Orissa
TRIBES OF ORISSA

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

THE KONDHS
The kondhs form numerically the largest group among the 62 tribes of orissa. Custom ally they were once famous for their brutal acts of human sacrifice (Maria sacrifice) to achieve the end products of bumper crops and killing of infants for better yield of turmeric. There are various sections among the kondhs or Kandhas. Each section is endogamous though originally they hail from the same Kandha community.

The kodhs are agriculturist. They generally produce cash crops like turmeric, ginger, mustard, Niger, black gram, arrowroot etc. The Dongria section of the kondh communities are expert horticulturist and produce fruits like bananas, pine apple, orange, jack fruits etc.

THE SOURAS

Souras are mainly concentrated in and around the paralakhemundi and the gunupur area of south Orrisa. They are called by various names such as sabara, soura, sora etc and have their racial affinity with the proto -austroloid physical feature which are dominant among the aborigines of central and southern india. The soura from their appearance resembles the other predravidian tribes.

The soura women do not use huge bundle of necklaces of beads and metals. A few necklaces of beads, round wooden plugs, spiral rings made of grass, bell metal or aluminum in the fingers and toes, little rings in the aloe of nose and metal anklets are worn by the women.

The souras grow pupkins, cucumber, bean, pine apple, tobacco, maize, and ginger in their kitchen garden . All the varied aspects of their environment are associated with some gods or other. the soura gods differ from one another in composition, function, character and nature.Some are benevolent, some are natural and some other malevolent.

PARAJAS

The parajas are one of the well known major tribes of orissa .The parajas bear many features in common with the neighbouring major tribes namely the gond, the khondh and gadaba.In Koraput the parajas live with other communities like the Rana, paika, mali , dumb, the gadaba and the kondh.

The parajas in general are strong, stout and hard working .Compact with other tribal communities , they show some cultural differences especially in respect of their settlement pattern, dress and ornaments, economic life, beliefs and worship, manners, customs and folk traditions.

The parajas are dedicated to alcoholic drinks and beverages. Use of liquour is a customary practice in all the magico religious rituals. They have a well organized socio political system, which functions as an independent autonomous unit.Parajas worships a number of gods and deities for their well beings.

BONDOs

The high hills located towards the remote south western tip of malkangiri uplands and the north west of river machkund in the district of koraput are inhabited by sparsely populated primitive tribes .The bondos are one of them and the hills on which they live are called the bondos hills. Some of the most striking feature of the Bondo tribes are rude and ruthless manner of expression , spirit of independence and sense of freedom, dormitory organization, excessive drinking of palm wine, criminal propensity and unconventional dress pattern.

GADABAS
Gadabas are one of the very primitive and colouful tribes of orissa. They are concentrated in the southern most parts of the state of the district of koraput. The Gadabas whose original home was in the north of the Vindhya mountains should be called by a name connected with "GADA" by which a brook or a stream is indicated in the part of the country. The gadabas build their houses in two rows facing each other with some broad way left between them. The headman house is the biggest and it is generally stand in the middle of one of the rows.