Orissa
Tribal Culture - Despite belonging to different linguistic
divisions, the tribes of Orissa have many socio-cultural similarities,
and together they characterize the notion of tribalism. Tribal societies
share certain common characteristics and by these they are distinguished
from complex or advanced societies. In India, tribal societies have
remained outside the main historical current of the civilization for
centuries. Therefore, they manifest cultural features signifying a
primitive level of socio-cultural existence. Considering the general
features of their eco-system, traditional economy, supernatural beliefs
and practices, and recent impacts of modernization, the tribes of Orissa
can be classified into six types: hunting, collecting and gathering
type, cattle-herder type, simple artisan type, hill and shifting
cultivation type, settled agriculture type, and industrial urban worker
type. Each type has a distinct style of life which can be best
understood in the paradigm of nature, man and spirit complex, that is,
on the basis of relationship with nature, fellow men and the
supernatural.As you journey through plain land or the beautiful mountains and forest ghatroads you'll come across villages of very ornamental, colourful tribal groups. You can visit typical Orissan villages as well as semi-Tribal villages through the beautiful countryside forest. At Rayagada you can stay and see the Kutia Kandha tribe or go on to Chatikona to witness the interesting and colourful weekly market of the tribes. Then drive to Jaypur and visit some tribal villages en route and then proceed to witness the most primitive 'Bonda' market.
