Indigenous Practice of Social Work in Northeast India: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

India is an exemplary abode to more than 705 indigenous communities that vary with specific physical characteristics and cultural practices. The indigenous community, also known as “Adivasi,” depicts a strong association with land and roots, placing themselves to animistic faith and subsistence livelihood. They share a symbiotic and reverent relationship with nature. Northeast India has more than 220 ethnic communities which have mostly migrated from Southeast Asia or other parts of India due to the history of colonization. The aim of the chapter is to look into the various debates and challenges of Northeast India through the development of professional social work through two indigenous communities. The first reference is the Bodo community that has a history of more than 3000 years, and the second one is the Adivasi community, a multiethnic community who were migrated forcefully in the mid-nineteenth century by the British Raj to work for tea plantation. Since the inception of professional social work in Northeast India, it is noteworthy that both communities have a suitable number of social work practitioners who are working for their community prerogatives. The research probes into the lives of those professional social workers who are involved in projecting better community practices in order to promote peace building and protective measures for future sustenance.