Adivasis of Orissa

Tribes of Orissa

Tribes of Orissa form a major portion of the total population of the state. Almost all the districts of Orissa state comprise of some tribal population.

• Juang Tribe

• Kolha Tribe

• Bhumia Tribe

• Bhunjia Tribe

• Bonda Poraja Tribe

• Bagata Tribe

• Chenchu Tribe

• Dal Tribe

• Dharua Tribe

• Holva Tribe

• Jatapu Tribe

• Koli Tribe

• Parenga Tribe

• Paroja Tribe

• Saora Tribe

• Sabar Tribe

• Sitha Khanda Tribe

• Sounti Tribe

• Tadvi Tribe

• Gadaba Tribe

Tribes of Orissa are about seven milling in the state. The total number of tribes living in the state of Orissa is much more than other places in India. Some districts have vast presence of tribal population while some of the other districts of Orissa hold a small number of tribal. Rayagada District, Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri and Naurangpur are some of the district of Orissa where more than fifty percent of the total population is tribal. There are very few tribes who are in a better economic condition in this state and are suitable mingled in the society, whereas several other tribes of Orissa spend a totally secluded life.

There are sixty two tribal communities in the state of Orissa and among these tribal communities the name of Saora tribe(or Sabar) is mentioned in the great Hindu epic of Mahabharata. The tribes of Orissa belong to three linguistic divisions, are namely Dravidian, Indo-Aryan and Austric. The tribes of Orissa have the tendency to build their houses with bamboo and thatched roofs.

In India there is an amalgam of 437 tribes, and in Odisha the number is sixty two. According to 1991 Census, in Odisha the total strength of tribal population is approximately seven million which constitutes 22.21% of the total population of the State.

Linguistically the tribes of India are broadly classified into four categories, namely (1) Indo-Aryan speakers, (2) Dravidian speakers, (3) Tibeto-Burmese speakers, and (4) Austric speakers. In Odisha the speakers of the Tibeto-Burmese language family are absent, and therefore Odishan tribes belong to other three language families. The Indo-Aryan language family in Odisha includes Dhelki-Oriya, Matia, Haleba, Jharia, Saunti, Laria and Oriya (spoken by Bathudi and the acculturated sections of Bhuyans, Juang, Kondh, Savara, Raj Gond etc.). The Austric language family includes eighteen tribal languages namely, Birija, Parenga, Kisan, Bhumiji, Koda, Mahili Bhumiji, Mirdha-Kharia, Ollar Gadaba, Juang, Bondo, Didayee, Karmali, Kharia, Munda, Ho, Mundari and Savara. And within the Dravidian language family there are nine languages in Odisha, namely, Pengo, Gondi, Kisan, Konda, Koya, Parji, Kui, Kuvi and Kurukh or Oraon.

The tribes of Odisha though belong to three linguistic divisions, yet they have lots of socio-cultural similarities between them. These commonalities signify homogeneity of their cultures and together they characterize the notion or concept of tribalism. Tribal societies share certain commoncharacteristics and by these they are distinguished from complex or advanced societies. In India tribal societies had apparently been outside the main historical current of the development of Indian civilization for centuries. Hence tribal societies manifest such cultural features which signify a primitive level in socio-cultural parameter.