Bakarwal Tribe, History, Culture, Migration & Occupation

The Bakarwal Tribe is a nomadic pastoral community mainly found in the regions of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. They are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in India and are famous for their traditional practice of transhumance, which refers to seasonal migration with livestock. The Bakarwals move with their goats and sheep to the high-altitude Himalayan meadows during summer and return to the lower foothills in winter to escape harsh climatic conditions.

About Bakarwal Tribe

• The word “Bakarwal” is derived from “Bakri” meaning goat and “Wal” meaning caretaker, reflecting their traditional occupation of goat and sheep herding.
• The tribe practices Transhumance, a seasonal migration system in which they move with their livestock from lower foothills in winter to high-altitude Himalayan meadows in summer.
• The Bakarwals were granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) Status in 1991, providing them reservation benefits in education, government jobs, and welfare schemes.
• Their economy is mainly based on Animal Husbandry, including sheep rearing, goat rearing, wool production, dairy products, and livestock trade.
• The tribe possesses deep traditional knowledge about forests, mountain routes, climate conditions, grazing lands, and animal care, which helps them survive in harsh Himalayan environments.
• Most members of the community follow Islam, and their primary language is Gojri, though many also speak Urdu, Kashmiri, and Hindi.
• The Bakarwal Tribe faces several challenges such as poverty, lack of education, poor healthcare access, shrinking grazing lands, and climate change impacts.
• Climate Change has become a major threat to the tribe because changing snowfall patterns, melting glaciers, and irregular weather conditions are affecting their traditional migration routes.

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