Human Prostate Essay Example

Human Prostate Essay Example Human Prostate Essay Human Prostate Essay 1 Introduction 1.1 The prostate The human prostate is a complex organ composed of glandular and non-glandular constructions, which are surrounded by a thin bed of connective tissue. It is located below the vesica and in forepart of the rectum, and surrounds the urethra. During embryogenesis, the prostate is formed through epithelial budding from the urogenital fistula, and undergoes extended ductal branch and ramification into the environing mesenchyme during pubescence. Prostate development during pubescence is regulated by male sex endocrines, in peculiar dihydrotestosterone. The prostate is a portion of the male generative system, but is non required for viability or birthrate. Its chief map is the secernment of the prostate fluid during interjection. Together with sperm cell and seminal cyst fluid, the prostate fluid constitutes the seeds and protects sperm from the sourness of the vaginal piece of land. A healthy grownup prostate has about the size and form of a walnut. The human prostate is really prone to pathology, particularly with progressing age. Expansion or hardening of the prostate, every bit good as elevated serum PSA degrees may bespeak upsets such as prostatitis, benign prostate hyperplasia ( BPH ) or prostatic malignant neoplastic disease. Prostatitis is an redness of the prostate secretory organ that can ensue in hurting, micturition jobs and sexual disfunctions. Acute and chronic signifiers of prostatitis can be distinguished, and are related to increase in serum PSA degrees, which normally decrease to normal values after intervention. Benign prostate hyperplasia ( BPH ) , characterized by increased proliferation of the prostate epithelial tissue and stroma, occurs spontaneously in work forces over the age of 30. A prevalence of about 100 % can be observed in work forces in their 9th decennary. The causes of BPH are mostly unknown, but there is a possible nexus to high fat diet, endocrines and household history. Although the symptoms of BPH resemble those of prostatic malignant neoplastic disease, it is non associated with prostate carcinoma and can be cured by medicine or surgery. BPH develops from the passage zone of the prostate, and its histological characteristics ( enlargement of the basal bed and extended stromal proliferation ) are distinguishable from those of prostatic malignant neoplastic disease. 1.2 Prostate malignant neoplastic disease, a soundless slayer The fact that prostate malignant neoplastic disease is a complex and heterogenous disease unusually hampers its sensing, forecast and the elucidation of its causes. The exact incidences responsible for the oncoming of this malignance are hence still vague. However, owing to epidemiological surveies, some possible hazard factors could be assigned. They include hormonal instabilities, environmental influences, age, heredity, genetic sciences and nutrition. In general, one hazard factor entirely is non sufficient to trip prostatic malignant neoplastic disease, but the concurrency of assorted elements is necessary. Since most of the investigated prostate carcinomas do non demo the same familial changes, it is hard to specify the exact responsible events. In the industrialised universe, prostate glandular cancer is the most common malignance diagnosed in work forces, and its metastatic signifier represents the 2nd cause of cancer-related decease. Cancer statistics estimate that about 1 adult male out of 5 will be diagnosed with prostatic malignant neoplastic disease during his life-time, and merely one tierce of the diagnosed instances are deadly. Unfortunately, it is hard to foretell the result of a diagnosed prostate malignant neoplastic disease instance, because the class of the disease varies significantly from patient to patient. It is impossible to find whether the carcinoma will stay faineant or becomes clinically aggressive. Although most prostatic malignant neoplastic disease instances neer become deadly and the patients dice of other causes, prostate malignant neoplastic disease still does kill around 30000 work forces per twelvemonth in the United States harmonizing to the American Cancer Society5 The prostate malignant neoplastic disease incidence varies widely between states, which suggests the deduction of life style and dietetic factors in prostate malignant neoplastic disease development. The highest rates are observed in industrialised states, such as the United States and Western Europe, while South and East Asia display the lowest incidence rates4. In Austria, around 3700 new instances of prostate malignant neoplastic disease were registered in 1996, and in 2005, the incidence was more than 5000. However, since mortality in prostatic malignant neoplastic disease patients did non increase in this period, the rapid addition of ascertained prostate malignant neoplastic disease instances is ascribed to improved and earlier diagnosing by the intensive development and execution of the PSA testing trial. 1.3 Diagnostic methods for prostate malignant neoplastic disease Although prostate malignant neoplastic disease is non needfully lethal, early sensing and intervention is indispensable for a successful remedy. When diagnosed and treated in the initial, organ-confined phase, prostate malignant neoplastic disease has a singular remedy rate of more than 90 % . On the other manus, untreated prostate malignant neoplastic disease can progress to more aggressive signifiers, which invade and metastasize to other variety meats, and eventually ensue in decease. Therefore, considerable attempt has been put into the designation of predictive markers and development of effectual showing trials. A first indicant for prostate malignant neoplastic disease can be obtained by Digital Rectal Examination ( DRE ) and transrectal ultrasound ( TRUS ) , by which the status of the prostate is evaluated by its surface. Healthy prostate tissue is soft, whereas a malignant prostate appears instead difficult and frequently asymmetrical. 1.3.1 Serum PSA as index for prostate malignances The most widely spread testing method is the prostate-specific antigen ( PSA ) trial. PSA is produced entirely by prostatic epithelial cells and released with the ejaculatory fluid. Small sums of PSA can be traced in the blood, and elevated serum PSA degrees can bespeak prostatic redness, infection or malignant neoplastic disease. The PSA trial measures the sum of PSA in the blood in ng/mL, and a value of up to 4 ng/mL is considered to be normal for work forces of age around 60. However, since the PSA degree additions with age, PSA values of more than 4.5 ng/ml for work forces over 70 are besides considered to be normal. Therefore, it is besides of import to detect the addition of PSA degrees over clip. False positive ( elevated PSA degree, but no malignant neoplastic disease ) or false negative consequences ( normal PSA degree, but malignant neoplastic disease ) are the major disadvantages of the PSA trial ; hence, a subsequent acerate leaf biopsy is obligatory to decidedly govern out the presence of malignant neoplastic disease when the PSA degree is high. Alternatively, for better indicant of prostate malignant neoplastic disease, the ratio of free PSA to number PSA is measured. Malignant prostate cells produce more complexed PSA, i.e. PSA edge to other proteins in the blood. A low degree of free PSA in relation to entire PSA ( free + bound PSA ) might bespeak a cancerous prostate, whereas a high degree of free PSA compared to entire PSA might bespeak a normal prostate, BPH or prostatitis. 1.3.2 Tumor biopsy and histological scaling In order to govern out the type of malignant neoplastic disease, its location and phase of development, cell samples from several countries of the prostate are extracted with a biopsy acerate leaf and graded harmonizing to the Gleason scaling system. The Gleason scaling system assesses specific characteristics, such as the glandular construction, size and form, every bit good as the grade of invasion, and evaluates the prostate malignant neoplastic disease cells on a graduated table between 1 and 5 ( Figure 1 ) . A higher Gleason grade indicates a more aggressive and advanced malignant neoplastic disease. Gleason grade 1 and 2 represent well-differentiated malignant neoplastic disease cells with regular forms and chiseled boundaries that still resemble healthy prostate cells. The most common Gleason class is Gleason class 3 and depict cells that are moderately-differentiated. Gleason grade 4 and 5 correspond to poorly-differentiated malignant neoplastic disease cells with ill defined boundaries and bespeak a more aggressive malignant neoplastic disease. Since cancerous prostates are outstandingly heterogenous and consist of countries with different classs, a combined Gleason mark is necessary for a more exact theatrical production of the malignant neoplastic disease. The combined Gleason mark represents the amount of the two most common classs within a tumour. For illustration, if the most common form is grade 4, and the 2nd most common form grade 3, the combined Gleason mark is 7 ( i.e. 4+3 ) . Harmonizing to the Gleason mark, the tumour is so defined as well-differentiated ( Gleason score 2 4 ) , moderately-differentiated ( Gleason score 5 -6 ) or poorly-differentiated ( Gleason score 7 10 ) . In general, a lower combined Gleason mark indicates a less aggressive malignant neoplastic disease, whereas a higher Gleason mark signifies a more aggressive malignant neoplastic disease with hapless forecast for long-run endurance. Cancers with a high Gleason mark are more likely to hold already metastasized to other variety meats at the clip of diagnosing. Figure 1: Conventional diagram of the Gleason scaling system Conventional diagram of the Gleason scaling system ( courtesy of Dr. D.F. Gleason, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Integrated design courtesy of Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center 1.4 The class of prostate malignant neoplastic disease Most prostatic tumours grow really easy and remain faineant for many old ages, such that the bulk of work forces diagnosed with prostate malignant neoplastic disease dice of other causes than prostatic malignant neoplastic disease. The clinical class of prostatic malignant neoplastic disease is characterized by several phases ( Figure 2 ) . Potential precursor lesions, referred to as prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia ( PIN ) , can be observed in work forces already in their mid-twentiess, and their incidence additions with patient age. Although there is no definite grounds for PIN being the precursor of prostate malignant neoplastic disease, it is considered to be closely related to it. Most normally, PIN lesions arise in the peripheral zone of the prostate, with secretory epithelial cells get downing to turn in an uncontrolled mode, organizing little bunchs of malignant neoplastic disease cells. The clumps consist of luminal epithelial cells with atomic and structural atypia, but integral basal cell bed and cellar membrane. The multifocal nature and chromosomal abnormalcies of PIN lesions resemble those of invasive carcinoma. Since PIN lesions do non bring forth increased degrees of serum PSA, they can be detected merely in biopsy samples, and non through blood proving. Two signifiers of PIN can be distinguished harm onizing to their badness low class ( LG ) and high class ( HG ) PIN. Slowly, but increasingly, high class PIN lesions farther develop to invasive carcinoma, with cancerous cells distributing into the stroma around the prostate tissue. This is facilitated by the loss of the basal epithelial tissue. By and large, the visual aspect of HG PIN precedes the visual aspect of invasive carcinoma by at least 10 old ages. The concluding measure is the acquisition of the ability to last in the absence of androgens. The ab initio hormone-responsive malignant neoplastic disease cells become androgen independent and invade proximate variety meats ( e.g. seminal cysts or the rectum ) , or metastasise via the blood stream or the lymphatic system to more distant variety meats. The most common sites of metastasis are castanetss, lymph nodes, rectum and vesica. Clinically, morphologically and molecular genetically, prostate malignant neoplastic disease shows extensive heterogeneousness. One cancerous secretory organ can incorporate non-cancerous cells every bit good as multiple malignant focal point, and tumours of the same phase can demo unusually different clinical classs. 1.4.1 Prostate malignant neoplastic disease induction Much attempt has been put into clarifying the factors responsible for the oncoming of prostate malignant neoplastic disease. However, the exact events associated with prostate malignant neoplastic disease induction still remain mostly unknown. Many hypotheses are based on chronic infection or chronic inflammatory diseases, which are thought to be the cause of approximately 20 % of all human malignant neoplastic diseases, including prostate malignant neoplastic disease, . Exposure to environmental factors, viral or bacterial infective agents or dietetic carcinogens, every bit good as hormonal instabilities, can take to prostate tissue harm. Subsequently, as an effort to renew lost or injured tissue, prostate epithelial cells proliferate at a higher rate, giving rise to a lesion called proliferative inflammatory wasting ( PIA ) . PIA is non merely characterized by increased cell proliferation, but besides by extended infiltration of inflammatory cells. PIA is thought to be a possible precursor of prostate intraepithelial neoplasia ( PIN ) , and hence considered as a precancerous lesion. The hypothesis that PIA and PIN are precursors to prostate malignant neoplastic disease is supported by the fact that both lesions derive fr om the peripheral zone, like prostate carcinoma, and are found in many extremist prostatectomy samples. Another hypothesis for prostate malignant neoplastic disease induction proposes unbalanced interaction between smooth musculus and epithelial tissue. Homeostatic epithelial/stromal interactions play an indispensable function in the growing of the normal prostate, whereas break of this homeostasis has been found in the neoplastic prostate. Familial harm in the prostate epithelial tissue potentially leads to interrupt signaling to the next stroma, which in bend, fails to signal suitably back to the epithelial tissue. Therefore, ordinance of prostatic epithelial growing and distinction is increasingly lost, ensuing in uncontrolled proliferation that contributes to tumorigenesis. Other hypotheses propose the deduction of prostate malignant neoplastic disease primogenitor cells with root cell belongingss. These primogenitor cells, which make out merely 0,1 % of the entire prostate cells, are thought to be present in a prostate root cell niche at the cellar membrane of the prostate secretory organ and can be characterized by several root cell markers, such as CD133, root cell antigen ( Sca-1 ) or prostatic root cell antigen ( PSCA ) . They besides have basal cell features, such as androgen-independency due to miss of AR, and look K5, K14, p63, anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and telomerase. The primogenitor cells are thought to bring forth intermediate cells that farther differentiate to neuroendocrine and luminal secretory epithelial cells. Deregulated signaling in these multipotent root cells or the intermediate cells perchance affects their distinction and consequences in limitless cell division and reduced programmed cell death. 1.4.2 Prostate malignant neoplastic disease patterned advance The trademark of advanced prostate malignant neoplastic disease is the passage from androgen-dependence to androgen-independence. Like the normal prostate, early phases of prostate malignant neoplastic disease require the presence of androgen for development, growing and endurance. The chief androgen circulating in the serum is testosterone. In the prostate epithelial tissue, testosterone is converted by the enzyme 5-a-reductase to its metabolic signifier dihydrotestosterone ( DHT ) , and exerts its physiological map through the androgen receptor ( AR ) , a member of the steroid endocrine superfamily of ligand-activated receptors. The pioneering work of Huggins and Hodges has shown that prostate malignant neoplastic disease is inhibited by riddance of androgen. As a effect, androgen extirpation therapy has been established as an efficient intervention option for early disease phases. In contrast, tumour cells are feasible in low androgen degrees in advanced or stubborn disease, which renders hormone extirpation therapy at ulterior phases ineffective. Despite extended probe, the mechanisms taking to androgen-independent disease are still non to the full understood. It is ill-defined whether the ability to proliferate and last in the absence of androgen is acquired by tumour cells in advanced phases of the disease, or whether emasculation degrees of androgen enforce a selective force per unit area and supply a growing advantage for tumour cells that are already androgen-independent for some ground. Sing the root cell hypothesis for malignant neoplastic disease, it is proposed that the prostate malignant neoplastic disease root or primogenitor cells are capable of continuously providing the tumour with limitless cell populations by distinguishing into androgen-dependent every bit good as androgen-independent cells, therefore supplying tumour stuff that is non affected by androgen-depletion therapy. Most surveies, though, were focused on androgen and its blood relation receptor, uncovering abundant information on their possible functions in the class of the disease, . However, the acquisition of androgen-independence is besides possible through mechanisms that wholly bypass androgen map. Ligand-independent mechanisms that induce AR signaling indirectly include cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-8, and neuropeptides released by neuroendocrine cells. The presence of neuroendocrine cells has been shown to be frequent in androgen-refractory prostate malignant neoplastic disease, and their tumor-promoting consequence is based on the secernment of neuropeptides such as 5-hydroxytryptamine or bombesin, which can increase the proliferation of neighbouring cells, leting them to turn in a low-androgen environment. It has been shown that secretory proteins from neuroendocrine cells can increase the degrees of active AR and bring on the NF-kB tract in LNCaP cells. A mechanism taking to androgen independency, but wholly short-circuiting the AR tract, is the acquisition of opposition to apoptosis by prostate malignant neoplastic disease cells.. This can be attained through several mechanisms, such as overexpression of anti-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 household, loss or mutant of p53 map, inactivation of PTEN and subsequent activation of the PI3K/Akt tract, every bit good as overexpression of inhibitors of programmed cell death ( IAPs ) . Other factors, such as tumour hypoxia, increased autocrine and paracrine release of growing factors ( EGF, IGF, TGF- A ; Atilde ; Y1 ) , every bit good as cytokines and inflammatory go-betweens such as TNF-a, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8 besides lead to apoptosis equivocation. 1.5 Curative options Initially, when the growing of the prostate tumour is localized and dependent on androgens, patients can be efficaciously treated by androgen-deprivation. The handiness of testosterone, which prostate malignant neoplastic disease cells need to turn, can be reduced by surgery ( extremist or partial prostatectomy ) , emasculation ( hormonal therapy ) , or radiation therapy. In most of the instances, a arrested development of the tumour can be achieved, and the remittals normally last 2 to 3 old ages ( Zitat ) . However, active surveillance by regular DRE and PSA trials, every bit good as periodic biopsies are necessary to carefully track for marks of disease patterned advance, because in the bulk of instances, recurrent tumours arise. They are normally more aggressive and accompanied by unsuitably restored androgen signaling and androgen-independence, doing androgen-deprivation therapy ineffective. Chemotherapy is non the primary therapy for prostate malignant neoplastic disease, but instead an option when the malignant neoplastic disease has metastasized to other parts of the organic structure. Unfortunately, it is non really efficient and hence, recurrent and metastasized prostate malignant neoplastic disease is considered as incurable with a life anticipation of 16-18 months. 1.6 Familial alterations happening in prostate malignant neoplastic disease On the molecular degree, the development of prostate malignant neoplastic disease is a complex and multi-step procedure, necessitating the interaction of several events, such as mutants, cistron elaboration, overexpression of transforming genes or loss of tumour suppresser cistrons. Since prostate tumours are heterogenous, they can incorporate multiple focal point that are genotypically distinguishable from each other, exposing benign secretory organs, preneoplastic lesion ( PIN ) every bit good as neoplastic focal point in one tumour. Therefore, it is hard to find the exact molecular participants involved in the induction and each measure of disease patterned advance, although legion surveies have been focused on this issue. So far, no specific prostatic malignant neoplastic disease cistron has been identified, but epidemiological surveies have revealed some cistrons that appear often in familial prostate malignant neoplastic disease, such as ELAC2, cistrons interceding the host r esponse to infections ( e.g. RNASEL and MSR1 ) , or cell rhythm checkpoint cistrons ( e.g. NBS1, CHEK2 ) . However, they seem to be non merely restricted to familial prostate malignant neoplastic disease, but have been reported to be implicated in sporadic prostate malignant neoplastic disease every bit good. Therefore, it is non possible to separate between familial and sporadic disease on the molecular degree, or to delegate high prostate malignant neoplastic disease hazard cistrons . However, most prostate malignant neoplastic diseases are sporadic and expose a battalion of familial alterations, including polymorphisms, bodily mutants and chromosomal abnormalcies. Polymorphisms are non merely associated with an increased susceptibleness to develop prostatic disease, but besides with advanced prostate malignant neoplastic disease. The most of import and most frequent polymorphism happening in prostatic malignant neoplastic disease patients affects the androgen receptor polyglutamine repetitions [ ( CAG ) n ] , which have been reported to be significantly shortened specifically in high class and metastatic prostate malignant neoplastic disease, , . In advanced prostate malignant neoplastic disease, besides the cistrons for the vitamin D receptor, p21 and p27 have been reported to be affected by polymorphisms. Mutants have been found in legion familial venue, and characteristic chromosomal changes are associated with each disease phase. They affect cistrons that play of import functions in different signaling tracts, and by and large result either in inactivation of tumour suppresser cistrons or over-activation of transforming genes. 1.6.1 Genes modulating normal prostate development 1.6.1.1 The androgen receptor is required for steroid hormone action The androgen receptor is a member of the superfamily of ligand-activated steroid receptors. Its functional spheres consist of an N-terminal sphere interceding the transcriptional activity, a DNA-binding sphere ( DBD ) , a flexible joint part and a C-terminal ligand-binding sphere ( LBD ) . The N-terminal sphere contains a transcriptional activation part ( AF-1 ) and is responsible for interaction with co-regulators ( co-activators and co-repressors ) . It contains long poly-glutamine and poly-glycine repetitions, which undergo important shortening in aggressive malignant neoplastic diseases 21. The DNA-binding sphere contains a cysteine-rich part with two zinc-fingers, and recognizes androgen-responsive elements ( AREs ) on the foil parts of AR-target cistrons. The hinge part of the AR includes a atomic translocation signal, every bit good as phosphorylation and acetylation sites. And eventually, the C-terminal sphere contains a 2nd transcriptional activation part ( AF-2 ) and is res ponsible for ligand binding. In the absence of endocrine, the AR is chiefly located in the cytol and is inactivated through binding to heat daze proteins ( HSPs ) . Binding of endocrine to the LBD evokes AR conformation alterations, phosphorylation, dimerization, dissociation from HSPs and translocation to the karyon, where it binds to the AREs of AR-regulated cistrons. Additionally, a composite of co-activators and co-repressors, every bit good as chromatin remodeling proteins are required for ordinance of the AR transcriptional activity. 1.6.1.2 Nkx3.1 is the earliest known marker for prostate epithelial tissue Nkx3.1 encodes a extremely prostate-specific homeobox cistron that is critical for all facets of a functional prostate. It is associated with each phase of prostate development, runing from embryologic prostate formation and ripening to adult map and individuality. Nkx3.1 is the earliest known molecular marker of the prostate epithelial tissue and purely governs the most initial stairss of prostate formation. It is hypothesized that Nkx3.1 look provides a pre-determination of the urogenital fistula epithelial tissue into distinguishable prostate and non-prostatic parts during embryogenesis, and steadfastly regulates early postpartum ductal morphogenesis. Furthermore, it is required for secretory protein production and regulates prostate epithelial cell proliferation for care of the differentiated province of the normal prostate. Within the prostate, Nkx3.1 look is restricted to the karyon of luminal epithelial cells, but is absent in radical epithelial cells, which are found between the luminal cells and the cellar membrane. Its look in the prostate epithelial tissue precedes that of the AR, but the subsequent care of Nkx3.1 protein degrees is dependent on AR signaling. It has been shown that Nkx3.1 look is significantly down-regulated after emasculation or androgen-depletion ; nevertheless, the mechanisms for the ordinance of Nkx3.1 look by AR signaling are ill-defined. Like other written text factors, Nkx3.1 binds to downstream mark cistrons through specific consensus sequences in order to modulate their look. However, the exact mechanisms ( adhering as a monomer or as a dimer ) and the individuality of regulated cistrons are mistily known. Potential mark cistrons are smooth musculus a-actin ( SMA ) and prostate-specific antigen ( PSA ) . Besides its function in the normal prostate as the drive force for ductal branch and secretory protein production, Nkx3.1 is supposed to hold tumour suppresser maps, although it is non defined as a authoritative tumour suppresser cistron. Alternatively, it appears to instead forestall the induction of prostate malignant neoplastic disease by equilibrating between cell proliferation and cell decease. Nkx3.1 provides a molecular nexus between the mechanisms that control normal prostatic distinction and those that lead to uncontrolled epithelial proliferation during carcinogenesis. 1.6.2 Genes involved in induction and early phases of prostate malignant neoplastic disease 1.6.2.1 Loss of Nkx3.1 map is associated with prostate malignant neoplastic disease induction The human Nkx3.1 cistron maps to the minimum part of chromosome 8p21, a prostate malignant neoplastic disease hot topographic point , which undergoes allelomorphic omission in 60-80 % of prostate tumours, , , . Loss of Nkx3.1 map is associated with prostate malignant neoplastic disease induction and occurs every bit early as in PIN lesions. As Nkx3.1 is indispensable for normal development and map of the prostate, its inactivation consequences in defects in canal formation and secretory protein production. Furthermore, the ordinance of prostatic epithelial cell proliferation is disrupted, taking to the development of prostate intraepithelial neoplasia that increases in badness with progressing age, as has been modeled in transgenic mice by targeted silencing of Nkx3.1, . At nowadays, merely allelomorphic omission of the venue incorporating Nkx3.1 has been found in human prostate tumours, but there is no grounds for the presence of mutants in the coding sequence of the staying Nkx3.1 transcript. Rather, loss of Nkx3.1 map consequences from epigenetic inactivation through loss of protein look during prostatic malignant neoplastic disease development. Despite the fact that loss of Nkx3.1 map is a predisposing factor for developing prostatic malignant neoplastic disease, this event entirely is non sufficient to drive tumorigenesis. It is instead hypothesized that collaborating events such as loss of other tumour suppresser cistrons like PTEN, are necessary to originate malignant neoplastic disease. 1.6.2.2 Overexpression of c-myc contributes to tumorigeneity and androgen-independence C-myc is a critical regulator of development, distinction and cell growing, and its mark cistrons are involved in many cellular maps such as cell rhythm, programmed cell death, protein synthesis, and cell metamorphosis. The c-myc protein contains a possible transactivation sphere within its N-terminus and a helix-loop-helix leucine slide fastener ( HLH/LZ ) sphere with a dimerization site at its C-terminal terminal. C-myc action is regulated through binding of Mad/Max proteins, Amplification of the human chromosome 8q24, which contains the c-myc cistron, is one of the most common familial changes happening in a broad assortment of malignant neoplastic diseases. Increased c-myc protein and activity have been found in a important per centum of prostate tumours ( 11-40 % ) , , in all phases of the disease runing from PIN to more advanced and metastatic malignant neoplastic disease, . Besides elaboration of the c-myc venue, besides chromosomal translocations or point mutants of the c-myc cistron lead to increased activation of c-myc. However, the precise functional function of c-myc in prostate malignant neoplastic disease is non to the full understood. It has been shown that c-myc is able to bring on telomerase activity, which is required for care of telomere length, and therefore contributes to the immortality of tumour cells. This confers a proliferative advantage to malignant cells by leting them to turn under limited growing factor conditions. Furthermore, it has been proposed that the AR regulates c-myc at a posttranscriptional degree, and that c-myc is required for androgen-dependent growing at early malignant neoplastic disease phases. At subsequently phases, c-myc perchance contributes to androgen-independent growing of prostate malignant neoplastic disease cells, which is indicated by the presence of significantly increased c-myc elaboration after anti-androgen intervention and the growing of androgen-dependent LNCaP cells without androgen stimulationz. With enhanced c-myc activity, the cells are able to get the better of the cell rhythm obstruction imposed by the suppression of AR signaling. Several lines of grounds have shown that overexpression of c-myc alone is sufficient to bring on PIN and prostatic malignant neoplastic disease in transgenic mice, . However, the effects of c-myc seem to be contradictory, because on the one manus, it drives cell proliferation and contributes to tumorigenesis, but on the other manus, it has pro-apoptotic activity, peculiarly in limited growing factor conditions. However, other endurance signals and secondary cooperating effects can short-circuit programmed cell death driven by c-myc overexpression. A proposed cooperating molecular event implicated in the patterned advance of c-myc-driven prostate malignant neoplastic disease is loss of Nkx3.1. Both events are proposed to complement each other and appear at different clip points during the passage from PIN to malignant neoplastic disease in a mouse theoretical account 39. This is besi

Project Life Cycle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project Life Cycle - Essay Example The Project Manager requires various general management skills[4] during the different phases of the project. Initiation and Scope Definition, comprises determination and negotiation of requirements, feasibility analysis, and process for the review and revision of requirements. Planning follows and includes process planning, determining deliverables, effort, schedule and cost estimation, resource allocation, risk management, quality management, and plan management. The project manager's role is to verify the requirements, bring in the experts and revalidate requirements and technical feasibility. He needs to baseline the requirements, cost, schedule, and quality of delivery to the smallest detail, thus setting up a solid framework to start work on the project. This phase is critical because unless requirements are set and baselines are defined, the project cannot take off. The project manager needs negotiating skills, estimation and scheduling skills as well as, team building capabilities that help set the base for delivering a project of required quality at a realistic budget. In the Development phase, implementation of plans, supplier contract management, implementation of measurement process, monitor process, control process, and reporting and the various tasks in an IT project. It should be noted that although project objectives have been defined, there may surface problems when the actual developments are taking place. This will require the project manager and stakeholder to negotiate change requests that will continue the development of the project smoothly. About sixty percent of the project life cycle is done during the development phase and internal testing phase where the development team tests the application internally. This phase needs to be on schedule in order that the project deadline is met. The project manager needs good controlling skills to keep the work going and good negotiation skills to handle change requests as well as risk management skills in order that risk are mitigated. Also he needs to be able to keep the energy flowing and the team unified and happy to enable milestones to be met. The Implementation phase The project now moves into the Implementation phase where the IT tasks are Review and Evaluation, which includes the topics of determining satisfaction of requirements and reviewing and evaluating performance. The developed IT application is now deployed or implemented in the client's environment and tested using their parameters. The application is User accepted and then deployed either as a pilot mode or as a full launch. The project manager needs good negotiating skills in case some major fixes or "bugs" as per IT jargon arises during the transition since he needs to go back to client when budgets are almost over. Often the teams are all tired and are anxious to get the project over with and move on. Keeping up the morale to see the project to completion becomes imperative, and if the project manager is a good team player that really helps. The Closeout phase In the closeout phase, the tasks include determining closure and closure activities. The application is running smoothly and the production-support team has taken over. The development team is released. The project manager now documents the project for future reference as well as writes up a lessons-learnt document. In summary, a good project manager is

Is succession planning a neccessity every small to medium family Essay

Is succession planning a neccessity every small to medium family business should face - Essay Example In pursue well be the limitation of the research and a summary with recommendations. Berenbein (1990) asserts that it is necessary for each organization to anitcipate its succession plan, and be able to acknowledge its reality. SMEs have ben particularly interested in this area of research, focusing on the ‘heir’ who shall take on the leadership of the enterprise in the next generation. The current results show that there are no significant, drastic changes behind the past and current leadership of Company XY. The same issues that confront old leadership have remained the same issues for the new leadership. While such a smooth transition has been possible, there were certain issues that surfaced from the qualitative data. Davis (1983) has effective succession is a tricky issue, in lieu of the fact that it requires something more profound than change in structure; instead, it requies change in the norms and values of the organization – on other words, it requires cultural change. One manager of Company XY even commented, â€Å"The initial difficulty of senior management to adjust to the new president’s leadership lies in the culture itself. They have gotten used to the norms of the old president; however, there have been so many changes that speak of new ways of doing things. The new president advocates a new set of norms. That took some time to get used to, especially among us old guards.† Kuratko & Hodgetts (in Kuratko, 1993) has provided a critique of the tactics used to undertake succession planning. Those that were determined encompassed comprehending â€Å"the contextual as ­pects such as time, type of venture, managerial capabilities, and environ ­ment; identifying succession qualities such as technical skills, business knowl ­edge, perseverance, etc., and carrying out the succession plans which includes the grooming and preparation of a suc ­cessor.† (p. 23). Because the

Analysis on Guy de Maupassant’s The Necklace Essay Example for Free

Analysis on Guy de Maupassant’s The Necklace Essay There is a great deal in keeping and evoking good and rational values. This is the chief lesson of that famous short story titled ‘The Necklace’ written by Guy de Maupassant (1) in the late Eighteenth Century. This short story tells about the proud-turned-tragic life of Madame Mathilde Loisel who dreams of an aristocratic status in life so that she would be able to experience the patrician lifestyle of some of her Parisian female friends. The life of Madame Mathilde Loisel shares a moral story that one has to have the right and proper moral values in order not to be blinded by empty materialism and pompous luxurious lifestyle. This means that there are more valuable intangible things in life that cannot be acquired by money; they can only be obtained by having rational insights and principles in life. These precious things are our human values. Human values cannot be measured by any material or monetary estimation, nor can they be taken away so easily like any commodities in the market. This means that if one possessed the right and rational values, he/she cannot be deceived by any fine and worldly things. But this does not mean that one has to denounce materialism totally. Â  The Necklace (Maupassant 5) centers on the covetous life of Madame Mathilde Loisel who is not satisfied with her middleclass position in life. Her secret sorrow is her not having all the material lavishness she desires around her. She hates the impoverished people who worked their bodies like animal just to eat three times a day. Most of the time, she spends the day thinking herself as a wealthy chatelaine who basks in the praises and admiration of people around her. She wants to be the center of attraction, and the only way to achieve this is to have expensive and luxurious garments and jewelry. Â  Madame Mathilde Loisel’s husband, Monsieur, cannot satisfy her desire in life since the latter’s salary as a clerk in the Ministry of Public Instruction is not enough to even buy her an expensive evening dress for a ballroom party. The night that changed her life forever comes when her husband receives an invitation to an official social gathering at the Ministry. Stricken by her desire to be the center of attraction at the said party, Madame Loisel is troubled because she has no appropriate elegant outfit and ornaments for the party. Luckily, her husband buys her a new dress taken from his own savings, while she borrows a stunning diamond necklace from her friend, Madame Jeanne Forestier. That night, Madame Loisel catches the attention of all the guests and even high-ranking officials because of her beauty. She enjoys the fleeting moment as the center of attraction at the dance party. However, her tragedy begins upon realizing that her diamond necklace is missing. They try to look for the missing necklace but to no avail. Â  Because of her lingering pride, the Loisel couple decides to purchase a matching diamond necklace as replacement for the lost necklace of her friend. The new diamond necklace that worth thirty-four thousand francs costs Madame Loisel her entire inheritance and the couple also incur huge debts. As a result, Monsieur and Madame Loisel have to work extra jobs in order to make both ends meet. After ten years, Madame Loisel is now older, shabbier, and less refined from a decade of physical work. Still proud and appearing tough, Madame Loisel still has the audacity to her old associates that she had once lost a diamond necklace. In the end, she is deeply depressed when she is informed by Madame Forestier that the long lost necklace is just a replication costing not more than five hundred francs. Had it not been for her covetousness and immodest desire for finer things, Madame Loisel would not have suffered her sorry fate. Her story is never new to people during her time, much more to people in this contemporary era. Today most people live beyond their means just to please others, or just to show others that they can afford to buy trendy stuff and hi-tech gadgets like cell phones and gaming gizmos. This only means that one has to have the rational and proper values so as not to be blinded by things of material value. These values may include industry, patience, humility, discipline, contentment, respect for others, and sense of self. People like Madame Loisel lack most of these good, rational qualities. If Madame Loisel only had the right values, she would have been content of what she has. But make no mistake, it is not wrong to desire for material things as long as you have the capacity to obtain them. To a person with proper values, he/she will have to work first before coveting for material objects around him/her. Â  One has to be patient in his/her work. If one wants a particular product displayed in a fashion boutique, he/she has to work hard for it. Having the right values, a person cannot be easily swayed by the tempting material luxuries around him— what he will do is to take it as an inspiration to improve his status in life. Reference: De Maupassant, Guy. The Necklace. Dramatic Publishing,

Performance Management System Essay -- Managing business Essays

Performance Management System Introduction This report is an attempt to analyse the existing Performance Management System for Large Financial Service Organisation (LFSO) and from this information, recommend, and implement an appropriate new performance management system. LFSO is an organisation, which traditionally has a paternalistic culture with low levels of unionisation. LFSO current Performance Management system was implemented two years ago changing the nature of the previous incremental salary scales described as Prerogatives by Lupton and Bowey and led to the abolition of the annual cost of living increment. This change by LFSO was an attempt to achieve a strategic, integrative and flexible approach to pay, in order to address its organisational objectives. Therefore it  ¡Ã‚ ¥reflected on a pluralist approach with the use of job evaluated grade structures regarding financial rewards and benefits ¡Ã‚ ¦. (Heery, 1996) despite the fact that with most paternalistic culture have a Unitarist approach to Performance Management systems. Initial research conducted by the organisation indicated that objectives are not always established and reviews were spasmodic. There was a high degree of resentment between the different members of staff leading to unhealthy competitiveness and unwillingness to support others. (Kerr, 1995) describe this behaviour as  ¡Ã‚ ¥esprit de corps ¡Ã‚ ¦. This resulted in an increase in general grievances. The BFU have been aware of this anxiety and have started a strong recruitment drive amongst employees but no figures on existing membership were available. ¡Ã‚ ¦ In general, both employees and management did not fully understand the scheme at its inception and saw it simply as a cost cutting exercise. The reward levels introduced were seen to be too small to act as a  ¡Ã‚ ¥motivator ¡Ã‚ ¦. There was also debate about the role of the annual appraisal interview as there was no consensus view on the purpose of these, which were regarded as an  ¡Ã‚ ¥inconvenience ¡Ã‚ ¦. Now two years into the scheme, LSFO is facing the threat of a  ¡Ã‚ ¥Bargaining Unit ¡Ã‚ ¦ or possible Unionisation. Alongside high levels of dissatisfaction from employees and some line managers who have also expressed serious concerns about their role in the process. The system itself is under severe criticism with large numbers of appeals although only a very few of these have been upheld. ... ...ments around these decisions. The manager will have in place a formal quality monitoring procedure and adherence to this will form part of the team and individual reward and appraisal procedure. As the BFU has started to implement a strong recruitment drive amongst LFSO employees, the management/ and HR Manager should consider meeting with the union to obtain its views on a partnership agreement with the organisation. This approach would recognise the possible impact BFU may have on the new system and would demonstrate a gesture of  ¡Ã‚ ¥goodwill ¡Ã‚ ¦ by the management team. It would also address the collective representation can help achieve important business objectives, including good communication. In conclusion it must be emphasised that an effective Performance Management system ensures that both Managers and employees understand each other ¡Ã‚ ¦s expectations, and how these are incorporated into the Corporate Strategy and how these impact upon their own context  ¡V their roles, behaviours, relationships and interactions, rewards and futures. Bibliography Books Beardwell, I. And Holden, L. (2001) Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach 3rd Ed. Prentice Hall Performance Management System Essay -- Managing business Essays Performance Management System Introduction This report is an attempt to analyse the existing Performance Management System for Large Financial Service Organisation (LFSO) and from this information, recommend, and implement an appropriate new performance management system. LFSO is an organisation, which traditionally has a paternalistic culture with low levels of unionisation. LFSO current Performance Management system was implemented two years ago changing the nature of the previous incremental salary scales described as Prerogatives by Lupton and Bowey and led to the abolition of the annual cost of living increment. This change by LFSO was an attempt to achieve a strategic, integrative and flexible approach to pay, in order to address its organisational objectives. Therefore it  ¡Ã‚ ¥reflected on a pluralist approach with the use of job evaluated grade structures regarding financial rewards and benefits ¡Ã‚ ¦. (Heery, 1996) despite the fact that with most paternalistic culture have a Unitarist approach to Performance Management systems. Initial research conducted by the organisation indicated that objectives are not always established and reviews were spasmodic. There was a high degree of resentment between the different members of staff leading to unhealthy competitiveness and unwillingness to support others. (Kerr, 1995) describe this behaviour as  ¡Ã‚ ¥esprit de corps ¡Ã‚ ¦. This resulted in an increase in general grievances. The BFU have been aware of this anxiety and have started a strong recruitment drive amongst employees but no figures on existing membership were available. ¡Ã‚ ¦ In general, both employees and management did not fully understand the scheme at its inception and saw it simply as a cost cutting exercise. The reward levels introduced were seen to be too small to act as a  ¡Ã‚ ¥motivator ¡Ã‚ ¦. There was also debate about the role of the annual appraisal interview as there was no consensus view on the purpose of these, which were regarded as an  ¡Ã‚ ¥inconvenience ¡Ã‚ ¦. Now two years into the scheme, LSFO is facing the threat of a  ¡Ã‚ ¥Bargaining Unit ¡Ã‚ ¦ or possible Unionisation. Alongside high levels of dissatisfaction from employees and some line managers who have also expressed serious concerns about their role in the process. The system itself is under severe criticism with large numbers of appeals although only a very few of these have been upheld. ... ...ments around these decisions. The manager will have in place a formal quality monitoring procedure and adherence to this will form part of the team and individual reward and appraisal procedure. As the BFU has started to implement a strong recruitment drive amongst LFSO employees, the management/ and HR Manager should consider meeting with the union to obtain its views on a partnership agreement with the organisation. This approach would recognise the possible impact BFU may have on the new system and would demonstrate a gesture of  ¡Ã‚ ¥goodwill ¡Ã‚ ¦ by the management team. It would also address the collective representation can help achieve important business objectives, including good communication. In conclusion it must be emphasised that an effective Performance Management system ensures that both Managers and employees understand each other ¡Ã‚ ¦s expectations, and how these are incorporated into the Corporate Strategy and how these impact upon their own context  ¡V their roles, behaviours, relationships and interactions, rewards and futures. Bibliography Books Beardwell, I. And Holden, L. (2001) Human Resource Management: A Contemporary Approach 3rd Ed. Prentice Hall

Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh Essay

FIRST OF ALL I LIKE TO SHOW GREAT RESPECT TO OUR ALMIGHTY FOR GIVING ME AN ABILITY TO CARRY ON THIS TYPE OF ASSIGNMENT ON THE WAY TO COMPLETION AND FINALIZATION TO MY SUCCESS. THEN I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR HONORABLE TEACHER SHAMSHAD CHOWDHURY FOR GIVING ME THE ACTUAL IDEAS AND CLUES FOR THE ASSIGNMENT. ESPECIALLY THANKS TO THE AUTHORITY OF SHANTO-MARIAM UNIVERSITY OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR SELECTING THIS KIND OF SUBJECT THAT REALLY WOULD BE A PIONEER STEP ON OUR FUTURE AND TO MAKE A GREAT PLAN FOR THE FURTHER ACTIVITIES AND TO THE NEAR NEXT 1 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh. 1. Introduction : BANGLADESH IS QUITE RICH IN ETHNIC CULTURE. THERE ARE ABOUT THIRTY-FIVE ETHNIC COMMUNITIES LIVING IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. THE MAJOR ETHNIC COMMUNITIES ARE CHAKMA, MURMA, GARO, SANTAL, HAJONG, TIPRA, KHASI, MURANG, SHENDHU, PANKO ETC. THEY STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR LIFE STYLE, CULTURE AND PROTECT DISTINCT RELIGIOUS BELIEFS FROM THE INFLUENCE OF THE DOMINANT CULTURE AND RELIGIONS. IN THE NORTH AND NORTHWESTERN BELT OF BANGLADESH A NUMBER OF ETHNIC COMMUNITIES LIVE WHO STILL HAVE TO STRUGGLE HARD TO SUSTAIN THEIR ORIGINAL CULTURE AND TRADITIONAL HERITAGE. THE ADIVASIS IN THIS REGION COMPRISES OF SEVERAL GROUPS SANTAL, ORAON, MUNDA, MAHALI, MAHATO, MALPAHARA ETC. AMONG THE ETHNIC PEOPLE IN THE NORTH AND NORTHWESTERN BELT OF BANGLADESH SANTALS ARE LARGEST IN NUMBER. BUT THERE IS NO ACCURATE AND RELIABLE STATISTICS REGARDING THEIR ACTUAL POPULATION. THERE IS ALSO A GREAT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OFFICIAL AND UNOFFICIAL FIGURES AND ESTIMATES. ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT CENSUS OF 1991, THE ADIVASI POPULATION WAS ESTIMATED 3,14,337 IN 16 ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICT OF THE RAJSHAHI DIVISION. BUT AS CLAIMED BY AN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY LEADER, BADLA ORAON OF DINAJPUR ADIVASI ACADEMY, THE. NUMBER OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN RAJSHAI DIVISION WAS 3,222,000 WAY BACK IN 1984. A SURVEY REPORT REVEALS THAT THE TOTAL POPULATION OF SANTAL IS 143932 IN DINAJPUR, RAJSHAHI, BOGRA, PABNA AND SOME OTHER AREAS OF BANGLADESH. ACCORDING TO THE OTHER SOURCES, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SANTALS ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN ESTIMATED. MOST OF THE SCHOLARS ALSO QUESTIONED THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE NUMERICAL DATA. IN THEIR OPINION, THE CENSUS TAKES LANGUAGE AS THE BASIS FOR IDENTIFYING ANY PERSON AS BENGALI OR INDIGENOUS. THEY HAVE ALSO ALLEGED THAT THE EXISTING POLICY IS TO SHOW THE NUMBER LOWER THAN THE ACTUAL NUMBER. 2 | P a g e. Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh 2. Historical Background of the Santals SINCE HOW LONG THE SANTALS LANDED IN THE TERRITORY OF PRESENT BANGLADESH, IS NOT PRECISELY KNOWN. SOME BELIEVE THAT THE KHERWARS REACHED THE LAND OF BENGAL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FIRST CLASHES WITH THE INVADING ARYAN TRIBES (2500 B. C. ). WITH EVERY PROBABILITY THE SANTALS LANDED IN BANGLADESH WITH THEIR ACTUAL ETHNIC IDENTITY, NOT AFTER 1000 B. C. IT IS PROBABLE THAT THE SANTALS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT BENGAL AT THE TIME OF THE MUSLIM INVASION OF THIS REGION DURING THE LAST DECADES OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY OR AT THE BEGINNING OF THIRTEENTH CENTURY. IN THE WORDS OF FR. LUIZI PUSSETTO: â€Å"THE SANTALS RETIRED PROGRESSIVELY TOWARD MORE CALM REGIONS OR WHERE IT WAS MORE EASY TO DEFEND [THEMSELVES] FROM THE INVADERS†¦ † IN LATER TIMES, WITH THE HISTORIC SANTAL REVOLUTION IN 1855 UNDER THE BRITISH COLONIAL RULE IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT, WHEN 30,000 THOUSAND SANTALS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED, IT IS BEYOND ANY DOUBT THAT MANY OF THE SANTALS WERE DISPERSED INTO DISTANT LANDS AND GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED TERRITORIES. MANY OF THEM EVEN CROSSED THE RIVER GANGES AND END UP IN THE EAST, THE PART OF PRESENT BANGLADESH. MANY THINK THAT THE EARLY SANTALS CAME TO NORTH BENGAL IN SEARCH FOR JOB OPPORTUNITIES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE RAILWAY TRACKS WERE UNDER CONSTRUCTION during the British rule in the second half of the 19th century. This may be one of THE REASONS THAT MOST SANTALS IN BANGLADESH ARE FOUND SETTLING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RAILWAY LINES FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. 2. 1 THE NAME â€Å"SANTAL†: REGARDING THE NAME SANTAL, OPINIONS DIFFER AMONG THE SCHOLARS. FOR SKREFSRUD, THE NAME SANTAL IS A CORRUPTION OF SAONTAR, AND WAS ADOPTED BY THE TRIBE AFTER THEIR SOJOURN FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS IN THE COUNTRY AROUND SAONT IN MIDNAPUR. W. B. OLDHAM OPINED THAT SANTAL IS AN ABBREVIATION OF SAMANTAWALA, WHICH HAS ITS ETYMOLOGY FROM SANSKRIT SAMANTA, ANOTHER NAME GIVEN TO THE COUNTRY AROUND SAONT. O’MALLEY IS OF THE OPINION THAT SANTAL IS AN ENGLISH FORM ADOPTED FROM HINDI WHICH CORRESPONDS WITH THE FORM SAOTAL USED BY THE BENGALI SPEAKING PEOPLE. MOST ANTHROPOLOGISTS AGREE THAT SANTAL IS A NAME GIVEN TO THIS TRIBE BY NON-SANTALS. HOWEVER, SANTALS PREFER TO CALL THEMSELVES HOR MEANING â€Å"HUMAN BEING OR PERSON. † FOR THE SANTALS THE CONCEPT HOR BEARS A RICH CONNOTATION TO MEAN A PERSON WITH QUALITIES OF INTELLECT, OF KNOWLEDGE, OF WISDOM; THEY REFER THEMSELVES AS A TRIBE WITH DIGNITY AND FULL HUMAN POTENTIALITY. THE SANTALS ARE PROUD OF THEIR IDENTITY THAT DEFINES THE TRAITS OF SOLIDARITY AND UNIQUENESS AS A GROUP. 3 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh 2. 2 ORIGIN, RACE, AND LANGUAGE: AS TO THE â€Å"ORIGIN† OF THE SANTALS, VERY LITTLE IS KNOWN FOR CERTAIN. THE SANTALS HAVE NO RECORDED HISTORY. LIKE OTHER ANCIENT SOCIETIES, SANTALS HAVE TRIED TO EXPLORE THE MYSTERIES OF CREATION, HISTORY AND LIFE BY MEANS OF MYTHS AND LEGENDS. FOLLOWING THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL DATA, SOME AUTHORS CLASSIFY SANTALS AS PRE-DRAVIDIAN AND OTHERS AS PROTO-AUSTROLOIDS; AND OTHERS AS ABORIGINALS OF THE NORTHWEST. THUS, THE OPINIONS IN THIS RESPECT ARE VERY DISCORDANT. THE SANTALS DO HAVE THEIR OWN MYTHOLOGY OF CREATION AND MANY BELIEVE THAT THEY ALL HAVE COME FROM PILCU HARAM AND PILCU BUDHI, WHICH IS LIKE ADAM AND EVE IN THE BIBLE. SANTALI IS THE MOTHER TONGUE SPOKEN BY THE SANTALS. IT IS A MUNDA LANGUAGE OF THE KHERWAR GROUP THAT BELONGS TO THE MUNDA-MON-KHMER OR ‘AUSTRO-ASIATIC’ SUB-FAMILY. BUT THERE ARE OTHER DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON THIS TOO. ACCORDING TO N. PRASAD, â€Å"SANTALI IS THE RICHEST DIALECT AMONG ALL THE TRIBAL DIALECTS OF BIHAR. † 2. 3 GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: IN BANGLADESH, THE SANTALS ARE FOUND MOSTLY IN NORTH BENGAL (NORTHERN PART OF BANGLADESH) ESPECIALLY IN THE THEN GREATER DISTRICTS OF DINAJPUR, RANGPUR, BOGRA, AND RAJSHAHI. ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS OF 1881, THE SANTALS RESULTED PRESENT IN THE DISTRICT OF KHULNA, PABNA AND CHITTAGONG IN THE SOUTH. MANY SAY THAT THE SANTALS, WHO ARE IN SYLHET, ARE THE ONES WHO MIGRATED FROM THE DISTRICTS MENTIONED ABOVE AND CAME HERE MAINLY TO WORK IN THE TEA GARDENS AS LABORERS. IN SHORT, THE SANTALS OF BANGLADESH ARE ALMOST ALL DERIVED FROM THOSE EMIGRATED FROM THE SANTAL PARGANA IN INDIA AND NOTHING DISTINGUISHES THEM FROM THOSE WHO ARE STILL LIVING THERE, WITH THE EXCEPTION, PERHAPS OF THE USE OF BANGLA WORDS THAT ARE SANTALIZED. IN RECENT TIMES SOME OF THE BANGLADESHI SANTALS ALSO STARTED GOING ABROAD TAKING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. 4 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh 3. THE WORLDVIEW THE SANTALS ARE SIMPLE AND UNSOPHISTICATED PEOPLE. LIKE ANY OTHER PEOPLE, THE SANTALS HAVE DEVELOPED THEIR OWN WORLDVIEW, A SYSTEM SUITED TO DEAL WITH THE BASIC PROBLEMS OF LIFE AND ITS MEANING. THEY HAVE PERCEIVED THE ENIGMA AND THE BASIC DICHOTOMY OF HUMAN EXISTENCE—LIFE AND DEATH, GOOD AND EVIL FROM THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE. FOR THE SANTALS, LIFE, HEALTH, WEALTH, PROSPERITY, HAPPINESS, TRIBAL SOLIDARITY, RELIGIOUS BELIEF, MORES, ETC., ARE â€Å"GOOD†; AND DEATH, ILLNESS, POVERTY, MISFORTUNE, INJURY ETC. ARE â€Å"EVIL†. THEIR RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES IS MEDIATED THROUGH THEIR CULTURE AND ARE EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF SYMBOLS, METAPHORS, MYTH, LEGENDS, FOLKLORE, SONGS, CULT, RITUALS AND SO ON. THE Santals consider Th kur Jiu ? (Life Giver) or Cando Baba (Sun Father) or Marang BURU (GREAT MOUNTAIN) AS THE SOURCE OF ALL â€Å"GOOD†; WHILE IT IS THE â€Å"EVIL EYE†, THE â€Å"evil mouth† and the b ric’ bonga ? or malevolent spirits who cause harms in human LIFE. THEREFORE, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE SUPREME BEING, THEY ALSO PROPITIATE THE. BONGA IN AN ATTEMPT TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF SUFFERING, SICKNESS, AND OTHER CRISIS. ALL THESE QUITE OFTEN LEAD THEM TO SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS AND GIVE RISE TO PROMINENCE OF THE FEAR OF THE BONGA. FOR THE SANTALS EVERY NEWBORN CHILD COMING FROM THE INVISIBLE AND SHADOWY WORLD NEEDS TO BE PURIFIED, IDENTIFIED AND INTRODUCED TO THE SANTAL SOCIETY. MUCH OF SUCH REALITIES ARE EXPRESSED THROUGH THE RITUAL CEREMONIES PERFORMED AFTER A CHILD IS born. The ritual of the janam ch ti r? ? (birth purification and name-giving ritual) is ONE EXAMPLE WHERE THESE ASPECTS ARE ENACTED THROUGH BATHING, SHAVING THE HEAD OF. THE BABY, DIVINING OF ARWA RICE (UNBOILED RICE) GRAINS AND WELCOMING OF THE BABY BY THE COMMUNITY. THE DEATH PURIFICATION CEREMONIES LIKE FUNERAL RITES OF BHANDAN, OR MORA KARAM (AFTER-DEATH CELEBRATION) PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS OF THE SANTAL-BELIEF SYSTEM THAT THE DEAD PERSON GOES BACK TO THE SAME SPIRIT-WORLD OF LIFE FROM WHERE HE/SHE HAD COME AS A BABY AND REMAINS DEFILED AND DEFILING, FOR WHICH REASON NOT ONLY THE FAMILY THAT NEEDS PURIFICATION, BUT THE VERY RETURN OF THE DECEASED. PERSON TO ITS ORIGINAL STATE OR SHADOWY-WORLD IS ALREADY DEFILING BECAUSE IT IS A TRIBELESS-STATE, CONDEMNED AND SINFUL STATE AND BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN CREATED FOR THE PUNISHMENT OF THE SINS OF GREED AND PRIDE. HENCE, THE DECEASED PERSON NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT BACK 5 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh SPIRITUALLY TO HIS/HER OWN FAMILY AND IS INSTALLED AS AN INVISIBLE MEMBER AS HAPRAM (ANCESTOR). THE DECEASED, ALTHOUGH INVISIBLE, REMAIN A PERMANENT MEMBER OF THE FAMILY AND ARE REMEMBERED AND RESPECTED DURING ALL THEIR FAMILY OCCASIONS. THE SANTALS BELIEVE THAT â€Å"WHEN [A] HUMAN BEING BECOMES PERFECTLY FREE FROM ALL GREED AND PRIDE THIS STATE WILL BE REMOVED AND THAT WILL BE THE NEW CREATION, WHICH IN CHRISTIANITY MAY BE COMPARED WITH THE STATE OF SALVATION. FOR THE SANTALS, THERE IS NO CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE SACRED AND THE PROFANE, RELIGIOUS AND NON-RELIGIOUS, SPIRITUAL AND THE MATERIAL AREAS OF LIFE. ANIMALS AND THE MATERIAL WORLD ARE AT THE DISPOSAL OF HUMAN BEINGS FOR THEIR SELF-PRESERVATION AND WELL-BEING. MOREOVER, SANTAL-LIFE IS CLOSELY RELATED TO NATURE AND TO THE WHOLE OF CREATION. LAND AND FOREST REMAIN UNITED WITH SANTAL-IDENTITY AND ARE VERY MUCH REFLECTED IN THEIR LIVES, LOVE, POETRY, SONGS, DANCE AND MUSIC. THE SANTALS, FOR EXAMPLE, ADDRESS TO THE â€Å"SUPREME BEING† AS CANDO BABA (SUN FATHER) AND THE STARS. TOO HAVE DIFFERENT NAMES. ACCORDING TO ARCHER, â€Å"ALTHOUGH FIELDS, HOUSES, MEN AND WOMEN SEEM TO CONSTITUTE A SANTAL VILLAGE, SANTALS REGARD THEM AS AT MOST A PORTION OF THEIR TOTAL WORLD. † 6 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh 4. THE SANTALS IN THEIR SOCIO-CULTURAL REALITIES 4. 1 THE SANTAL-VILLAGE: THE SANTAL VILLAGE IS A PATTERN OF SANTAL LIVING AND IT IS THE MOST TRADITIONAL AND ANCIENT INSTITUTION, WHICH CRYSTALLIZES THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND RITUAL STRUCTURES. IT COMES INTO EXISTENCE THROUGH THE SPECIAL DISPENSATION OF THE BONGA AND IS SANCTIFIED BY THEIR BLESSINGS. THE PRESENCE OF. DIFFERENT CLANS IN A VILLAGE DEMONSTRATES THE BEAUTY OF A COMMUNITY LIVING AND OBVIOUSLY THE DEMOCRATIC CHARACTER OF THE VILLAGE ADMINISTRATION ITSELF IS A SIGN OF INCREDIBLE RICHNESS OF THE SANTAL SOCIETAL DEALING AND LIVING. A SANTAL VILLAGE IS DEMARCATED WITH AN IMPLICIT BOUNDARY SO THAT IT MAY REMAIN FREE FROM OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE OF EVIL SPIRITS. THE SANTALS BELIEVE THAT QUARRELS AMONG FAMILIES AND GROUPS IN THE VILLAGE, NATURAL CALAMITIES, SICKNESS, EPIDEMICS, ETC. , ARE CAUSED BY LACK OF BALANCE BETWEEN THE FORCES OF GOOD AND EVIL. 4. 2 SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF SANTAL VILLAGE: THE PRIMARY FEATURE OF EVERY SANTAL. VILLAGE IS THE â€Å"MANJHI COUNCIL† OR THE VILLAGE COUNCIL HEADED BY A MANJHI (HEADMAN). THE VILLAGE COUNCIL IS THE REPRESENTATIVE BODY OF THE COMMUNITY CONSISTING OF SEVEN OFFICIALS, NAMELY: MANJHI, PARANIK (A DEPUTY HEADMAN), JOG MANJHI (AN OVERSEER OF THE VILLAGE ON MORAL ISSUES), JOG PARANIK (ASSISTANT TO JOG MANJHI), GODET’ (A MESSENGER), NAEKE (A village priest), and his assistant is Kud m Naeke?. These OFFICIALS IN FACT ARE THE SERVANTS, NOT THE MASTERS OF THE village and their role is purely functional. The M njhi? remains as the overall LEADER OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL AND PRESIDES OVER THE VILLAGE MEETING BUT WITH THE. ACCEPTED PRINCIPLE THAT NO ONE OVERRULES ANY ONE ELSE. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE CATEGORICALLY DIVIDED AMONG THE MEMBERS IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY OVERLAPPING. THE COUNCIL MEMBERS PERFORM THEIR FUNCTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR TRIBAL CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS. THE PATTERN OF THE VILLAGE GOVERNANCE OF THE SANTALS IS MOSTLY DEMOCRATIC IN CHARACTER LIKE ANY OTHER DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTION. HOWEVER IN PRESENT TIME, WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED UNION PARISAD (LOCAL ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL) THE SOCIAL CONTROL OF THE TRADITIONAL m njhi ? council of the Santals is mostly undermined. 7 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh FOLLOWING THE PATRIARCHAL PATTERN, THE MANJHI (LEADER) OF THE VILLAGE FOR THE SANTALS, IS ALWAYS A MALE. THE TITLE OF THE MANJHI IS GENERALLY HEREDITARY AND IT IS PASSED ON PATRILINEALLY. NOW-A-DAYS, THE MALE MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE MAY ELECT OR EVEN SELECT THEIR OWN HEADMAN UPON COMMON CONSENSUS. THE TERM OF OFFICE IS INDEFINITE BUT CAN BE ALTERED BY GENERAL AGREEMENT ACCORDING TO THE NEED. ALTHOUGH THE OFFICE OF THE HEADMAN IS VOLUNTARY AND HONORARY IN NATURE, THE MEMBERS OF THE MANJHI COUNCIL ARE RESPONSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY FOR THE SMOOTH RUNNING OF THE VILLAGE PARTICULARLY FOR SOCIAL MATTERS. 4. 3 THE CLANS: SANTALS ARE ENDOGAMIC AS A PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT GET MARRIED OUTSIDE THEIR TRIBE, BUT THEY ARE EXOGAMIC AS CLAN BECAUSE THEY CANNOT BE married between the same clan (p ris? ). Traditionally the Santals used to have FOSTERED A TOTAL OF TWELVE CLANS BUT UNFORTUNATELY IN THE COURSE OF HISTORY ONE HAS BEEN MISSING. THE CLANS ARE: 1) BASKEY, 2) BESRA, 3) CORE, 4) HASDAK’, 5) Hembrom, 6) Kisku, 7) Marandi, 8) Murmu, 9) P uria, 10) Soren, 11) Tudu, and ? 12) BEDEA (THE LOST ONE). MAJOR FUNCTIONS OF THE CLANS ARE TO REGULATE MARRIAGE, INHERITANCE, SUCCESSION AND AFFILIATION (ALI 1988; ALSO HOSSAIN 2000). ONE BECOMES A CLAN MEMBER BY BIRTH. IT IS SAID THAT THESE CLANS ARE HIERARCHICALLY ORDERED ON THE BASIS OF OCCUPATION, LIKE: Kisku raja (king), Marandi Kipis r ? (wealthy or richer), Murmu Th kur ? (priest), Soren Sip hi ? (warrior), Tudu M nd ri ? ? ? (musician), and so on and so forth. HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCHER, THESE OCCUPATIONAL HIERARCHIES OF STATUS DO NOT HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE SANTALS IN DAILY LIVES. 4. 4 FAMILY AND MARRIAGE: FAMILY IS THE PRIMARY UNIT OF HUMAN SOCIETY. THE FAMILY AMONG THE SANTALS CAN BE TERMED AS OF BIOLOGICAL, JOINT, AND EXTENDED. A. HUSBAND, HIS WIFE AND THEIR UNMARRIED CHILDREN FORM PART OF THE BIOLOGICAL OR NUCLEAR FAMILY. A HUSBAND, HIS WIFE AND HIS MARRIED AND UNMARRIED SONS AND DAUGHTERS AND SOMETIMES HIS OLD PARENTS, BROTHER AND HIS FAMILY FORM PART OF THE JOINT FAMILY OR EXTENDED FAMILY TYPE. ACCORDING TO THE SANTALS, MARRIAGE IS AN UNION BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN, WHICH IS SOCIALLY RECOGNIZED; CULTURALLY AND RELIGIOUSLY IT ALLOWS THE COUPLE TO LIVE IN A FAMILY. A SANTAL MARRIAGE CAN BE DESCRIBED ALSO AS A LEGAL TRANSFER OF DEPENDENCY OF THE 8 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh BRIDE, FROM HER FATHER’S FAMILY TO THE GROOM’S FAMILY. BY THIS TRANSFER, THE GROOM’S FAMILY DOES NOT ONLY ASSUME GUARDIANSHIP BUT ALSO ASSUMES CONTROL OVER ALL HER AFFAIRS. THROUGH MARRIAGE THE BRIDE LOOSES HER PATERNAL LEGAL IDENTITY AND ACQUIRES THE IDENTITY OF THE GROOM’S FAMILY. IN THE INSTITUTIONAL SENSE, MARRIAGE IS THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN REGULATED BY CUSTOMARY LAWS THAT ENHANCE LEGAL UNION BETWEEN THE SEXES AND DEFINE THE PROCEDURES FOR ESTABLISHING THE HUSBAND-WIFE RELATION, THE RECIPROCAL OBLIGATIONS AND THE ACCEPTED RESTRICTIONS UPON ITS PERSONNEL. AS TO THE ORIGIN AND INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE, THE SANTALS BELIEVE THAT THE CREATOR. HIMSELF HAS ESTABLISHED MARRIAGE. THAT IS, THE THAKUR JIU WHO CREATED THE FIRST HUMAN PAIR (PILCU HARAM AND PILCU BUDHI) HAS ALSO INSTITUTED MARRIAGE. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME INSTANCES OF POLYGAMY, MONOGAMY IS THE NATURE OF MOST SANTAL MARRIAGES. BESIDES SERVING SEXUAL NEEDS AND PROCREATION OF HEIRS, A SANTAL MARRIAGE HAS ALSO OTHER PURPOSES, SUCH AS COMPANIONSHIP, FORMATION OF FAMILY, ECONOMIC SECURITY, COOPERATION IN THE FAMILY ENTERPRISE, SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SECURITY, ETC. THUS, SANTAL MARRIAGE IS NOT ONLY BETWEEN TWO PERSONS OF OPPOSITE SEX BUT IT ALSO BECOMES A BOND OF UNION BETWEEN TWO FAMILIES, TWO VILLAGES, AND. ALSO INFLUENCES THE CIRCLE OF RELATIONSHIP AMONG THE RELATIVES. M. A. JALIL MENTIONS FOUR TYPES OF MARRIAGE AMONG THE SANTALS IN BANGLADESH. THESE ARE: 1) DANGWA BAPLA (CONTACT MARRIAGE), 2) ANGIR BAPLA (LOVE MARRIAGE), 3) OR BAPLA (FORCE MARRIAGE), AND 4) ITUT’ BAPLA (TACTICAL MARRIAGE). MOREOVER, SANTALS DO HAVE EXCEPTIONS ESPECIALLY IN THE CASE OF MARRIAGE BETWEEN CANDIDATES OF THE SAME CLAN. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE MARRIAGE OF A YOUNG COUPLE OF THE SAME CLAN FOR A VALID REASON BECOMES NECESSARY, AND CONSANGUINITY OR AFFINITY DOES NOT PREVENT IT, THEY APPLY A JURIDICAL PRETENSE. IN SUCH CASE, AN ELDERLY COUPLE OF A DIFFERENT CLAN, ADOPTS THE BRIDE AS THEIR DAUGHTER THROUGH A SIMPLE RITUAL CEREMONY AND GIVES THE PROPER NAME TO HER. 4. 5 ANNUAL FESTIVALS AND CEREMONIES: THE SANTAL SOCIETY IS MARKED WITH FEASTS, FESTIVALS AND RITUAL CELEBRATIONS. ONE OF THE TERMS OFTEN used by the Santals is r sk? ? meaning happiness, or joy, WHICH IS NOT ONLY DEAR TO THEIR HEARTS BUT IS PART AND PARCEL OF THEIR LIFE. THUS, WE FIND DANCING AND SINGING HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE AT EVERY FESTIVAL OCCASION. IT BRINGS A SANTAL TO FORGET WORRIES AND STRESSES OF HIS OR HER 9 | P a g e. Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh DAY-TO-DAY LIFE. IN THE SOCIAL LIFE OF THE SANTALS, FEASTS AND FESTIVALS HAVE GREAT SIGNIFICANCE FOR THESE ARE THE LIVING EXPRESSION OF THE DEEP ASPIRATION OF JOY AND HAPPINESS, AND ALSO DEMONSTRATE THE FEELING OF COMMUNITY AND SOLIDARITY INTEGRATED AS PART OF THE NATURE OF THE SANTALS. MANY OF SUCH CHARACTERISTICS ARE EXPRESSED IN SONGS, MUSIC AND IN DANCE. IN FACT, THE SANTALS DON’T GIVE ANY SPACE TO INDIVIDUALISM AND IT IS REALLY DURING THE FEASTS AND FESTIVALS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL REALIZES HIMSELF OR HERSELF IN THE COMMUNITY AND HIS OR HER FUTURE ROLE IN THE LIFE OF THE COMMUNITY. ALTHOUGH, MOST OF THESE FESTIVALS SEEMINGLY APPEAR AS MERE GATHERING OF CLOSE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES, INDIVIDUALS OF THE SAME SUB-CLAN OR THAT CONCERN ONLY THE INHABITANTS OF A VILLAGE; YET, THERE ARE ALSO OCCASIONS THAT INVOLVE MORE VILLAGES, AS IT USUALLY HAPPENS ON THE OCCASION OF MARRIAGE WHEN PARTICIPATION IS MOSTLY UNANIMOUS. IN ANY OF THESE FEASTS AND FESTIVALS, THERE ARE CERTAIN RITES AND RITUALS BEING FOLLOWED OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY SIMPLE OFFERING AT THE CENTER. ABLUTIONS AND UNCTION OF OIL, THE USE OF VERMILION TO MARK THE SACRIFICIAL VICTIM AND EVEN BEING USED BY THE PARTICIPANTS, BEARS A GREATER SIGNIFICANCE. IN FACT, SOME OF THESE FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES CONSIST OF SOME SORT OF WORSHIP OR FOLK CULTS. FROM THE RITES AND FESTIVALS OF THE SANTALS, IT IS QUITE CLEAR THAT THEIR ECONOMIC LIFE, SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND RITUAL PERFORMANCES ARE INTERWOVEN MAINLY AROUND AGRICULTURE. THE SANTALS BELIEVE THAT THE ASPECTS OF MATERIAL LIFE MUST BE PROTECTED AND GUARDED BY APPROPRIATE RITES AND FESTIVALS; AND BONGA (SPIRITS) MUST BE SATISFIED BY GIVING THEIR DUE SHARES. MANY OF THE SOCIO-CULTURAL FESTIVALS AND RITUALISTIC CELEBRATIONS INDICATE THAT SANTALS. HAVE DEEPER INSIGHTS THAT GO BEYOND MERE EXTERNAL CELEBRATIONS. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THIS STUDY, WE ONLY MENTION SOME MAIN ANNUAL FESTIVALS AND CEREMONIES COMMONLY OBSERVED LIKE: SOHORAE (HARVEST FESTIVAL), BAHA (FLOWER festival), Erok’ (sowing of rice seeds in the field), Iri-Gundli N wai? (offering of THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE MILLET IRI), JANTHAR (OFFERING OF THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE WINTER RICE CROP). SANTALS ALSO HAVE OCCASIONAL RITES AND FESTIVALS, WHICH ARE NEITHER ASSOCIATED WITH AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS NOR PERFORMED ANNUALLY. SOME OF THESE ARE: JOM SIM, MAK’ MORE AND KARAM. 10 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh 5. SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REALITIES 5. 1 OCCUPATIONS AND LIVING: TRADITIONALLY SANTALS ARE MAINLY AGRICULTURISTS. THEY CLING TO THEIR LAND AS THEIR PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION AND MEANS OF SUBSISTENCE. ABOUT 95% OF THE SANTALS ARE INVOLVED IN AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS. INDUSTRIOUS AND HARDWORKING AS THEY ARE, UNFORTUNATELY THE SCIENTIFIC SIDE OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CULTIVATION AND MANAGING THEIR LAND HAS NOT BEEN DEVELOPED. IN THE PAST THE MAJORITY OF THE SANTALS WERE LANDOWNERS, BUT DUE TO THE INCREASE IN POPULATION, EXPLOITATION BY MONEYLENDERS AND LANDLORDS, ILLEGAL. OCCUPATION OF THEIR LAND, POVERTY AND ILLITERACY, NATURAL CALAMITIES ETC. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE SANTALS IN BANGLADESH HAVE LOST THEIR LAND PROPERTIES. AT PRESENT, NEARLY 80% OF THE SANTALS ARE LAND-LESS, FORCING THEM TO EARN THEIR LIVELIHOOD DEPENDING ON THE MERCY AND AVAILABILITY OF WORK IN THE FIELDS OF THEIR MUSLIM OR HINDU NEIGHBORS FOR THEIR MERE SUBSISTENCE. YET, IT IS SIGNIFICANT TO NOTE THAT TRADITIONALLY THERE ARE NO BEGGARS AMONG THE SANTALS. RATHER, THE SANTALS IN THE TIME OF DIRE POVERTY GO TO THE JUNGLE TO COLLECT WILD PLANTS, FRUITS, WILD POTATOES AND ROOTS OF YOUNG SHOOTS, FLOWERS, MUSHROOMS, ETC. HUNTING AND FISHING THAT USED TO BE PART OF SANTAL-LIVING, HAVE NOW BECOME SECONDARY IMPORTANCE DUE TO THE CHANGE OF SITUATION. LACK OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE VILLAGE AREAS, ALSO FORCED MANY SANTALS TO FLOCK TO THE NEARBY TOWNS AND CITIES IN SEARCH OF DAILY WAGES AND JOBS. THE WOMEN IN SANTAL SOCIETY PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MAINTAINING THEIR FAMILIES BUT IN REALITY THEY REMAIN DEPRIVED OF THEIR EQUAL RIGHT, WHICH IS REFLECTED BY THE FACT THAT WOMEN ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE INHERITANCE OF PROPERTIES. SANTALS HAVE NEVER BEEN FOUND TO BE INTERESTED IN COMMERCE OR ANY SUCH PROFESSION TO AVAIL OF ECONOMIC SELF-RELIANCE. THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY. THEY REMAIN RATHER MARGINALIZED INVITING POVERTY IN THEIR LIVES. MOREOVER, MOST SANTALS DO NOT THINK ABOUT FUTURE, RATHER THEY ARE MORE CONCERNED FOR THE DAY; IT’S A DAY-TO-DAY LIVING AND THEY REMAIN SATISFIED AND HAPPY WITH THE LITTLE THEY CAN HAVE FOR MAINTAINING THEIR FAMILY. HOWEVER, DUE TO SOME PROGRESS IN EDUCATION, A SMALL NUMBER OF SANTALS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE LITTLE CHANGES IN THEIR WAY OF LIVING. 11 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh SOME HAVE TAKEN UP MODERN PROFESSIONS LIKE TEACHINGS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, JUDICIAL ADVOCACY, NURSING ETC. 5. 2 POLITICAL REALITY: SANTALS, A PEACE LOVING PEOPLE HAVE NEVER BEEN FOUND INTERESTED IN POLITICS. YET, THEY HAVE ALWAYS REACTED WHEN THINGS WENT SEVERELY PAINFUL AND THEY WERE PUSHED AGAINST THE WALL WHEN THEY COULD NOT BEAR ANYMORE. THE HISTORIC SANTAL REVOLUTION IN 1855-56, THE TEBHAGA ANDOLON (SHARE CROPPERS’ MOVEMENT) IN 1945, AND THE NACHOL BIDROHO (FARMERS’ REVOLUTION) IN THE YEAR 1950, ARE THE CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF THE PAST. IN FACT, SANTALS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN USED BY OTHERS IN THE FOREFRONT BATTLE. ILLITERACY, ABSENCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL SET UP AND LACK OF GENUINE. LEADERSHIP HAVE KEPT THE SANTALS FAR FROM ACHIEVING ANY END RESULT. IN RECENT YEARS, SOME OF THE SANTALS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO TAKE ACTIVE ROLE IN THE LOCAL POLITICS BY THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE LOCAL ELECTION. 12 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh 6. BELIEFS AND RITUAL PRACTICES 6. 1 THE BELIEF IN ONE SUPREME BEING: AS IT HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED EARLIER, SANTALS DO BELIEVE IN ONE â€Å"SUPREME BEING† WHOM THEY CALL THAKUR JIU (LIFE GIVER) OR MARANG BURU (GREAT MOUNTAIN) WHO IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE â€Å"SUPREME† AMONG ALL THE â€Å"RELIGIOUS BEINGS†. THE MOST COMMON SANTAL-TERM USED FOR THE SUPREME BEING. THESE DAYS IS CANDO BABA (SUN FATHER). ACCORDING TO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE RESEARCHER THE SANTALS HERE DO NOT REFER LITERALLY TO THE SUN ITSELF RATHER, IT IS AN EXPRESSION OF A DIVINE ACTIVITY: EXPRESSION OF DIVINE LOVE IN RELATION TO HUMAN BEINGS. FOR THE SANTALS, CANDO BABA IS A BENEVOLENT DEITY WHO ORGANIZES THE DAYS AND NIGHTS AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HEAT AND COLD, RAIN AND SUNSHINE; AND FROM A DWELLING ‘SOMEWHERE IN THE SKY’, ALLOTS EACH SANTAL A TERM OF LIFE HERE ON EARTH. BUT, HE STAYS FAR AWAY, FAR ABOVE THE SKY AND CANNOT BE REACHED. IT IS UNDERNEATH. THE SUN, BENEATH THE CLOUDS, THAT SANTAL LIFE IS CHALLENGED. HERE THE BONGA ROAM AROUND AND ONLY BY COMING TO TERMS WITH THEM CAN SANTALS BE HAPPY. 6. 2 THE BELIEF IN BONGA (SPIRITS): THE SANTALS BELIEVE IN THE EXISTENCE OF THE SPIRITS WHO ARE CALLED BONGA. THE BONGA HAVE MUCH REPERCUSSION ON DAILY LIVING OF THE SANTALS. TO ENSURE THEIR CONTINUING CARE, BESIDE ANNUAL SACRIFICES, THE BONGA ARE REMEMBERED IN A DAILY BASIS. WHENEVER A MEAL IS TAKEN, A SMALL PORTION OF THE FOOD IS DROPPED ON THE FLOOR FOR THE BONGA, OR AT THE TIME WHENEVER RICE-BEER IS DRUNK, A LITTLE IS SPILT ON THE GROUND FOR MARANG BURU. THUS, THE SANTALS LIVE NOT ONLY IN THEIR TRIBAL SOCIETY BUT IN A GREATER SOCIETY CONSISTING OF SUPERNATURAL BEINGS AS WELL. IN PRACTICE, THE SANTALS OFTEN USE THE TERM BONGA MEANING â€Å"TO INCORPORATE† SOMEONE INTO THE SOCIETY BY DOING CERTAIN RITUAL. THE PHRASE USED IN THIS CASE IS: BONGA TALA KEDEAKO MEANING, HE/SHE HAS BEEN ADMITTED INTO SANTAL SOCIETY. ACCORDING TO THE SANTAL RELIGIOUS BELIEF THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF BONGA—THE MALEVOLENT AND THE BENEVOLENT ONES. THE BONGA-WORSHIP IS PRIMARILY TO PLEASE AND TO INVOKE THE POWERS OF THE BENEVOLENT BONGA AND TO AVERT THE ILL WILL OF THE MALEVOLENT BONGA. IN THE WORSHIP OF BONGA WE CAN DISTINGUISH ANALYTICALLY TWO INTERRELATED ASPECTS: 13 | P a g e Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh A) THE OBJECTIVE ASPECT OF THE RELIGIOUS RITES IS TO HAVE AN ALLIANCE WITH THE BENEVOLENT BONGA AND THEREBY CONTROLLING OR EVEN DEFEATING THE POWERS OF THE MALEVOLENT BONGA; AND B) THE EXPRESSIVE ASPECT OF THE WORSHIP IS MANIFESTED THROUGH VARIOUS SEASONAL AND RELIGIOUS RITES, FESTIVALS AND RITES ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS SOCIAL RITUALS. SANTALS HAVE AN INNATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR BONGA AND CONSIDER THEMSELVES LIVING WITH THEM. THIS RELATIONSHIP IS MOSTLY OF DEPENDENCE, SUBMISSION, PROPITIATION AND REVERENTIAL FEAR. THE SANTALS DO SUPPLICATIONS; OFFER RICE-BEER; AND ANIMAL SACRIFICES IN THE NAME OF THE BONGA. IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THAT THERE ARE INSTANCES AMONG THE SANTALS IN THE RURAL VILLAGES WHERE PERSONS EVEN IN TIME OF SERIOUS SICKNESS WOULD NOT LOOK FOR MEDICAL HELP INSTEAD LEAVE IT TO THE BONGA TO BE CURED. 6. 3 BELIEF IN WITCHCRAFT: RELATED TO SANTAL BELIEF-SYSTEM, IS ALSO THE EXISTENCE OF WITCHES. THE SANTALS BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WOMEN, WHO POSSESS SPECIAL POWER AND TECHNIQUES TO HARM PEOPLE, CATTLE, AND CROPS. THESE SO-CALLED WITCHES ARE INVOLVED IN DOING HARMFUL ACTIVITIES LIKE GIVING POISONS, TAKING OUT HUMAN LIVERS, SENDING TROUBLESOME SPIRITS TO CERTAIN FAMILIES AND CHANGING THEMSELVES INTO BLACK CATS. BECAUSE OF SUCH BELIEF IN WITCHCRAFT PRACTICES, THE SANTALS EASILY SUSPECT ONE ANOTHER, AND ARE OFTEN LED TO FIGHT. IT IS PRESUMED THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL TO HAVE SUCH A BELIEF ESPECIALLY IN THE PAGAN WORLD. HOWEVER, THERE IS ALSO A COUNTER-BELIEF AMONG THE SANTALS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE OJHA-JANGURU (SPECIALISTS), MAINLY MEN, WHO POSSESS SPECIAL POWER AND. TECHNIQUES FOR DETECTING WITCHES AND NULLIFYING THEIR SPELLS. THUS, WHENEVER SANTALS GET INTO TROUBLE, THEY SEEK THE HELP OF THESE PEOPLE WHO, MORE OFTEN EXPLOIT THE SOCIETY. REFERRING TO THE SICKNESS AND OTHER PROBLEMS, THE SANTALS BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE CAUSED BY THE EVIL SPIRITS WHEN THEY BECOME DISSATISFIED WITH THE SACRIFICES OF THE PEOPLE OR WHEN THEY THINK THAT THEY ARE BEING MANIPULATED BY SOME EVIL-MINDED PEOPLE (WITCHES). THEREFORE, THE SANTALS TRY TO IDENTIFY THE AGENTS OF THE TROUBLE THROUGH THE HELP OF OJHA–JANGURU AND TRY TO PACIFY EACH AGENT THROUGH VARIOUS SACRIFICES. 14 | P a g e. Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh 6. 4 THE ANCESTORS: FROM THE RITES AND RITUALS AS PRACTICED BY THE SANTALS, IT IS QUITE EVIDENT THAT ANCESTOR-WORSHIP IS A COMMON FEATURE AMONG THEM. THE DEAD ANCESTORS ARE THE REAL BENEFACTORS OF THE FAMILIES OR GROUPS TO WHICH THEY BELONGED AND THAT THEY ARE EASILY APPROACHABLE BY THEIR LIVING KINSMEN. HENCE, AT ALL IMPORTANT OCCASIONS OF BIRTH, OF MARRIAGE OR OF DEATH THE DECEASED ANCESTORS ARE REMEMBERED AND OFFERED SACRIFICES. 6. 5 THE JAHERTHAN OR THE SACRED GROVE IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF A SANTAL VILLAGE. IT IS A SACRED PLACE OF SPECIAL WORSHIP FOR THE SANTALS. AFTER A VILLAGE HAS BEEN SET UP, A JAHERTHAN IS INSTALLED THROUGH RITUAL CEREMONY AT THE OUTSKIRT OF THE VILLAGE. THE MAIN DEITY OF THE JAHERTHAN, IS KNOWN AS JAHER ERA (THE LADY OF THE GROVE). ACCORDING TO THE SANTALS, SHE RESIDES THERE BESIDES OTHER IMPORTANT DEITIES SUCH AS THE MOREKO-TURUIKO (LITERALLY MEANS †FIVE-SIX†). THE JAHER ERA PRESIDES OVER THE SACRED GROVE, TENDS OVER OTHER BONGA IN THE JAHERTHAN AND LOOKS AFTER THE INTERESTS OF THE VILLAGERS ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR PHYSICAL NEEDS. THE SPIRITS OF THE JAHERTHAN ARE WORSHIPPED DURING THE PRINCIPAL FESTIVALS, LIKE SOHORAE (HARVEST FESTIVAL), BAHA. (FLOWER FESTIVAL), EROK’ (SOWING FESTIVAL), AND SO ON FOR THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE VILLAGE PARTICULARLY FOR OBTAINING GOOD CROPS AND FOR THE HEALTH OF THE VILLAGERS AND THEIR LIVESTOCK. 6. 6 The M njhithan? or the altar of the headman is placed along side the kulhi (VILLAGE ROAD) OR OFTEN AT THE CENTRAL PLACE OF THE VILLAGE OR IN FRONT THE HOUSE OF THE M njhi? (the headman). It is believed that the Manjhi bonga (spirit of the headman) RESIDES IN THIS ALTAR AND ACTS AS THE SPIRITUAL ADVISER OF THE HEADMAN. HERE THE M njhi? offers sacrifice for the benefit of himself, his family and for the whole. VILLAGE. 6. 7 THE â€Å"HOUSE-ALTAR†: IN THE INNER SIDE OF A SANTAL HOUSE, THERE REMAINS THE bhit r, ? a tiny compartment, which is the darkest space of the house. It is the abode OF THE ORAK BONGA (HOUSE SPIRITS) OR OFTEN KNOWN AS ABGE BONGA—THE BONGA OF THE SUB-CLAN. THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY DOES THE WORSHIP. IN ANY OCCASION OF THE FAMILY AND SOCIAL FESTIVALS, FOOD OFFERING IS MADE ON THIS ALTAR. THE NAMES OF THE ORAK BONGA ARE NOT REVEALED TO OUTSIDERS AND EVEN TO THE FEMALE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE RATHER, HANDED DOWN FROM FATHER TO SON. USUALLY THE ELDEST SON RECEIVES THE NAME FROM HIS FATHER. 15 | P a g e. Ethnic Group Of Bangladesh The bhit r? is also used as a secret place to germinate and to store h ndi ? (rice beer), WHICH IS NOT ONLY USED AS NORMAL DRINK BUT ITS USE IS SIGNIFICANT AND EXTENDED TO SOCIO-CULTURAL RITUALISTIC CELEBRATIONS, AND EVEN THAT TO BE OFFERED TO SATISFY THE BONGA. 6. 8 THE â€Å"AFTER-LIFE† IS THE CONTINUATION OF LIFE THAT IS LIVED IN THIS WORLD. THE SANTALS BELIEVE THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE DECEASED GOES TO A SHADOWY WORLD WHERE THE PERSON REQUIRES THE MATERIALS OF THIS WORLD. THIS IS WELL EXPRESSED WITH THE RITUAL PRACTICES DONE AT THE TIME OF BURIAL AND DURING THE BHANDAN, THE LAST CEREMONY DONE. IN HONOR OF THE DEAD. IN THE PAST, IT WAS PERFORMED IMMEDIATELY AFTER ALL THE REQUIREMENTS HAD BEEN FULFILLED FOR THE DECEASED PERSON, BUT IN PRESENT DAYS SUCH CEREMONY, IN A RICH FAMILY, IS DONE WITHIN TWO OR THREE MONTHS FROM THE DEATH AND IN A POOR FAMILY, IT IS ONE YEAR OR TWO. FOR THE SANTALS, THE MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE ANIMAL-VICTIMS OFFERED IN HONOR OF THE DEAD DURING THE BHANDAN, THE MORE WOULD BE THE ANIMALS THAT THE ANCESTOR WILL HAVE IN THE OTHER WORLD. MOST ANIMAL-VICTIMS ARE DONATED BY THE RELATIVES AND NONE OF THEM ARE TO BE SPARED FOR FUTURE USE BY THE FAMILY CONCERNED. TRADITIONALLY EVERY SANTAL, MALE AND FEMALE, IS SUPPOSED TO BEAR UNDELETABLE SCARS on the body. For the male, it is the sik? that must be at least three scars REPRESENTING JION (LIFE), MORON (DEATH), AND JION (LIFE). THE SANTAL WOMEN DO NOT practice sik? , but to escape to be devoured by the worms in the life-after, they have THEIR CHEST TATTOOED, WHICH IS CALLED BY THE SANTALS KHODA. FR. PUSSETTO, WITH HIS VAST EXPERIENCE WITH THE SANTALS TESTIFIED: I HAVE NOT ONLY SEEN SANTAL WOMEN TATTOOED ON THE CHEST BUT ALSO ON THE BACK, ON THE FACE, ON THE ARMS AND ON THE LEGS; THE TATTOO WERE ENOUGH COMPLICATED, BUT PURELY ORNAMENTAL†¦THE TA.

Migration and Disease in Africa during European...

The Relationship between Migration and Disease in Africa during European Imperialism During the era of European Imperialism, from approximately 1880 to 1930, an increasing number of Europeans began to colonize West Africa. Because of this colonization many African natives migrated eastward, inadvertently transporting diseases to which the East Africans were not immune (Ransford 76). This phenomenon can be explained through examining the implications of geographical isolation, the effects of large-scale migration, and alluding to a specific example of disease transference in Africa from the west to the east. Because of geographic isolation, human societies develop either genetic or cultural defenses against†¦show more content†¦Both of these resettlements spiked disease morbidity and mortality rates to epidemic proportions. â€Å"The inhabitants of the Belgian Congo before 1880 were estimated to number about 40 million; by 1910 the figure had dropped to 15.5 million, and was 9.25 million in 1933† (Ransford 76). One of the devastating diseases that was carried to East Africa was sleeping sickness (Ransford 111). The tsetse fly carries the sleeping sickness parasite, Trypanosoma brucei gambiense, and transmits it through its bite (African Trypanosomiasis). The isolated tribe’s total lack of immunity and the eastern migratory shift increased both the severity and rapidity of this disease for Eastern African regions. For example, the decline in the population of Lukolela from less than 6,000 in 1891 to only a little more than 700 in 1896, is due to this type of disease transference (Ransford 128). Because the time during European Imperialism ignited mass movements within the African continent, the foreign invaders inevitably brought with them diseases to which the native peoples of that region were not immune (Ransford 47). Millions of human beings were affected by the unusual migration patterns, on both the part of the Europeans and the Africans, which upset the ecological barriers and generated devastating results. 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