ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book includes some presentations made at the Second Chotro Conference held in Baroda in 2009 as well as some presentations made at the next Chotro held in 2010 at Delhi and Shimla. While the participants of these Chotro events included eminent scholars from the fields of literature and social sciences, the focus of the presentations and interactions remained the indigenous communities from all parts of the world. The story of the DNTs goes back to the early years of colonial rule. In those times, whoever opposed the British colonial expansion was perceived as a potential criminal. Particularly, if any attempt was made to oppose the colonial government with the use of arms, the charge of criminality was a certainty. The British did not understand the communities that were non-sedentary.
