Missing Voices of Adivasi Women Temporary Workers in Tea Gardens and the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

India is one of the leading tea producing countries, and around half of the total tea of the country is produced in Assam. The plantation wage laborers in tea gardens in Assam are one of the groups that have been facing oppression since the time of British colonial rule. The temporary workers here have to face various struggles due to less compensation and lack of social securities. They are also known as ‘Faltu’ (Useless) workers despite the fact that they share the majority of tea plantation-related work. The struggles further amplify for women who are in temporary positions. Gender-based discrimination in accessing facilities, lack of institutional support, and other livelihood opportunities make their social positions even more vulnerable. In this study, I explored the plights of women temporary workers in tea gardens in Assam and their increased vulnerability during the Covid-19 pandemic. I conducted in-person, in-depth interviews with seven women who identify themselves as Adivasis. For the discussion, I have mainly borrowed from Spivak’s arguments on the marginalization of subalterns. The paper contributes to the literature on intersectionality and postcolonial studies in the Global South by discussing the intersectional effect of colonialism, insecure work, gender, and the pandemic.