What is a tribe

In a traditional civilization, a tribe is a social division made up of families united by social,

economic, religious, or blood ties and sharing a shared culture and dialect. A tribe is a
distinct cultural, social, and political entity due to several features and traits it possesses.
Over the years, there have been significant changes in both what makes an Indian tribe and
the basic character of tribes.

The tribes of India

There are many tribes in India but we don’t consider them the normal people of our
country. We usually consider them as the scheduled caste people but we forget that we are
related to them. We are adapting to the American culture and forgetting the place, religion,
culture, and many other things that are connected to us. Half of our country doesn’t know
about their state’s tribe which is surprisingly sad because before we try to know about the
other state tribes, we should be aware of our state’s tribe too. If the other countries are
proud of them, we should also be of ours, we should be proud of our clothing, our food, our
habitat, and also the other things that are related to our country only then the people of our
country would be happy to say that they were born in India. And other countries would also
consider the Indians the greatest.

The list of major tribes present in India

Arunachal Pradesh – Nyishi
The term "Nyishi" means "civilized human being." The Nyishis make up the majority of the
population in Arunachal Pradesh and live there. They are experts at growing foods including
rice, millet, and cucumbers. Their production of wristbands made of cane and bands used to
tie long hair on males in a knot are their specialties.
Andhra Pradesh- Savara
The Visakha and Odisha districts are home to these Savara tribes. They have remarkable
irrigation skills and supply water to all of their crops in spite that their populated areas are
completely covered by towering hills, darting mountain streams, and vast yawning valleys.
They are good planners as well, as seen by the parallel rows of houses they built. The Savara
tribe considers itself to be sprung from the Sabaras who are referred to as Aita-Reya
Brahmana.
Assam- Tea tribe
Because British colonial landowners purchased them to serve as cheap labor, they are
known as Adivasis. They were transported from Chhota Nagpur, which was then governed
by the British Raj, to Assam. They can be found across Assam, however, the presence of a
tea plantation will determine a region's number of them. The Munda, Chik Baraik, Gonds,
Tantis, Santhals, Kurukh, Saora, etc. are a few of the larger of these tribes. They dance and
play live music to commemorate all holidays. Weddings, the change of the seasons, and
harvest are all occasions that are joyfully observed. They use dance and music to depict
their social challenges, their history, and their way of life daily.
Bihar- Savar
Some of the most culturally advanced individuals of all communities and identities live in
Bihar. The state is renowned for providing a haven for travelers to exercise and celebrate
their ethnic distinctiveness. Savar tribes are one of these groups, and it is known that they
migrated from an unidentified location on the Indian subcontinent and settled down here.
Savar is a major tribe among the numerous groups who inhabit parts of Bihar, according to
many anthropologists.
Chhattisgarh-Agariya
The Gond tribe's Agaria caste is its most hardworking group. Agariyas can be found in several Indian
states; their names are listed below. Madhya Pradesh UPPER HARBOR Chhattisgarh

Goa-Gowdas
The dominant tribe in Goa is the Gowdas. The Gowda tribes live in Goa's remote interior villages.
The Gowda tribal clan's migration to Goa is not mentioned in any official records. The Gowda tribal
people follow Hinduism and revere Lord Malikkarjun, a different manifestation of Lord Shiva. The
Gowdas take great care to preserve their ethnicity and bloodlines. Gowdas must adhere to
endogamy and are not permitted to marry outside of their clans. The Gowda tribe was divided into
three sections when the Portuguese compelled a portion of the local population to become
Christians. 

Gujarat-Dhodia

The Dhodias are ranked as Gujarat's third-largest tribal group. They primarily live in the state's far
south-eastern regions. The hilly areas south of the Tapi River are where their communities are
located. This tribe speaks a dialect of the Bhil language known as Dhodia. The Indian Bhil tribes are
linked to the Dhodias

Himachal Pradesh-Gaddies

Himachal Pradesh's Gaddi Tribe. The Gaddi tribe, which is dispersed throughout several regions and
districts, is the pride of Himachal Pradesh. These Gaddis tribes are primarily concentrated in the
Himachal Pradesh state on both sides of the Dhauladhar Range.

Jammu and Kashmir-Bakarwal

The Bakarwal (also Bakkarwal, Bakharwal, Bakrawala, and Bakerwal) community is listed as

Scheduled Tribes along with Gujjars in Jammu and Kashmir in 1991. As a nomadic tribe, they spread
over a large part starting from Pir Panjal Range to Hindukush to Ladakh located in the Himalayan
mountains of South Asia.

Jharkhand-Mahli

The Indian states of Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal are home to the Mahli community. Mahlis'
primary occupation was making baskets. The native languages of the Mahli are Sadri, Mundari, and
Santali.
Karnataka- Kattunayakan
 
With the distinctiveness of their tribe's coloring, the Kuttunayakan tribal community has helped to
enrich and colour the culture of Karnataka. The Kuttunayakan tribe is descended from the ancient
Pallavas, who were the first inhabitants of the Western Ghats. The residents of this neighborhood
are distinguished by their black skin tone, low stature, and prominent foreheads. The Kuttunayakan
tribe's men dress in short dhotis and half-sleeved shirts, while the women wear long pieces of fabric
that they tuck around their waists to reveal their naked shoulders and arms. People in this culture
still accept child weddings, but more recently, girls are now allowed to get married after turning 18.

Kerela-kurumbas

The Kurumbas are described as having flat noses, wedge-shaped faces, hollow cheeks, and
pronounced cheekbones as their physical features. They have dark skin, wide eyes, and slightly
pointed chins. The ladies in the community dress in a waist cloth and, on occasion, a square fabric
that reaches their knees. The tribal community's attire heavily features ornaments. These Kurumba
tribes each have a unique culture, tradition, set of religious rituals, and way of life. One of the
primitive tribes in the nation without access to modern conveniences is the Kurumba group. These
Kurumba tribes are mostly illiterate.

Madhya Pradesh-bhils

The Nirdhi Bhil, an exception that has historically adhered to Hinduism, along with the few Dang
subgroups that practice Christianity The Bhil people still revere tribal deities like Dev Mogra Mata
and Sitla Mata, and each village have its native deity, known as a Gramdev. Every family is said to
have a Kuldev, or household deity, represented by a stone. Bhili, also known as Bhagoria, Bhilboli,
and Garasia, is the main tongue of the Bhil Tribe throughout their entire geographic range. The
dialects and pronunciations of Bhili vary by region and number roughly 36. Over time, the dialects
combine to form more commonly spoken languages like Rajasthani in the northwest and Marathi in
the southeast.

Maharashtra-oraon

An important Dravidian tribe of the Chota Nagpur Plateau is the Oraon tribe. It is clear from the
Oraon tribes' history that they originated in Maharashtra. According to tribal mythology, songs, and
legends, they lived in Rohtasgarh for a very long period. These Oraon tribes communicate with one
another in the widely used Kurukh language, a member of the Dravidian language family. These
Oraon tribes coexist peacefully with neighboring tribes like the Munda tribe thanks to their friendly
character. The Oraon society can be broken down into several sub-castes. Kudas (navvies) and Kisans
are some of these (cultivators). Beyond this, the Oraon tribes uphold exogamy inside the village and
clan. The greatest residential unit is the patrilineal extended family, while nuclear families are also
prevalent. 

Manipur – naga

The Naga tribe of Nagaland is descended from a race that once lived in southwest China. The name
"Naga" is a collective noun that refers to several tribal communities that live in the Indian states of
Nagaland, Manipur, southeast Arunachal Pradesh, and eastern Assam. Nagaland is home to the
greatest Naga population, which includes 15 different sub-tribes. Ao, Chang, Chirr, Khahmnungan,
Lotha, Makware, Phom, Rengma, Sema, Tikhir, Yimchunger, and Zeliang are among them. Common
cultural traits among the Naga groups include the clan structure, betel-chewing habit, life-cycle
ceremonies, youth dormitory system, home style, and method of disposing of the deceased. The
Southern Nagas, Western Nagas, Central Nagas, and Eastern Nagas were the four general divisions
of the Naga tribes.

Meghalaya – garos

The A'chik or Mande names are preferred by the Garo Tribes. Although historians think the Garos
originated in Tibet, the Garos believe they share a common ancestor. The Garo people are friendly,
peaceful, and upbeat by nature. They incorporate food, music, and dancing into their daily lives. The
Meghalayan, Nagalandian and Assamese districts of Karbi Anglong, Goalpara, and Kamrup are home
to the majority of the Garo tribes. They are also dispersed throughout West Bengal's Cooch Behar,
Jalpaiguri, Bardhaman, and Dinajpur districts. The genesis of the Garo Tribes The Garo people
arrived in Meghalaya 400 years ago, according to their older history. They made their home in the
Brahmaputra River Valley. These tribes speak Garo, commonly referred to as "Garrow," as their
primary language.

Mizoram-pawi

Hills and moved here. The Pawi identify as Lai. In the Chin Hills region of Burma, this group is
frequently referred to as Chins. The Pawis converse in the Lai language at home and Mizo (Dulian) in
schools and with other tribes. Both the Pawi and the Lushai share comparable traditions and ways of
life. Compared to the Lushais, the Pawis are more traditional and less westernized. The following
clans are the most prevalent among the Pawis: Hlawnchhing, Hniahm, Chinzah, Khenglawt, Satheng
Bawittlung, Mualching, and Zathang The Pawis are divided into the Bawm, TlangJan, and pang
subclans. The Pawi Tribe lives in Mizoram's southern and southern-eastern regions. They left
Burma's Chin

Nagaland-Kuki

Manipur's Kuki Tribes are an ethnic group that inhabits a sizable portion of northeastern India,
northwest Burma, and the foothills of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. One of the biggest tribal groups, it
has extended across the entire region of North East India as well as the nations that border the
Indian States. The Kuki tribes are primarily found in Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Assam in
India. The British strategy in India, which encompassed numerous additional tribal groups and
referred to them as the Kuki tribes, played a significant role in this group's growth. The Kuki tribes
are distinguished by their way of life, which includes their political, social, economic, and religious
organization as well as the spread of Christianity.

Odisha- gadaba

One of India's oldest and friendliest tribes is the Gadaba Tribe, which is found in the state of Odisha.
The majority of these Gadaba tribes are found in the southernmost reaches of the Odisha districts of
Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, and Koraput. Although farming is their primary occupation, they also place
a high value on cattle breeding. The north Vindhya mountain ranges are said to be their original
habitat. Gadaba shares a name with a brook or streamlet by the name of "Gada" which may be
found in this area of Indian Territory. These Gadaba's homes are a true reflection of their tradition.
The Gadaba tribes have created their language, which is known as "Gutob" in popular culture.

Rajashthan-mina

Numerous myths and stories from oral history are used by the Meena people to explain their origin
narrative. The Matsya Avatar, often known as the tenth manifestation of Lord Vishnu, is the source
of Mina mythology. In terms of population, the Mina tribe is the biggest in Rajasthan. They were
basically an agricultural group that ruled over the erstwhile states of Jaipur and Alwar. The Mina
community observes Meenesh Jayanti on the third Tithi of "Chaitra Shukal Paksha," according to the
Hindu calendar, in honor of Vishnu. This idea is mostly based on Matsya Purana literature.

Sikkim-limboo

The Kiranti group of Tibeto-Burman languages includes the language spoken by the Limbu, who are
of Mongolian ancestry. The Kirat-Sirijonga script, which serves as its own alphabet, is thought to
have been created in the ninth century. Limbu communities are 800 to 1,200 meters (2,500 to 4,000
feet) above sea level and are made up of 30-100 stone cottages surrounded by fields that are only
used for dry farming. The families, which are divided into patrilineal clans, are headed by a
headman, or Subba, who is frequently a former Gurkha soldier. The Limbu cultivate rice, wheat, and
corn (maize) in terraced and irrigated fields; the land is planted once a year in order to maintain a
self-sufficient economy. Additionally, sheep, goats, poultry, and water buffalo are grown for meat.

Tamil Nadu- Irula

The lower slopes and woods at the foot of the Nilgiri Hills are home to the Irula tribes of Tamil Nadu.
They are closely related to the Kurumbas and make up the second-largest group of tribes after the
Badagas. This tribe produces and trades with the inhabitants of the plains honey, fruits, herbs, roots,
gum, colours, etc. The Irulas now assist in collecting snake venom and trapping snakes. The language
used by the Limbu, who have Mongolian origin, belongs to the Kiranti group of Tibeto-Burman
languages. It is believed that the Kirat-Sirijonga script, which has its own alphabet, was developed in
the ninth century. A headman, or Subba, who is the head of the families, which are organized into
patrilineal clans, is a former Gurkha soldier is common. In irrigated, terraced fields, the Limbu grow
rice, wheat, and corn (maize).

Telangana-chenchu

The Chenchu is a Proto Australoid food-gathering tribe with a tiny population who speak the
Chenchu dialect of the Dravidian languages. Other names for their language include Chenchucoolam,
Chenchwar, Chenswar, and Choncharu. They all speak Telegu, too. Being a prominent adherent of
Hinduism, they worship several gods and goddesses in addition to a few others, such as Bhawan
Taru, the Chenchu watcher, and Garelamai Sama, the woodland goddess. They rely on the forest to
meet their daily needs for harvesting food and other supplies for their daily existence.

Tripura-Chakmas

According to their demographic size, the Chakmas are one of the largest tribes in Tripura. South-East
Asian tribes are known as Chakmas. They originally moved to Bruma's Arakan Hills before moving on
to Tripura's the Chittagong Hill Tracts. But a sizable portion of them eventually left their native
country and moved to Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. In Tripura, there are 61,793 Chakma people,
according to the 2001 Census Report.

Anoka, Tandugia, and Mangla are the three main groups among the Chakma. The Chakma language
borrows vocabulary from several other languages, primarily Arakan, Tibeto-Chinese, and Indu-Aryan.
Assamese and broken Bengali are some names for their language. Despite not being used, Chakma
has its own script in the Burmese Alphabet.

Uttrakhand- tharu tribes

With a total population of 91342, the Tharu are the largest tribal group in the state. They originate
from Tibet and are mainly found in the Terai's Eastern area. They are widespread outside of
Uttarakhand in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Nepal. Matriarchal Tharus dwell in huge joint families. The
Tharu language is the name of their native tongue. However, Hindi and its regional dialects are
gradually displacing Tharu in India. The Terai region in southern Nepal and northern India is home to
the Tharu ethnic group. The Government of Nepal recognizes them as an official nationality. They
are primarily found in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar in the Indian Terai. The Tharu people
are recognized as a scheduled tribe by the Indian government.

Uttrakhand- parahiya

A Hindu caste known as the Parahiya can be found in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Because they engage in slash-and-burn agriculture, the term Parahiya is thought to imply the
burners of the forest in the Gondi language. Other legends claim that the name is a corruption of the
Hindi term paharia, which refers to a hill resident. They are one of many tribal groups that live at the
foothills of the Vindhya mountains, including the Panika. The locals speak a Hindi dialect. The
southern, mountainous, undulating, and heavily forested portion of the Sonbhadra district, at the
base of the Vindhya mountains, is where the majority of the Parhiya live. They are endogamous and
comprise several exogamous clans that go by the names Bengeha, Bhalla, Bhatia, Bhusan, Gohawa,
Gurgur, Monnoor, and Sira are the principal types of kuris. Despite being Hindus, they also have a
variety of their own tribal deities, like Dharti Mata and Jawalamukhi Devi.

West Bengal-Bhutia

The Bhutia tribes, one of the well-known tribes in West Bengal, are primarily concentrated in the
state's hilly regions, such as Darjeeling and Kalimpong. These Bhutia tribes have traveled via
numerous Himalayan routes. These tribes are also referred to as Lachenpas or Lachungpas,
respectively, which means "dwellers of Lachen" or "dwellers of Lachung." In addition, the Bhutias
living in Sikkim are referred to as Denzongpa, which is Tibetan for "people of Denzong," the name
given to Sikkim. The Chogyal dynasty depended heavily on the Kazis, the aristocracy of the Bhutia
tribe. The Sikkimese language is typically spoken by the Bhutia tribes. There are similarities between
this language and various foreign languages. Additionally, a significant proportion of Bhutia tribes
speak Nepali fluently. In addition to these, these tribes also speak English, Hindi, Bhutia, and Lepcha.
 7 sisters tribal community

Arunachal Pradesh
The Nyishi community makes up the majority of Arunachal Pradesh's ethnic population in
northeastern India. The words Nyi, which means "a person," and Shi, which means "a
being," together denote a human being in Nyishi, their native tongue. The origin of the
Nyishi language, which is a member of the Sino-Tibetan family, is debatable.
The Nyishi are prone to polygyny.
It serves as a symbol of one's economic security and social standing and is useful in trying
circumstances like clan warfare, social hunts, and other group activities.
However, this practice is dwindling, particularly as modernization and the expansion of
Christianity continue.
They are separated into various clans and can prove their patrilineal ancestry.

POPULATION
According to the 2001 census, they have a population of about 300,000, making them the
most populous tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, closely followed by the tribes of the Adi.

LANGUAGE
The Burman language of the Sino-Tibetan family is spoken by Nyishis. There is not yet a
script. They share a rich oral heritage of folklore, tribal history, and folk wisdom with many
other tribes. Oral traditions are used to pass on information about them from one
generation to the next.

RELIGION
Christian missionaries primarily in the Papum Pare region converted the majority of Nyishis
to Christianity in the 1970s, and now, Christianity is the dominant religion among the
Nyishis. Some people still adhere to the historic indigenous Donyi Poloism.

LOCATION
They are dispersed over eight districts in Arunachal Pradesh Lower Subansiri, Kamle, Pakke
Kesang, East Kameng, West Kameng, Kra Daadi, and Kurung Kumey.
LIVELIHOOD
Because they are constructed of locally harvested materials like mud, cane, and bamboo,
their tribal longhouses, known as Namlo, are environmentally sustainable.
To shield the floor of the home from the dampness of the soil below, the houses are raised
off the ground on bamboo and wooden pilings.
The walls and floors are constructed from split bamboo.

CULTURE
Family relationships among Nyishis are centered on clans.
They are mostly divided into the Dopum, Dodum, and Dollu clans.
The patriarchal and patrilocal nature of the family.
The eldest family member continues to have authority, as is the case with all patriarchal
joint households.
Nyishis are forward-thinking, open-minded people.
As a result, women now have equal standing in the Nyishi society.
They view women as an essential component of wealth and peace.
Before making significant decisions, men always ask their female counterparts.
Women are active in all types of employment, from harvesting to clearing fields.
In a longhouse without walls and with one fireplace for each connubial family, 30-70
persons of one lineage live. Lineage is recorded by paternal lines to the earliest ancestor.

RELATED THEORIES AND VIEWS

They practice the Donyi-Polo religion, animistic shamanism centered on the veneration of
Donyi (the Sun) and Polo (the moon.) The physical representations or visible forms of the
greatest Gods, Bo and Bomong, are Ane Donyi (Mother Sun) and Abo Polo (Father Moon).
Their religion holds that there are nature spirits. They believe that humans and spirits are
both a part of nature and that it is important to keep nature in balance. They believe there
is life after death, and because of this, they worship spirits.
The practice of the Nyishi people, which is highly apparent in their worship of trees, rocks,
and plants among other things, can be considered to be almost pagan or pre-Aryan beliefs.
They, like other tribes, too offer animal sacrifices to please gods and spirits.
Donyi-Polo adherents hold the belief that they are all decedents of Abo-Tani. The religion
has only been passed down orally from one generation to the next and lacks any written
scriptures. The religion holds a firm belief in the unity of all living things, from tiny
insignificant species to large, powerful creatures.
The belief that sinners are punished and the faithful are rewarded by nature is upheld by
Donyi-Polo adherents.
The core of Donyi-ideology Polo's is true. To them, the truth always prevails and can be
found wherever. They say that in the end, "Donyi-Polo e lenduku" - truth wins out.
To preserve and reinvigorate the historic culture and religion, Donyi-Polo temples (Nyeder
Namlo - The Home of Pure) were built. Sunday worship services are a custom that Nyedar
Namlo upholds. similar to a church. Inside the prayer house, replicas of Donyi and Polo are
preserved. Devotees offer flowers and burn candles or incense sticks as the priest (Nyibu)
recite hymns and sprinkle holy water

OCCUPATION
Livestock rearing, animal husbandry, and agriculture are essential to the Nyishi economy.
Nyishis enjoy both hunting and combat.
Their primary occupations are slash-and-burn agriculture (Jhoom farming) and fishing.
Paddy (rice), maize (Tapio), ginger (takie), yams (aange), and millet are among the principal
crops (temi).
Some of the more common handicrafts the tribe has embraced are basketry and weaving.

Assam
While "Ex-tea tribe" refers to people who were once active laborers but have since left the job and
labor quarters in search of other employment opportunities after retirement, "Tea tribe" of Assam
refers to those active tea garden workers and their dependents who live in labor quarters built
inside the tea estates scattered throughout Assam. Therefore, the contradictory terms "Tea-tribe"
and "Ex-tea tribe" are used collectively for those groups of people who are the descendants of both
tribals and backward caste Hindus who were brought by the British colonial planters as indentured
laborers from the primarily tribal and backward caste-dominated regions of central India into
colonial Assam during the 1860s to the 1990s in multiple phases with the intention of being
employed in the tea gardens industry as laborers. A total of 6 million people are thought to live
there, 4 million of them are thought to live in housing constructed inside tea gardens.

Population
There are thought to be 6.5 million people overall, of which 4 million live in residential areas
constructed inside 799 tea estates dispersed throughout Assam's tea-growing districts. In the
surrounding villages dispersed among those tea-growing regions, another 2.5 million people live.
Language
Many of them speak Sadri, Odia, Saora, Kurmali, Kurukh, Gondi, Kui, Kharia, Santhali, and Mundari.
Most often used as a first language and as a lingua franca among them is sadri. However, because
the tone spoken in Assam is affected by the Assamese language, particularly in Upper Assam, it
differs from the tone used in the Chotanagpur region. Assam Sadri is the name given to it. The
literacy rate is steadily increasing, and younger generations are learning standard English, Hindi, and
Assamese.

Religion
Folk Hinduism and Sarnaism are practised by the majority of the community's residents, with
Christianity being practised by roughly 15% of the population. Throughout the year, Hindus worship
a variety of deities according to the season. The majority of Hindus, if not all of them, are animists
who worship deities from their tribal and Tantric traditions. The majority of religious activities are
animistic Shaktism, with little influence from mainstream Vedic Hinduism. They love to adore nature
and are deeply religious. Many trees are revered and regarded as sacred. Every village has a religious
temple and a place of worship for the local populace.

Location
The ex-tea garden tribes are primarily found in Khokrajhar, a region in western Assam; Marigaon,
Nagaon, Sonitpur, and Darrang, a region in the middle of Assam; Golaghat, Jorhat, Sibsagar,
Dibrugarh, and Tinsukia, a region in upper Assam; North Cachar and Karbi Anglong, a region in
southern Assam; and the Bar.

Livelihood