THE BAIGAS OF MADHYA-PRADESH - A DEMOGRAPHIC-STUDY

This paper outlines the demographic characteristics of the Baiga tribe , one of the most primitive of the aboriginal tribal groups of Central India. The Baiga population has grown steadily since the first anthro pological study of the tribe in the 1930s. Age at menarche, age at mar riage, breast-feeding, and time interval between marriage and first co nception are natural. There are more females than males. Sub-tribe end ogamy is common; consanguineous marriage is favoured (34% of marriages are between first cousins) and marital distance is low (mean 7.1 km). Though the mean menarcheal age is high (15.2 years), mean age at firs t marriage is low (16.6 years), giving a long reproductive period.