Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Vol. 5(2), April 2006, pp. 224-226

Tradition of Clan names and conservation among the Oraons of Chhattishgarh

Amia Tirkey* & S K Jain
*School of Life Sciences, Pt R S University, Raipur 492010, Chhattishgarh;
A-26, Mall Avenue Colony, Lucknow 226001, Uttar Pradesh
E-mail: skjain1926@rediffmail.com
Received 11 August 2005; revised 19 December 2005

The Oraons of Chattisgarh have a tradition of totemism; name their clans after plants, animals, and other objects of
their daily needs or environment. They attach some special significance like faith, taboos or other practices to emphasize the
importance of these things in their survival and the need for their conservation. The folk of those clans do not harm these
species, and protect them from any damage. Examples of names of some animals, plants, and other objects common among
the Oraons of Chattisgarh are given. Such traditions helping in conservation of biodiversity, and natural resources have been
discussed.

Keywords: Clan names, Chattisgarh, Oraons, Conservation, Totemism

IPC Int. Cl.8: A01K1/00
The Oraons are a tribe of about 1.8 million people
inhabiting the in states of West Bengal, Orissa,
Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
Linguistically, they are of Dravidian origin. The
Oraons follow certain traditions of totemism.
Totemism, which was the basis of the social and
political organization of the Oraons, called the
hunting and pastoral stages of the Oraon culture, still
forms the fundamental feature of their social
organization in so far as kinship, marriage, and
relations of the sexes. For purposes of exogamy, the
whole tribe is divided in to a number of clans or
Gotras. Totems could be as many as there are natural
objects. About five dozen clan names of the Oraons
are recorded but they are rarely heard now1. Only
about twenty clan names are currently in use in the
2,3,4
area of study .
Field ethnobotanists have recorded that tribal and
other folk living in remote forest areas depend largely
for their daily needs of food, fuel, herbs, materials for
making their dwellings, tools and implements, and
feed for their animals, etc.4. Based on their intuition
and creativity, they have devised several ways to save
the natural resources from wanton damage and to
conserve the bioresources. These indigenous ways
include faith, taboos, avoidance, and also totemism
such as naming their clans after plants, animals and
certain articles of urgent daily needs like salt. The
______________
* Corresponding author
tribals of a particular clan maintain special
relationship and affinity with the animals or plants on
whose name their clan name is based. They do not
cause any harm to these animals or damage to these
plants and try to maintain, and enhance their
population. Some such plants and animals are
considered as sacred. Many of the animals and plants
whose names have become associated with clan
names are even otherwise economically significant5.
The present paper deals with the names given to
some clans based on local Oraon names of animals
and plants, etc. among the folk in Raigarh, Jashpur,
Surguja and Rajnandgaon districts, and adjacent areas
of Chattisgarh. The name of clan, source of clan name
in Oraon, local or English names; scientific names &
remarks about the clan have been given (Table 1).
The above table of clan names is only indicative of
the intense indigenous intuition and traditional
initiative for unique ways to conserve biodiversity and
natural resources. Ethnobotanists have recorded such
tradition of clan names among some other ethnic
groups6. More intensive studies are needed to bring on
record numerous more such instances of meaningful
and useful tradition. Thus, the clan names are an
indigenous method for effective conservation of many
important elements of living world of the nature.
Acknowledgement
Authors are grateful to their institutions for
facilities of work, to Mrs Kiran Toppo and
 TIRKEY & JAIN: CLAN NAMES AND CONSERVATION AMONG ORAONS OF CHHATTISHGARH 225

Dr Sumita Srivastava for assistance in preparation works listed in references for materials to corroborate
of the paper. Authors are also grateful to authors of and improve the field observations. One of the author
Table 1⎯ Clan name and their sources

Clan name Sources of clan name Scientific name Remarks

Bara Bar, Vat Ficus benghalensis L The people of Bara clan do not eat the Bar fruit by splitting or
cutting it into parts but areallowed to eat it as a whole
Xess Paddy, Rice, Dhan Oryza sativa L The Oraons of the Xess clan abstain from eating the thin scum,
formed on the surface of rice soaked in water and kept
undisturbed in a cool place.
Kiro Bhilavan Bhelava Semecarpus anacardium L.f Members of the Kiro clan avoid eating its fruit; they protect the
tree.
Kujur Kujur, Malkangni Celastrus paniculatus Willd According to a legend, an Oraon woman had fallen asleep under
a Kujur plant. A branch of the plant was twined round her body
and protected her from molestation. Her husband took the Kujur
plant as their totem, and their descendants now form.
Tirkey Mice Ratus ratus L It is taboo among the Tirkey to kill or hunt mice. Tirkey clan
abstains from sitting under the tree or cutting or burning the
wood of Sonnarkhi plant. Sonnarkhi (Amaltas, Cassia fistula L.)
is taboo among the Tirkey. As per the legend, Oraons women
consider this tree as their Bhaishasur (husband's elder brother).
A Tirkey woman gave birth to a son under Sonarkhi tree. She
left the naval cord on that tree and returned home. Her husband
had gone to gather fuel. The elder brothers and cousins of
husband saw the naval cord and mistaking this for the entrails of
some animal took it home, roasted and ate it up. When the
mistake was discovered, they repented and Sonnarkhi tree
became Taboo to the clan (Some variants of this legend are also
reported).
Tigga Monkey, Bandar Macaca mulatta Laccpede For the Tigga clan, killing, hunting, and domesticating monkeys
is a taboo.
Lakra Tiger, Cheeta Panthera tigris L People of the Lakra clan are prohibited from eating flesh or skin
of tiger, wolf and squirrel. They have other taboos about tiger.
Barwa Wild dog, Jangli kutta Cuon alpinus Hodgson The people of the Barwa clan never hunt the wild dog and
protect the wild dog.
Xaxa Raven, Kauva Corvus splendens Jackdaw The Oraon clan does not kill or harm crow; the folk of this clan
also do not touch the foam of rivers with their lips as in the
Oraon language, such foam is called khakhamandi (xaxamandi).
Kerketta Hedge- sparrow, Gauraiya Passer Rutilans (L.) Brisson Hedge sparrow looks like king crow, which also has long tail.
Chirping of this bird indicates onset of rains. The folk of this
clan do not harm this bird.
Ekka Tortoise, Kachhua Trionyx spiniferum Geoffroy An ancestor of this clan wanted to catch a tortoise. The tortoise
exclaimed, "I am from your own jati (caste fellow)". The man
did not catch the tortoise. Since then the descendants of this man
form the Ekka clan and do not harm the animal.
Xalxo Fish, Machh Ophiocephalus punctatus Jerdon The legend is that an Oraon was fishing in a stream. A Xalxo
fish, which was caught in his net, managed to escape.
Henceforth, the Xalxo fish became taboo to the man, and his
descendants came to be called as Xalxo clan.
Minj Fish, Machh Amphipnous cuchia L Folk of the Minj clan never hunt the Minj fish.
Nag Kala nag, Cobra Naja naja L. Folk of the Nag clan protect cobra and do not hunt.
Toppo Maina Gracula religiosa L The Toppo clan abstains from hunting or eating the bird.
Kis-potta Pig's entrails, Suar Sus Scrofa L As per the legend, an Oraon killed a pig, ate its flesh, and he
threw away its entrails. The life of the pig survived in the
entrails and so the pig continued to move around as before.
Thereafter, Oraon and his descendants consider entrails of pigs
as Taboo. They came to be known as Kis-potta clan.
Panna Iron, Loha People of the Panna clan abstain from touching iron with their
lips or tongue. They use iron in other ways.
Beck Salt, Namak The Oraons of the Beck clan do not take raw salt and do not add
raw salt to food or drink. Salt is added only during cooking.
226 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 5, NO. 2, APRIL 2006
(SKJ) is thankful to Indian National Science
Academy, New Delhi, and Institute of Ethnobiology,
Jiwaji University, Gwalior for financial support in his
scientific work. Thanks are due to Smt Kavita Das, Dr
Kausal Kumar, and Sri Kamal Nayak for
identification and providing names of some animals
discussed in the paper.
References
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Publications, Mackey Road, Ranchi, Jharkhand), (Rev ed), 2004.
2 Tirkey Bonifaca, The Smiling Oraon, (Navjyoti Niketan,
Patna), 1989.
3 Topno Pollus, Chhota Nagpur Ke Adivasi, (Satya Bharati
Prakashan, Ranchi), (in Hindi), 1984.
4 Jain S K, Some aspects of biodiversity and Indian traditions,
Indian J Hist Sci, 33 (1998), 51.
5 Jain S K, Dictionary of Indian Folk Medicine and
Ethnobotany, (Deep Publications, New Delhi), 1991.
6 Jain A K, Tribal clans in Central India and their role in
conservation, J Environ Conserv, 15 (1988), 368.