Sabar people
The Sabar people (also Shabar and Saora) are one of the scheduled tribes in India who live mainly in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal. During the British Raj, they were classed as one of the 'criminal tribes' under Criminal Tribes Act 1871, and still suffer from social stigma and ostracism in modern times.
Also known as Saora, the Sabar tribe finds mention in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, while in some parts of East Singhbhum district mainly in Musabani, they are known as in Kariya. Noted writer and activist Mahasweta Devi is known for working with these forest tribals.
This reclusive tribe is found primarily in East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand and in Midnapore District of West Bengal.
The traditionally forest-dwelling tribe lack experience in agriculture, and rely on the forests for their livelihood. In recent years, with the spread of the Naxalite rebellion in the area, the police often restrict their access to the forest. In 2004, five persons in the Sabar village of Amlasole, in Midnapore district, died after several months of starvation,
leading to a national media furore. Subsequently, Durbar Mahila Samanway Committee (DMSC) started a school in the area, funded partially by sex workers from Kolkata.
