Thesis
What is the underlying philosophy of Marma people in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh in the sustenance of their traditional justice system? What are the mechanisms?
Southern Cross University
Doctor of Indigenous Philosophies (DIndigPh), Southern Cross University
2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25918/thesis.451
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Abstract
This thesis investigates the underlying philosophy of the Marma people in the sustenance of their justice system referred to as ‘Trah’ in the Marma language. The Marmas are an Indigenous people from the Chittagong Hill Tracts region in Bangladesh, and Trah has been an integral part of their distinct way of life and philosophy since time immemorial. In the Marma worldview, Trah is not just a term to simply refer to the justice system involving interpersonal and family disputes, but a holistic concept imbued with the fundamental principles of Kinship, Autonomy, Balance, and Harmony, upon which their society and whole way of life are centred. The Marma concept of Trah is akin to the Aboriginal political concept of “Autonomous Regard”, a term coined by Aboriginal Australian philosopher Mary Graham and political scientist Morgan Brigg (2019), as a vehicle for self-regulating individuals bound by the ethics of responsibility, interdependency and interrelationship with all other beings in the pursuit of autonomy of self and others including diverse entities and forces. If the concept of ‘Trah’ is metaphorically viewed as a vehicle for self-regulation and interaction with others including diverse beings, Marma laws referred to as ‘Thoong Jaing’ in Marma language represent the engine that keeps the vehicle (Trah) functioning and sustained. The Marma words ‘Thoong Jaing’ means weaving the knots of kinship through each generation, or ‘eternal knots’, connecting the past, present, and future as each knot is being weaved by the succeeding generation. Through the course of time, the practices and principles underpinning Marma Trah have suffered significant setbacks chiefly due to the imposition of an external justice system and laws through British colonisation of the CHT region (1860 -1947), and thereafter subjugation to the successive post-colonial nation-states, Pakistan (1947-1971), and the present-day Bangladesh. Using an Indigenous research framework and methodology, developed and based on the concepts, philosophy and methods embedded in the Marma people’s traditional practices of Ya cultivation, this thesis examines both the contemporary and past practices (pre-colonial) and principles of Marma Trah. After examining these two practices, this thesis delves into a critical comparative analysis to find answers to the research problems with a focus on decolonising the externally imposed law and justice systems to reinstate Marma practices and principles of justice.
Details
- Title
- What is the underlying philosophy of Marma people in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh in the sustenance of their traditional justice system? What are the mechanisms?
- Creators
- Kyasingmong Marma
- Contributors
- Jennifer Nielsen (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityShawn Wilson (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityStuart Barlo (Supervisor) - Southern Cross University
- Awarding Institution
- Southern Cross University; Doctor of Indigenous Philosophies (DIndigPh)
- Theses
- Doctor of Indigenous Philosophies (DIndigPh), Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University
- Number of pages
- x, 235
- Identifiers
- 991013268208802368
- Copyright
- © Kyasingmong Marma 2024
- Academic Unit
- Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples
- Resource Type
- Thesis