Abstract

In Imphal, especially women from Rongmei- a tribal community are involved in indigenous alcohol industry in producing country liquor. The liquor is ingrained in their way of life encompassing custom, tradition, and identity. Production of liquor is perceived to be a means to meet their ends with no reliable livelihood to take up. Prohibition in Manipur since 1991 has an adverse impact on their liquor production and its sale. In such situation, women workers adjust and re-orient their work in continuing their work; bargaining comes into play to carve a space for them, and within their family and with customary practices and the state.

In this paper, indigenous alcohol industry from Namthanlong, Manipur will be considered and studied in detail on how the introduction of market economy and the state intervention in the form of prohibition enlivens bargaining. In tribal society, the concept of collective bargaining is alien to them; however this study will look into bargaining used in indigenous alcohol industry on whether the form of bargaining is inherent within their customary practices. The paper is also an attempt to let bargaining happening in indigenous alcohol industry of Namthanlong to speak for itself, and finds its own space in the mainstream discourse on collective bargaining.

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