P. A. Chacko S. J.
Tribal Greetings – Santal Tribe
The indigenous Santal Tribe, a homogeneous tribe, is an Austroasiatic Munda ethnic group found in the Indian subcontinent. They are spread out in central, eastern and north India, the largest chunk being in Jharkhand state.They are also found in Bangladesh and Nepal. Their current population is said to be around seven million. They have distinctive cultural characteristics.
Their modes of greetings have a variety and beauty of their own.
They have about a dozen forms of interpersonal greetings.
Such a variety marks their respect for seniority mostly.
For example, a senior adult is greeted by his junior by offering a particular gesture to acknowledge the receiver’s seniority.
A male adult is greeted by a junior person in a way by which shows the junior gives and the senior receives.
So too, a senior lady receives a greeting from a junior female.
Two age level equal friends have one particular way of greeting each other.
Between two male and female inlaws there is a particular way of greeting.
So too, between two female inlaws the way of greeting is different.
A person who pays a visit as a guest to a family is greeted by a female person by offering a tumbler of water and then with a particula greeting gesture. Thereafter, the guest’s feet are washed and massaged with oil in order to relieve the person from the fatigue of a presumably long journey. Once that is done, the rest of the family members greet the guest in the usual way.
Such forms of greeting reveal cultural variety.