Current Events Current Affairs Analysis
The Dongria Kondh tribe of Odisha was recently featured for showcasing their vibrant identity and cultural resilience during a festival near the Niyamgiri Hills.
Who They Are?
oTheDongria Kondhare an indigenous tribal community, classified as aParticularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
oThey are renowned for theirenvironmental stewardshipand successful resistance against bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri hills.
Habitat:
oReside inscattered hamletswithin theNiyamgiri hill range, spread acrossRayagada and Kalahandi districtsinsouthwestern Odisha.
oThese hills are ecologically rich and spiritually sacred to the tribe, home to their revered deity,Niyam Raja.
Key Features:
oLanguage and Script:
§SpeakKui, an oralDravidian languageclosely related to Gondi.
§Kui doesnot have a written script, though it is sometimes transcribed in theOdia script.
Physical and Cultural Traits:
§Known for theirdistinctive dress and adornment:
Women wear minimal clothing, metallic nose pins, tattoos, and long rows of earrings.
Men wear colourful turbans and loincloths with traditional body tattoos.
Use traditional knowledge to practisepodu (shifting) cultivation,growing millets, turmeric, pineapples, and other crops.
Social and Religious Life:
§Followanimism, ancestor worship, andnature-centric spiritual beliefs.
§The tribe includessub-groupslike Kovi, Kuttia, Languli, Penga, and Jharnia.
§Uphold traditions throughoral storytelling,song,dance, andcommunity rituals.
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