January - 2015 Odisha Review

Tribal Communication Technology:

A Case Study of Kondhs of Kandhamal of Odisha

Ramakanta Mahananda

Abstract:
Tribal communication technology, brings with it new characteristics which often expand the horizons
of information spread among the people of different tribe. As many parts of India adopt the new technologies
of the information, the tribal people of Odisha do not too readily abandon their ancient and traditional
communication methods, which are not necessarily anti-theatricals to the Internet. As exciting as the new
technologies are, they do not always portend positive developments. The Odishan experience at adopting
information and tribal communication technologies is very instructive. Over the years, we have tried several
methods of technology transfer, adoption, copying and missteps from the ancient and traditional technologies.
Today, it is difficult to pinpoint how far we have gone in our drive to become a technologically-developed state.
Whatever stage and type of technology that is imaginable in the whole country, (the internet inclusive) is
provided in Odisha. The question really is how extensive and what impact have these technologies on the tribal
people and their economy? Surely our communication sector is not as coordinated and developed as it should
be. But before vanishing the ancient and traditional communication technologies of it is now time to discuss
and use it at the time of need to maintain a healthy society.

Don’t embrace technology for technology’s sake. Use engaged in every day. It means we are constantly
commonsense to determine when to use new media exchanging our thoughts, ideas and motions with
and when to use more traditional methods. It’s great someone or other either to satisfy our physical,
to have electronic relationships, but we always need
old fashioned human contact.
emotional or other needs or to get work done. It
is obvious that communication is an integral part
-Moshe Triwaks. of one’s life. In fact, society cannot survive in the
Introduction: absence of communication.
Communication is universal to all human Communication is more than mere
beings and is central to our lives. In fact, it regulates transferring or transmission of ideas or thoughts.
and shapes all human behaviour. Dreaming, talking It is dynamic process of action and interaction
with someone, arguing in a discussion, speaking towards a desired goal. Communication is,
in a public meeting, participating in a traditional therefore, a process of sharing or exchange of
cultural function, escape from a beast, alert to the ideas, information, knowledge, attitude or feeling
people at time of danger, reading of a newspaper, among two or more persons through certain signs
watching television, browsing internet etc are and symbols. Communication is vital for human
different kinds of communication that we are existence and for the progress of humanity. No

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person, group or society can exist without numerically is the largest group among the 62
interaction with others. Being at the heart of all tribes of Odisha. Customarily they were once
social action and interaction, communication famous for their brutal acts of human sacrifice
functions as a relating tool that creates (Maria sacrifice) to achieve the end products of
understanding, facilitates work and strengthens bumper crops and killing of infants for better yield
collective living among people. Rapidly, we of turmeric. There are various sections among the
approach the final phase of the extensions of man-
Kondhs or Kandhas. Each section is
the technological simulations of consciousness,
when the creative process of knowing will be endogamous though originally they hail from the
collectively and corporately extended to the whole same Kandha community. The Dongria Kondh
of human society. Human beings are engaged in a of Koraput district and Kutia Kondh of Belghar
variety of communication process; intrapersonal, area of Kandhamal district represent the primitive
interpersonal, group and mass communication, the section. The primitive sections are shifting
last one being unique in the sense that it differs cultivators. The Dongria Kondhs are expert
somewhat from other forms of communication horticulturists. Tatoo faced and Desia Kondhs are
because of a mechanical device interposed settled agriculturists. Racially the Kondhs relate
between sender and receiver. One way to analyse more closely to the proto-Austroloid stock with
communication is to present it in the form of a considerable Mongoloid admixture. They are
model. A model is nothing but the mechanistic divided into two logistic groups i.e. Kui and Kuvi.
perspective of human communication that
However the primitive section of the Kondhs
effectively tells at a glance how it works. In a
communication process there has to be a sender communities are found largely in the district of
whose main intention is to communicate a Kandhamal and Koraput. The dress worn by the
message; what to convey is his/her thinking Kondhas is not keeping with their environment.
process; how to communicate a message is his/ They use some covering on the body, of course,
her choice of right means or channel; and whom to withstand the cold, yet their way of life has
to convey the message is his/her job to decide. made them conditioned to the local climate which
The sender also needs to know the receiver’s indirectly help them maintain their traditional grab.
response to the message, whether or not it is being The Kondhs women wear two cloths, one around
received as intended, Then only can the sender the waist up to the knees and another for the upper
proceed further with the next act of portion of the body. The Kutia Kondhs men wear
communication and in this way it goes on and on. only loin cloth. The Dongria men puts on a cloth
In this interaction process, there is an called “KODI”, 16ft in length and one ft in width.
interdependence of relationship among the various
The Kondhs women are very fond of ornaments.
variables of human communication.
Communication programme should always be Among the Dongria Kondhs, the women beautify
planned and based on the needs of the target themselves with hair pins, ear rings, nose rings,
audience. and head necklaces. Wrist-lets and ear rings are
used by the males of the primitive section of the
PRIMITIVE TRIBES OF ODISHA :
Kondh communities. The males too, like to grow
The Kondhs : long hair and tie this into a knot at their nape in a
Odisha is one of the most fascinating traditional fashion. The Kutia Kondhs tatoo their
ethnographic states of India. The Kondhs form faces and hands, whereas the Dongrias do not.

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They have well developed dormitories for boys in chance and luck. They celebrate various
and girls among the primitive sections. festivals round the year for better yield of crops.
Two festivals such as Chaitra Parab are observed
They are very fond of drinking salap palm
before sowing paddy and other millets and
juice and dead palm juice (Tadi). Local herbs and
roots are added to the juice to increase its “Meriah” or “Kedu” festival in the month of
February / March are the most important. The
alcoholic contents. Sometimes Mahua flowers are
Dongria Kondhs exhibit their talents in their art
collected and liquor is prepared to meet the
requirement on special occasion. Liquor is and crafts.
considered as food and at the same time a The Kondhs are Dravidian people but no
ritualistic food to satisfy deities and spirits.It is mythology as legend yet discovered which furnish
considered as a social necessity by the Kondhs their origin or place of descent. They believe
and therefore consumed by them irrespective of themselves to have existed in Odisha from the
sex and age. The Kondhs are agriculturists. They beginning. Their forbears were probably driven
generally produce cash crops like turmeric, ginger, from their homes or the richer lineal plains of
mustard, Niger, black gram, arrowroot etc. The eastern India during the Aryan advance, preferring
Dongria section of the Kondh communities are hardship to loss of independence, it is through
expert horticulturists and produce fruits like that they were forced up into the wild hill tracts of
bananas, pine apple, orange, jack fruits etc. The the Eastern Ghats many centuries ago. Now the
primitive section keep buffaloes for sacrifice, but Kondh people are spread out through eastern
the Desia Kondhs mainly use the buffaloes for region. Broadly, the Kondhs are divided into
ploughing their field. Barter system is still the mainly three groups depending upon their habitat.
method of exchange among the Kondhs. The The groups are Kutia Kondhs, Dongria Kondh
Kondhs believe in “Dharani” the earth goddess- and Desia Kondh. The Kondh people are simple
the supreme being . She is all powerful and the in nature and very innocent. However, they are
highest of all deities. She is represented by a block living very simple way of life. Although few
of stone erected in a hut. She is responsible for Kondhs claim that they belong to Dongaria
the growth of vegetation and other produce of section but most of the people identify themselves
land. She used to be satisfied with human blood as ‘Kondhs’ irrespective of their section i.e. Kutia
which was called “Maria” by the Dongria or Desia. Importance has been given in this paper
section and “toki” puja by the Kutia section of on Kutia and Desia Kondhs of Kandhamals of
the Kondh community.This custom has been Odisha. The Kondh (pronounced locally as
suppressed since long by the Bristishers and in Kandha and spelt earlier as Khond, Kond, etc)
lieu of it buffalo is sacrificed at present. The Kondh are a population of primitive tribe of Odisha. They
worshippers of ancestors are called “DUMBAS”. occupy mountainous areas of Central-Southern
These ancestor spirits appear in dreams when part of the state. The Desia name is assumed by
they desire to receive periodic worship. There those who live in the plateau, in the neighbourhood
are various deities and spirits who are different in of non-tribal people who improved their economy
different localities inhabited by the various sections and living condition. The Kutia occupies the
of the Kondhs. Apart from these spirits they highland; practiced shifting or hill slope cultivation
believe in the existence of ghosts. They are in primitive method and live in poor condition.
controlled by shamans. They also believe in white The habitat of Kondh people is locally known as
and black magics. They are fatalists and believe Kandhamal, meaning hills of the Kondh.

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Area of Study: some hill chiefs, who were the protégés of the
The ancient history of Kandhamal district Gangas. Ghumusar and Balliguda regions were
of may be traced back to the 3 rd Century B.C. It under the uninterrupted reign of the Bhanjas and
finds mention as an unconquered Atavika fields Gangas, respectively, for about a millennium. But
in the Kalinga Rock Edicts of the legendary the Kandhamal area, which was part of Boudh,
Mauryan Emperor, Ashok. This mountainous witnessed a chequered history during the same
Atavika rajya unquestionably encompassed the period.
Kandhamal region. Some historians are of the The present Kandhamal sub-division was
view that Mahakantar subdued by the Gupta an integral part of Boudh from time immemorial
Emperor, Samudragupta, in the 4th century till 1855. The earliest history of this area is gleaned
A.D.,during his Dakshinapatha Campaign, from a number of copper-plate inscriptions issued
included Kandhamal area and he led his victorious by the kings of the early Bhanja dynasty, that
army to the south from Kosala and Kural through reigned over Boudh and Kandhamal in the 8th
this district. He defeated some kings in Ganjam. and 9th Century. Their kingdom was known as
The present Kandhamal district is made Khinjali Mandala. From the 10th Century to the
up with some segments of three erstwhile advent of British in this region, Boudh, including
principalities of Boudh, Ghumsar and Khemundi, Kandhamal, has been governed in sucecession
reigned by the Bhanjas and the Gangas from by the following royal dynasties: the Somavamsis,
ancient times. Their reign came to an end when the Chindak Nagas/Telugu Chodas, the
the British came to this region in the nineteenth Kalachuris and the Bhanjas. The history of
century. Boudh-Kandhamal for 500 years prior to the
G. Udayagiri constituted the northern coming of the Britishrs is however, still nebulous.
fringe of Ghumusara kingdom of the Bhanjas. The Britishers launched a vigorous
They occupied this state in the 9th Century and campaign in these hilly tracts with the objectives
continued to rule over it till 1835. The Bhanjas of annexing the areas to their empire and
could not put up with their interference and suppressing the abdominable practice of human
aggressive attitude from the very beginning and sacrifice, then prevalent among the Kondhas.
they raised the banner of revolt frequently against The Britishers encountered stiff resistance from
the British. The Kondhas and the Paikas forming the tribals for a prolonged period of 20 years from
the Ghumasar army waged relentless wars under 1835 to 1855. As the Boudh Raja utterly failed
the able leadership of Dohara Bissoyi from 1815 to curb the horrendous ritual of the tribals, the
to 1835. Deposing Dhananjay Bhanja for his British truncated a large area, where the Kondhas
habitual recalcitrance the British occupied were predominant , from Boudh on February
Ghumusar on November 3,1835. Dhananjaya 15,1855 and named this newly annexed territory
Bhanja died at G.Udayagiri in December in the as Kandhamal. After British conquest of Uttar
same year as a fugitive. Ghumasar (G.Udayagiri area) and Uttar
Balliguda region was under the Gangas Khemundi (Balliguda area) these territories were
of Kandhamal, most probably from the 10th placed under the administration of the Collector
Century and the dynasty ruled over these hilly of Ganjam district. These areas remained under
tracts till the 19th century. British captured this the control and adminstration of the British until
area in phases from 1830 to 1880 by subjugating India attained her independence.

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Kandhamal remained a Tahasil from 1855 for the tourists who need to relax and unwind. It
to 1891 and it was administered by a Tahasildar has attractions, like panoramic coffee gardens,
under the direct control and supervision of the pine jungles,Ghat roads, hills and water falls,
superintendent of the Tributary mahals of Cuttack. virigin forest and typical tribal village life. Almost
In 1891, it was upgraded to sub-division and 66% of the land area of the district is covered
tagged with Anugul district. When the new with dense forest and towering mountains which
province of Odisha was formed in 1936, and provide shelter to the inhabitants like Kondhas,
Ganjam was merged with Odisha, from the classified under the ancient Gondid race of proto
Madras Presidency, Kandhamal became a sub- Austroloid group, rich in green meadows at the
division of Ganjam. In the wake of the attitude of 2000 ft to 3000 ft, the terraced vallyes
amalgamation of the princely states with Odisha thronged with these colorful tribals in their natural
in January 1948, Boudh and Kandhamal heritage, dancing and sporting has its own appeal.
constituted the new district of Boudh-Kandhamal, Kandhamal is also famous for handicrafts such
with its headquarters at Phulbani. Balliguda sub- as Dokra, Terra-Cotta, Cane and Bamboo
division was added to Boudh-Kandhamal district works. The region is proud of its rich cultural
on 1.1.1949. With the secession of Boudh from heritage. Mauryan Emperor Ashoka mentioned
Phulbani district as a separate district only in Jaugada (Ganjam) edict about the people of
Balliguda and Kandhamal sub-divisions remained this hill tract as Atavikas who practised their own
with Phulbani district, which was later rechristened religion. The ghat tract of Kandhamal “Kalinga”
as Kandhamal in June,1994. The district of was known to the travellers of Medieval history.
Kandhamal ranks as one of the most backward The tract was used for the transportation of salt
districts of the 69 identified most backward to the Central India. Again the route running
districts of independent India. The proposed study through Daringibadi was known in history as Great
is conducted in the Nuagaon village of Kotagarh Military road discovered by Britishers who
block of Kandhamal district. Kandhamal district happened to come over Daringibadi for pleasure
is stretched between 19’34 & 20’36 degree trips to enjoy the natural beauty and cool climate
latitude in the north and 83’34 & 84’34 longitude during summer.
in the east, with an area of 7649 sq. k.m. It Communication techniques of Kondhs of
constitutes 2 sub-divisions, 12 Community Kandhamal can be divided into four main
Development Blocks, 2 NACs, 153 Gram categories. i.e.
Panchayat and 2515 villages. The total population (i) Ancient Communication Techniques
of the district is 6,48,200 out of which ST
population comprises of 51.96 %. The (ii) Traditional Communication Techniques
physiography of the entire district lies with a high (iii) Oral Communication Techniques
altitude zone with inter-spreading inaccessible
(i) Ancient Communication Techniques :
terrain of hilly ranges and narrow valley tracts,
which guide in general the socio-economic Better than Shouting :
conditions of the people and the development of Communication begins with language, the
the district. distinctive ability which has made possible the
The district of Kandhamal is bestowed evolution of human society. With language any
with the beauty of nature. It has wild life, scenic message, no matter how complex, can be
beauty, healthy climate, and serpentine ghat roads conveyed between people over a limited distance

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- within a room or place of assembly, or across a expensive to manufacture and secondly, the metal
short open space. In modern times ‘town criers’ was often re-smelted for use as weapons in times
hold an annual contest to discover which of them of war, so few sheets remain. More commonly,
can shout a comprehensible message over the bronze tablets and copper sheets were used to
greatest distance. The world record is less than provide semi-permanence and could be stored
100 metres. Already, at that short range, a more more easily than cumbersome rock.
practical alternative is to run with the message. Wood:
The invention of writing and in particular of The use of wood as a writing medium was
alphabetic writing marked a milestone in cultural strictly confined to temporary purposes and not
development. It provided humanity with a new many such tablets have survived through antiquity,
means of communication that literally inscribed in as the climate in state is not conducive to their
stone the spoken word. Communication could preservation. In antiquity, wooden boards were
now span both space and time. Space, because used for displaying public announcements. They
writing could be sent from one place to another. were whitened boards that could be sign written
Time, because writing could preserve the words and when the message became out of date the
for generations to come. Since the art of writing board could easily be whitewashed and rewritten.
was discovered, nearly every form of writing (ii) Traditional Communication Techniques
material has been used. Some were intended to of Subsistence strategies and Settlement
ensure permanence while others were simple and pattern:
inexpensive but temporary. From the wax notepad
Subsistence and settlement of the Kondhs
of the school boy to the grand inscriptions on
belongs to traditional communication techniques.
monuments, almost everything we know about
They used different techniques to settle down in
antiquity is derived from writings such as those
a place and searching for mode of subsistence.
written on animals, vegetables and minerals. The subsistance economy is employed principally
Stone: in connection with rural societies in technologically
poorly developed countries and is often
Stone was mainly used for writing on
synonymous with the term subsistence farming and
permanent monuments and public buildings. The subsistence agriculture. In the field of
writing on stone usually requires the use of Anthropology of application of the term to
hammer and chisel. The most comfortable, primitive hunting and gathering society would
accurate and hence productive manner of carving however also be meaningful as an economy
stone inscriptions is to hold the chisel in one hand providing bare subsistence (M.J.Herskovits,
and hit it with the hammer held in the other hand. 1940). Economy as the way in which resources
Although this sounds like too simple an technology and work are combined to satisfy the
explanation, one must consider that as most material requirements of human beings and of
people are right handed then there would be a social groups.
tendency to cut the letters from right to left. Settlement Pattern Techniques:
Metal : Every place there is a history of first
Sheets of metal were rarely used for settlers like that of nomenclature. One area
writing or are rarely found. For one, they were became a place of habitations when a group of

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people migrated from one place to some other by different colours; epecially lightly red and
places and settle down permanently. According white. The stones are available nearer forest and
to the Kondhs of Kandhamal district, once open they collect it by themselves. The bricks are made
a time they were living on the top of the hill. They by them.
migrated from the top of the nearby hill due to Floor :
searching a new place where they lead a healthy
life. The descent of the located Kondh villager of The floor is made of stone chips and clay
the area were Kutia Kondhs, who were living in like that wall. It is plain and smooth. The people
the dense forest; but now they are identifying of Nuagoan plaster the floor by cow dung
themselves as Adivasi or Kondh. Another reason everyday.
of migration is due to poverty and their home land Doors and Windows :
declared as reserve forest by the Forest
Department. The door is essential to enter in a house.
All most all the houses have only one in front side
House Pattern : of the house. Some houses have doors in the
The houses of Kondhs are of linear inner side. The inner side door usually leads to
pattern and the two rows of house flanked by a the storage house. The doors are made of wooden
wide street. The people like to live in a thatched planks which are prepared from teak wood and
houses. The settlement of an individual is Sal wood. Some doors are made of bamboo
permanent in his plot. However all the houses of sticks also. The windows are absent in most of
the village are situated line by line facing each the houses. But there are sky light found in each
other. The houses are rectangular in shape. One and every house. Most of the houses are divided
or more double rows of attached house face each into general room, starage room and varandah in
other in a rectangular space. the front side and found neat and clean.
The Roof : Vegetational area :
The roof is made of straw. The thatched Vegetation area is located on the back
roof is constructed with a long bamboo beam at side of the house. They raise boundary around
the apex of the roof. To this beam bamboo clubs the house by some bamboo sticks or sal sticks or
are attached. These sticks are attached in vertical beam and other materials. They cultivate chilly,
manner to the beam while other bamboo sticks maize, pumpkin, papaya, cucumber etc in their
are tied to these clubs in a horizontal manner. On vegetational area.
such a frame of bamboo beam with a network of Garbage :
bamboo sticks bundles of paddy straw are spread
for making the roof. The roof is made of paddy The people of Nuagoan use garbage. The
straw. The roof is culminated by two slopes or garbage area is kept away from the house. Some
four slopes of every house. are in the vegetation corner and some are nearer
the field. They throw the waste materials to the
Wall :
garbage. They collect any types of tree leaves
In Nuagoan village most of the walls are and throw it into the garbage. The cow dung,
mud, mud bricks and lateritic stone. It is plastered goat dung and pig dung are also put in the village
by mud, cow dung and clay. People decorate it garbage.

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Cow Shed : to nearby forest. They rise early in the morning

and take their breakfast before 7.30 AM and set
The villagers of Nuagoan keep their cow,
out for forest. They reach in the forest about 9.30
goat and pig in a common area. The cowshed at
AM. From that time they engage themselves cutting
a little distance from each house of their habitation.
and collecting wood up to 5 PM. They take their
The cowsheds are also situated in a linear pattern.
lunch at their during leisure hours. Cutting of fire
The floor is not polished. There is not found a
wood is done in the forest. After cutting firewood
wall like their own house. The walls of the
are bound in bundles. One bundle contains nearly
cowshed are made of bamboo sticks or sal sticks 15-20 pieces of wood which are brought to village
and the upper part of the houses are thatched by on their head and shoulder. They prepare some
paddy straw. The floors are made of either by rope from the bark of few trees for their own
store or by slice wood along with mud. There purpose and to sell in the local market. Generally
are four pillars in each cowshed. As a whole the young male and female are engaged in this work.
cowshed is open wall in linear pattern. But the
goats and chickens are kept in the varandha. They There are some rare roofs and tubers
collect the cow dung every day and clean the which are not found anywhere except in forest.
cowshed. There is a gate to enter into the These are very much liked by the Kondh people.
cowshed. The common cowshed of the village is They collect some roots and tubers for medicinal
open for all. The cow shed is separated from their purpose. The Kondhs avoid to go to the hospital.
habitation. The cow shed is also made of in a They mostly depend on medicinal herbs known
linear pattern and a common place where the cows to them. According to them if they will go to the
hospital it will be expensive and an attendant will
are living in the village.
always be required in the hospital.
Gathering of Fire Wood & other Forest
Hunting Techniques :
Products Techniques:
From the ancient days till the present era
Elements of food gathering economy are
hunting as an occupation is prevalent in almost all
still prevailing in several parts of the tribal belts of
societies. The people or the group who depend
Odisha. An example of this economy is found solely on hunting and actively seek grain with
among the Kondhs. Collection of firewood and specialized technology are called hunters.
forest products is an old practice and continuing Anthropologists normally apply the term hunter
till now by the people of Kandhamal. They learnt only to the group who depend primarily upon
the technique of collection of firewood and forest hunting game for their food. Hunting was
products by their ancestors. Both male and female practiced as a means of livelihood since long past.
go to the forest for gathering purpose. In the Before entering into the forest the hunters divide
hamlet we can see more number of female go to themselves into two groups, one group possess
the forest for collection of firewood. The Kondh their hunting implements and other group with
people of this district are extremely poor. When some trap (phasa) and enter into the forest. They
they have no work, they go for gathering of make different kinds of sounds. Due to the noise
firewood and collect the jungle fruit from the the big animals are compelled to run at the desired
nearby forest. They also depend on forest direction of the hunters and they easily kill them
because originally they are food gatherers and with the help of bow and arrow. In the second
hunters. For the collection of fire wood, they go method they go to the jungle and prepare a

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platform of wood on the branches of the tall trees. and the fish come out from the bottom of the
They call this platform as ‘Mancha’. From this water. They catch these fish from the muddy water
Mancha they shoot down the animal from the of the cultivated land which is used for their own
height. The third method of hunting is by the help consumption. In winter season, they go for
of traps. They use various types of traps for harvesting from the cultivated land and catch the
hunting different animals. Before the initiation of fish after harvesting the paddy. Besides fish they
hunting the hunter set those trap ready. Then they catch big or small tortoise and srabs for eating
go to the other part of the forest and scare the purpose. Fish is termed as ‘Minu’ in the Kondh
animals by showing fire, beating drums and dialect.
making sounds by other methods when the Agricultural Technology:
animals run away from one part to another part
they fall into the trap. Then they kill the animals Technology refers to socially
and collect it from the trap. The fourth method of standardized techniques associated artifact or
hunting is that they go to the forest at the evening. tools. Technology is usually restricted to the
In the jungle they conceal themselves behind big technique of manufacture, maintenance and
rocks where water pools are there to which manipulation. Some of the traditional agricultural
animals come to drink. When animals come they implements still persist. They are axe, hatchet,
shoot down. All the male members of the village sickle, yoke, plough, crowbar, wooden hammer,
move for hunting expedition to the forest under flat basket etc. They get these implements either
the leadership of a senior person among them. from the nearby local market and some of the
According to his direction the group start intensive implements are also made by them. Rice being
search of the game. After hunting is completed, the staple food of the villagers, they take utmost
the leader orders to cut the flesh of the animals care to the production of paddy. The possession
and equal distribution of meat among all the of paddy land is a status symbol for the villagers.
participants but actual hunter of the animal gets a The farmers at present, are encouraged to use
little more with his share. For safe hunting purpose scientific methods of agricultural operations and
they observe a special ritual in the name of forest trying to produce more crops from the same piece
deity. of land. Agricultural production depends upon
timely rain, an adequate water management soil
Fishing Techniques : conservation, modern technology etc. The life style
Fishing is practiced all over the tribal of the people of Nuagaon is agriculture based.
communities. Some people practice it for their During the harvesting season the whole village is
livelihood and some have practiced it as hobby. active as even the school going children give
Kondhs of Kandhamal practice it as their hobby. helping hand in the harvest of crops to their family
They take it as a secondary occupation. The members. The cycle of agriculture among the
people like to go for fishing in their leisure time. Kondh is not different from that of other
There is no particular season for their fishing neighbouring communities. It starts with the
purpose but they prefer specially rainy season and processing of the field during the month of May-
winter seasons. In rainy season ponds, canals and June just before the arrival of south-west
cultivated land become filled with water. It is the monsoon. Sowing is usually done during June while
most suitable season for fishing. While they are transplantation of paddy becomes necessary at
ploughing their land, the water become muddy least once, during August and then they keep

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vigilant watch on the field till the harvest in the families and those that relate to the village as a
month of November-December. They cultivate whole. The ceremonies and rites relating to birth
oil seeds and vegetable after the harvesting paddy. of a child, marriage, death are observed family-
Few people take up summer crops and summer wise whereas those relating to various agricultural
paddy. cycle, eating of new fruits, hunting, etc. are
observed by the village community. The tribal art
There are two types of crops cultivated
and craft display the aesthetic sensibility of the
by them, that are Kharif and Rabi crops, mostly
tribals. Kondh dance is mostly confined to
paddy belongs to Kharif crops & other Rabi crops
consist of oil seeds, pulses, green vegetables. Rice unmarried boys and girls and free mixing of the
being the staple food of the villagers, they take youths is allowed during dancing. The dances are
performed especially when the boys or girls of
good care of the production of paddy.
one village visit another village. The dance forms
Thus in this study, an attempt has been an item in the daily routine of the Kondh, when
made for an ethnographic study of the Kondhs the boys and girls in their dormitories meet after
with special reference to their settlement and the days toil. The girls dance in lines and the boys
subsistence strategies.The agricultural activities of dance behind and in front of them. The girls wear
the Kondhs of Kandhamal have important sarees in two pieces and bangles on their ankles.
implication for subsistence of Neolithic cultures. They dance in rows, facing rows of boys who
What is necessary now is to make an in-depth sing songs and play on hand drums. Songs play a
study of subsistence strategies of other ethnic very important part in the dance. Special dances
group in various parts of Odisha for understanding are performed during buffalo sacrifice, called the
the subsistence strategies of Pre-historic cultures Kedu festival. The artistic skill of the tribal people
of Odisha. is not only manifested in their dance and music
(iii) Oral Communication Techniques: but also in their dress and ornaments, wall-
paintings, wood carvings and decorations, etc.
This techniques of Kondhs belong to their Tribal weekly market or Hat plays an important
cultural activity. The Kondh people express their role of Kondhs of Kandhamal for their
cultural identity and distinction in their social
interaction. They go to nearby village weekly
organisation, language, rituals and festivals and
market to sell their forest produces, vegetables,
also in their dress, ornament, art and craft. They
rice, goat, buffalo, bullock, cow etc and buy for
have retained their own way of managing internal
them necessary household materials. In the local
affairs of the village mainly through two institutions
market they meet other villagers and discus with
namely, the village council and the youth
them about different cultural, social activities and
dormitory. They believe that their life and work
are controlled by supernatural beings whose agricultural cycle. Apart from this, now few of
abode is around them in hills, forests, rivers and the villagers are engaged in modern communication
houses. It is very difficult to standardize the Gods techniques like uses of mobile phone, internet.
and spirits as their composition continually The forests, being mixed deciduous,
changes when old ones are forgotten with the primarily have a rich growth of Sal trees. The place
introduction of new ones. The ceremonies and takes pride in its natural panoramic view – lush
festivals of the tribes can be classified into two green woods, cluster of hills, tranquil surroundings
groups, that is, those that relate to the individual with a rich endowment of flora and fauna and

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January - 2015 Odisha Review

above all, the tribal societies dwelling in this area. 5. Dash, J.1987-88, Technology and adoptive strategy
The uniqueness of the state is truly retained by its in food gathering and hunting tribe:A study on
the Hill Kharia of Similipal Hills, Orissa, Man in
tribal population. They continue to lead a rustic Society, A Journal of Anthropology Department
lifestyle in the lap of nature. These tribal societies of Utkal Univeristy.
embrace the section of people who understand
6. Ghosh Subir 1993 Mass Media Today, In the Indian
the meaning of living together and join hands to Context, Profile Publishers, Ditributors Rupa & Co.
work together to achieve any shared interest to
7. Herskovists, M.J. 1942, Man and his works, Illinois.
cater to the benefits of their society. The tribal
groups although have undertaken various forms 8. Kandhamal Gazette, 2003, Published by Govt. of
of odd jobs at present, yet their basic livelihood Orissa
depend on hunting and cultivation. In the past, 9. K.S, Singh., 1994.The Scheduled Tribes, Oxford
the tribal land areas were never surveyed and they University Press, New Delhi ; 110001.
did not lead a settled life. Now the Kondhs have 10. Kerlinger, F.N. 1079 Behavioural Research,
adopted a settled life with agricultural practice. Rinehert & Winston, New York, Holt

References: 11. MacBridge Sean, 1982 Many Voices One World,

Oxford and IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi
1. Agarwal, B.C. 1985 Anthropological Methods in
Communication Research, Concept Publishing 12. Stampel III, G.H. and Westley, B.H. 1989 Research
House, New Delhi Methods in Mass Communication, New Jersey,
Prentice Hall.
2. Basa, K.K.1992. “Ethnoarcheology of Orissa: A
Review”; Man in Society, A Journal of
Anthropology Department of Utkal Univeristy.
3. Behera B.K.1990, Socio-cultural change among
the Kondh, Calcutta University. Ramakanta Mahananda, Rajiv Gandhi National Fellow,
4. Behura, N.K. 1990.Tribal Societies in Orissa, In Department of Anthropology, Vanivihar, Utkal
Tribes of Orissa, Tribal & Harijan Research cum University, Bhubaneswar. Email: utkal.ramakant
Training Institute. @gmail.com

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