Self-sufficiency with Shifting Cultivation in a Reestablished Salain Chin Village of the Rakhine Mountains

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  • Tanaka Motomu
    Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo

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Other Title
  • ラカイン山脈におけるサラインチン人集落の再建と焼畑によるコメ自給システム
  • ラカイン サンミャク ニ オケル サラインチンジン シュウラク ノ サイケン ト ヤキハタ ニ ヨル コメ ジキュウ システム

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Abstract

This paper considers, firstly, changes in shifting cultivation practices after village reestablishment, placing special emphasis on tenure and land use systems. Secondly, this paper clarifies how self-sufficiency in rice is attained through the system of shifting cultivation in view of risk avoidance and mutual aid systems. Finally, I discuss possible changes in the self-sufficient rice production system in the region brought about by the new forest policy restricting shifting cultivation, in view of the gap between permitted and needed areas of shifting cultivation and the discrepancy between traditional perception and official boundary in land use patterns. <br>  Rebels invaded village A between 1969 and 1972,and all the villagers took refuge in nearby towns. When the peace and order condition improved, some villagers returned and reestablished their village. In the process of reestablishment, the land tenure system became more communal because some land owners didn't return. Since the late 1980s, roads and general stores have been constructed, and they have reinforced the impact of the market economy on Salain Chin. For instance, fruit growing was introduced, and new hamlets were constructed in places closer to the market, making the transport and selling of fruits more efficient. However, residents of Hamlet D with the worst access to the market persisted in cultivating rice for self-sufficiency. The residents prefer to avoid risks of decreasing harvests from wild boar attacks and unstable weather by planting various species of rice in the hamlet. Furthermore, the mutual aid system still exists. For instance, apuuyeei, a custom of lending rice to households suffering from its lack, plays an important role in maintaining self-sufficiency of rice for all lineage members. <br>  Influences of the market economy and other external factors continue to change the traditional system of risk avoidance and self-sufficiency employed by residents of Hamlet D. For instance, villagers introduced partial rice sufficiency with cash in recent years. Furthermore, customary boundaries stretch over the Magwe division and Rakhine state—Hamlet D and four other hamlets are located in Rakhine state—but the regional forest office has forced five hamlets to leave Rakhine state and to pay shifting cultivation fees since 1997. This paper shows that villagers face a difficult situation in attaining self-sufficiency through the system of shifting cultivation.

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