dacoit?

[bubba smith]

while reading my new copy of PULP HERO the were referenses to an unfamiliar term [to me] dacoit what does it mean?

[Barton]

Re: dacoit?

 

–noun

(in India and Burma) a member of a class of criminals who engage in organized robbery and murder.

Also, dakoit.

 

[Origin: 1800–10; < Hindi ḍakait]

according to dictionary.com

[bubba smith]

Re: dacoit?

 

thanks barton

[Lord Liaden]

Re: dacoit?

 

In Sax Rohmer's novels about Fu Manchu, the Doctor would often use dacoits as assassins.

 

This was before many people in the West had heard of ninjas.

[bubba smith]

Re: dacoit?

 

and thanks to you lord liaden

[Basil]

Re: dacoit?

 

From the online OED (NB: In the etymolgy, I am using "|" after a letter to indicate a macron over than letter, and a period after a letter to indicate a dot under that letter)

 

 

[Hindi| d.akait, orig. d.a|kait, f. da|ka| gang-robbery, f. Skr. dasht.aka compressed, crowded.]

 

A member of a class of robbers in India and Burmah, who plunder in armed bands.

Also applied to pirates who formerly infested the Ganges between Calcutta and Burhampore; see quot. 1810.

 

1810 T. WILLIAMSON E. India Vade M. II. 396 (Y.) Decoits, or water-robbers. 1844 H. H. WILSON Brit. India I. 399 The Dakoits did not commonly proceed to murder; but they perpetrated atrocious cruelties. 1888 Pall Mall G. 1 Feb. 3/2 The whole of Lower Burmah was ravaged by bands of dacoits, who defied and defeated the local authorities and robbed whole villages.

 

Hence da'coit v., to plunder as a dacoit; da'coitage, da'coiting, the practice of a dacoit, DACOITY; dacoi'tee, one robbed by a dacoit.

 

1886 Athenæum 1 May 578 The only choice left him is that of dacoiting or of being dacoited. 1890 Times 26 Dec. 3/1, 2000 rupees and other property belonging to them were dacoited. 1887 New York Examiner 12 May (Cent. Dict.), We may expect soon to hear that Dacoitage has begun with as much vigor as ever. 1887 Edin. Rev. Apr. 499 It may be a pleasanter game to play the dacoit than the dacoitee. 1885 Manch. Courier 16 Dec., It is stated that dacoiting..has taken place at Bhamo.

[Narratio]

Re: dacoit?

 

If you're going to use them, remember that they travel in packs, have lots of blades and will hire out to anybody with cash. They are not religous fanatics like the Thugee sect of India, nor as individually skilled as Ninja.

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: dacoit?

 

I think the idea that Rohmer might have been entertaining is that dacoitry was sometimes a cover for Chinese imperial designs in Burma, hence dacoits were natural agents of Fu Manchu's agenda of restoring the "Manchu" Dynasty. The Brits, especially the self-appointed in-country experts who dominated pro-imperialism journalism, were quick to see conspiracy. People like the Burmese had no right to be offended, and therefore were not.

It certainly didn't help that the Brits had been snookered by proponents of Theravadan Buddhism and took a very negative view of Burma's Mahayana faith.

[Narratio]

Re: dacoit?

 

I think the idea that Rohmer might have been entertaining is that dacoitry was sometimes a cover for Chinese imperial designs in Burma' date=' hence dacoits were natural agents of Fu Manchu's agenda of restoring the "Manchu" Dynasty. The Brits, especially the self-appointed in-country experts who dominated pro-imperialism journalism, were quick to see conspiracy. People like the Burmese had no right to be offended, and therefore were not.[/quote'] I can agree with that. But you've got to add in all the gangs of muscle for hire, local warlord wannabe's, hill tribes that need an infusion of cash and such. The use of the word 'Dacoit' in English appears to have been one of those stylish vogue words to describe an action that later changed to 'Thug'. Certainly it disappears from the press by the turn of the century, whereas the usage of 'Thug' has grown and continued. Interesting.

 

It certainly didn't help that the Brits had been snookered by proponents of Theravadan Buddhism and took a very negative view of Burma's Mahayana faith.

Not so sure here. Burma is only Mahayana in the North West and North extending back into the mountains and hills heading for Bhutan, Tibet and Northern India. Central and Southern Burma is very much Theravadan; looking at temple design, worship practices and prayer/celebration methods. At least, from what I can see traveling in the area. Of course, my family is Thai, so maybe I'm getting biased info, sort of "They're not true Buddhists because..."

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: dacoit?

 

Not so sure here. Burma is only Mahayana in the North West and North extending back into the mountains and hills heading for Bhutan, Tibet and Northern India. Central and Southern Burma is very much Theravadan; looking at temple design, worship practices and prayer/celebration methods. At least, from what I can see traveling in the area. Of course, my family is Thai, so maybe I'm getting biased info, sort of "They're not true Buddhists because..."

 

Narratio, you've got the facts on the ground, and I'm not going to argue. I'm still working out the parameters of a religio-political conflict I only tumbled onto last year. That said, China and the Qing dynasty definitely promoted Mahayana, so my suspicion was that one of the conflicts that made Burma such a difficult place to run was the fact that the Brits, having been snookered by their Sri Lankhan contacts, were so completely oblivious to the issue.

[FenrisUlf]

Re: dacoit?

 

In Sax Rohmer's novels about Fu Manchu, the Doctor would often use dacoits as assassins.

 

This was before many people in the West had heard of ninjas.

 

And most of those dacoits wound up dead, which probably explains why everyone starred using ninjas afterwards.

[Narratio]

Re: dacoit?

 

Narratio' date=' you've got the facts on the ground, and I'm not going to argue. I'm still working out the parameters of a religio-political conflict I only tumbled onto last year. That said, China and the Qing dynasty definitely promoted Mahayana, so my suspicion was that one of the conflicts that made Burma such a difficult place to run was the fact that the Brits, having been snookered by their Sri Lankhan contacts, were so completely oblivious to the issue.[/quote'] Okay, I can see where you're going with that. Back in '99 through '01, when I was working in China at Tianjin and Xiamen, my wife and I visited several temples and they were indeed Mahayana in ceremony and outlook.

 

Europeans still can't tell the difference between the two groups.