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Gailimi - Punglomi land dispute; poverty of Golomi, exacerbated by punishment fines after uprising; resignation of gaonbura |
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24th. Via Golomi (Chama) to Gailimi (Rawuma) where I dealt with a long standing land dispute between Gailimi and Punglomi (Tehema). I counted Golomi on the way. A squalid and miserable village in a state of approaching disruption. Noticing the wild plantains all cut down by the path, I asked the reason, and learned that for two seasons now the village has lived largely on the cores of wild plantain trees - food on which even an elephant cannot thrive. A few dig for wild yams, but most have not the strength for this. The gaonbura has resigned and the village cannot find anyone willing to replace him. Their share in the Gaidhiliu business amounted to allowing two scally-wags from Perenmi to sacrifice in her name in the village one wretched piglet, and to denying all knowledge, almost certainly for fear of the curse put on all who gave information, as the village is at present it is quite incapable of any serious agitation either against the administration or in favour of it or of anything else. They have had their gun taken away and been assessed at Rs.3/- instead of Rs.2/- for house tax and have paid part of the fine of rice assessed on them. They have not paid in full because the rice was not there. As for revenue they have not yet paid all their revenue for 1932-33, let alone that for 1933-34. The G.B. gave as his reason for resigning that when sepoys etc. came through to and from Henima needing coolies the people ran into the jungle and he got arrested because he could not produce coolies. Most of the people I saw were half-starved, terribly anaemic, and riddled with malaria. Probably they run away because they are not fit to carry and it is quite likely they have had too much carrying to do. The existence of the O.P. at Henima has greatly increased cooly work on a road which has always given difficulties owing to the small size of the villages and their distance from the road. The village is almost half the size it was five years ago and I found seven empty houses still intact and inhabitable but deserted. Whatever punishment was inflicted on their villages, it should not have been fined in rice. |
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After settling my camp in Gaili I went on down to the disputed land, dealt with that and came back and counted the village. Their misdemeanours and punishments were the same as those of Golomi. They applied for the return of the village gun, without which they cannot protect their fields from monkeys and elephants, and the reduction of their house tax to Rs.2/- again and for remission of the unpaid part of their fine of rice. I promised nothing but I think that all three are desirable for several villages including Gaili. It is better off than Golo, but that is all. It has paid its revenue up to date. A few minor cases disposed of here. I saw the green ray for the first time, only it was blue. |
