Invasion of the Coolie Catchers: ‘Tea Tribe’ Adivasis of Assam Abducted and damned
When Kali Murmu left his hut for the forest with a bow and quiver in hand to pluck some fruits, he hardly knew it would be his last day in Pakur.
The year was 1837, when the trade war over Chinese tea raged dangerously with England, America, France, Spain and Netherlands flexing their muscles against each other.
In Europe, tea then was rich men’s status symbol and poor men’s dream.
Kali, a 21-year old Santhal, will soon be at Chabua in Upper Assam where Charles Alexander Bruce, an Irishman, was creating tea gardens and needed working hands.