Oral History Interview: Motibhai Labhabhai Tramta

Content Description

In this 21-minute oral history, Motibhai Tramta, an elder Maldhari from the Rabari community in Reshamiya village, Chotila, shares his life story, including his early years in pastoralism, daily routines of livestock herding, and cultural knowledge passed down through generations. He discusses the centrality of grasslands to their livelihood and identity, and expresses dismay at the exclusion of Maldharis from decision-making when the Forest Department began asserting control over their traditional grazing territories. Motibhai speaks candidly about the changes he has observed in pastoral life, including decreasing forage availability and the fading interest of youth in continuing herding traditions. The interview was conducted in Gujarati by Govindbhai Tramta of Conservation indica. The respondent provided written consent through the NCBS oral history agreement process.

Condition Description

The recording is of moderate to good quality, with occasional interruptions from environmental noise. The interviewer paused recording during periods of excessive noise, and these sections were later merged into a single audio/video file. Stitching has been done seamlessly, and the overall narrative flow is maintained. The audio is generally intelligible, though minor background disruptions can be heard intermittently.

Accession Date

2025-06-06

Dispostion

The oral history audio/video record has been shared with NCBS.

Acquisition Type

Gift

Provenance

The interview was conducted on 6th July 2025 at the residence of Motibhai Lakhabhai Tramta in Reshamiya village, Chotila. The audio will be shared with Archives at NCBS.

Retention Rule

Permanent Retention. Ci will keep a copy of the audio file for future research references.

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

Yes

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for access unless mentioned in specific folders of the finding aid.

Use Restrictions

Copyright may not have been assigned to Archives at NCBS. Permission for reproduction or distribution must be obtained in writing from the Archives at NCBS (archives@ncbs.res.in). See access guidelines for more information (https://archives.ncbs.res.in/access). The Archives at NCBS makes no representation that it is the copyright owner in all of its collections. The user must obtain all necessary rights and clearances before use of material and material may only be reproduced for academic and non-commercial use.