Abstract

The status of tribal women in Northern India presents a unique intersection of gender indigeneity and culture revealing both resilience and marginalization. Unlike mainstream patriarchal structures many tribal societies are relatively egalitarian with women playing vital roles in economic activities traditional governance and cultural practices. However colonial disruptions post-independence development policies and modern socio-economic transformations have gradually altered these dynamics. This paper explores the cultural status of tribal women in Northern India with a focus on their social roles customary practices identity formations and the changing contours of gender relations in tribal societies. Drawing from ethnographic studies policy evaluations and oral histories it argues that while tribal women historically enjoyed relatively autonomous positions within their communities contemporary pressures such as land alienation displacement militarization and state-driven assimilatio