livelihood. Most of
them are unemployed and unskilled. Along with fishery, wage earning is another way of
their income.
Bote is the indigenous and alcohol drinking caste and they are mostly reside on the bank
of river. There are two types of Bote, which are known as Pani Bote and Pakhe Bote.
Pakhe Botes have been practicing agriculture for long time. Pani Botes also practice
agriculture to some extent, but principally they depend on river for their subsistence.
The Botes of study area do not practice Gold Panning because their forefather do not
practice it. During leisure they weave fishing net and produce small artifacts of bamboo
reeds for their personal use. Their past sources of livelihood have become less productive
and insufficient, they do not fully depend on these sources and they have been compelled
to look for alternative sources of livelihood. Botes are highly experienced food gatherers
and possess vast knowledge of forest food products. They used to gathers forest food
product from Chitwan National park. Botes of study area do not practice ferry service
because there is no any opportunity to provide ferry service. Due to lack of enough land
agriculture production alone cannot sustain them all the year round, food gap increase
during Asar and Srawan. Moreover, their size of landholding is not enough to feed them
even for a few months. During a economic hardship they look alternative mode of
subsistence like wage labor. The Botes of Rajahar call themselves as Hindu. The Botes of
Rajahar VDC celebrate almost all festivals of Hindu. During festivals they enjoy with
their relatives and used to drink lot of alcohol. Male drink more alcohol than female.
The general status of education of Bote in the study area was found to very much below
the national average. Most of Botes are illiterate which is unlikely to other community.
They do not send their kids to the school because they cannot pay fee and they have lack
of awareness. Most of the Bote people of the study area consult traditional healer for
treatment. Poverty has played great role to the deteriorating condition of their health.
Lack of capability to find new and modern type of job is serious problem to Bote people
to sustain their livelihood. So the defects on law and regulation of government should be
amended to make their life easier
Description
Keywords
Socio-Economic, occupational structure, income