Tribes of Southern India Region
📍 States Covered: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala
🧭 Southern tribal landscape includes both settled agrarian tribes and forest-dwelling PVTGs, with pockets of African origin, matriarchal societies, and endangered artisanal practices.
🟠 Siddi Tribe
- 🗺️ Found in: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat (PVTG)
- 🌍 Origin: Bantu-speaking Africans, brought by Portuguese as slaves
- 🕌 Religion: Mostly Muslims
- 🧬 UPSC Lens: African ancestry, cultural assimilation, identity preservation
🟠 Toda Tribe
- 🏔️ Location: Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu (PVTG)
- 🐃 Religion revolves around buffalo worship
- 🎨 Art: Toda embroidery (pukhor) – red/black thread on white cotton (🟢 GI Tag)
- 🌿 Eco-note: Pastoralists, traditional forest stewards
🟠 Irula Tribe
- 🧪 Known for: Snake catching, venom extraction
- 🏞️ Found in: TN (PVTG), Kerala, Karnataka
- 🧑🔬 Irula Snake Catchers’ Co-op = leading supplier of anti-venom
- 🏆 2023: Two Irula members awarded Padma Shri
- 🏡 2023: Received land rights near Bannerghatta NP (Forest Rights Act in action)
🟠 Paniya Tribe
- 🧩 Etymology: Paniya = Labourer
- 🏞️ Location: Kerala, Karnataka, TN (PVTG)
- ⚒️ Past: Agricultural slaves under landlords (janmis)
- 🌱 New Economy: Crafting elephant statues from lantana to solve invasive species issue
- 🔁 Relevance: Sustainability + tribal innovation
🟠 Kota Tribe
- 🧱 Artisans & Potters (Dravidian-speaking)
- 🛕 Ritual: Aiyanoor Ammanoor = biennial mud-collection festival for pottery
- 📍 Found in: TN, Kerala, Karnataka
🟠 Hakki Pikki
- 🧭 Meaning: “Bird Catchers” (nomadic origin from Gujarat/Rajasthan)
- 📍 Current: Karnataka (semi-nomadic)
- 💈 Cultural Traits:
- Eldest son never cuts hair
- Groom pays dowry (matriarchal)
- Cross-cousin marriage
- 🌍 Global: Known for exporting Ayurvedic products to Africa
- ⚠️ 2023: Stranded in Sudan conflict
🟠 Koya Tribe
- 🛕 Found in: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha
- 🌾 Practice: Podu (shifting) cultivation
- 🎵 Permakore Flute: Traditionally made from Bison horn, now from palm leaf (🟢 animal conservation)
🟠 Newly Recognized STs in Andhra Pradesh (2024 Amendment)
🔹 Porja Tribe
- 📍 Areas: Visakhapatnam, Parvathipuram Manyam (AP); Odisha
- 🧑🌾 Occupation: Podu cultivation
- 🗣️ Language: Parji dialect (Odia root)
- 🔢 Status: PVTG; ~18,700 people; multiple subgroups: Bondo Porja, Khond Porja, etc.
🔹 Savaras Tribe (Sora in Odisha)
- 📍 Areas: Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam
- 🗣️ Language: Munda dialect
- 🧭 Cultural Note: Deep spiritual beliefs, distinct customs
📋 Other Major Tribes of Southern Region
| Tribe | State(s) | Category/Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Kurumbas | Kerala, TN | PVTG |
| Kadars | Kerala, TN | PVTG (Kerala) |
| Chenchus | Andhra Pradesh | Forest dwellers (Nallamala forests) |
| Kolam | Andhra, MP, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra | PVTG |
| Thoti | Andhra, Telangana, Maharashtra | PVTG |
| Kammara | AP, Karnataka, TN, Lakshadweep | Blacksmiths, carpenters |
| Savara | Andhra, Telangana | PVTG |
| Gadaba | Andhra, Telangana | PVTG |
| Kattunayakan | All Southern States | Hunter-gatherers, forest dwellers |
| Koraga | Karnataka, Kerala | PVTG |
| Adiyan | All 5 states | Agriculturists |
| Badagas | TN | Non-ST yet significant tribal culture |
| Bagata | AP, Odisha | Cultivators |
| Jatapus, Sugali, Yerava, Uralis, Yerukula, Rona | Andhra, Karnataka, Kerala | Regional importance; Yerukula = Domestics; Jatapus = warrior lineage |
🧠 UPSC Analytical Angles:
| Theme | Tribal Examples |
|---|---|
| Forest Rights Act Implementation | Irula (TN), Koya (AP) |
| PVTGs and Development Challenges | Todas, Paniyas, Kotas, Kadars |
| Cultural Conservation | Toda embroidery (GI), Hakki Pikki traditions |
| Tribal Globalisation | Hakki Pikki’s Ayurvedic trade in Africa |
| Sustainable Innovation | Paniya (Lantana crafts), Koya (switch from bison horn) |
| New ST Amendments | Porja & Savaras in 2024 (link to Polity & Society) |
🟢 Summary: Why Southern Tribes Are Unique
- Strong artisanal and ecological traditions: Toda embroidery, Kota pottery, Lantana statues.
- Many tribes are PVTGs with endangered languages and customs.
- Active examples of adaptive cultural conservation — like Hakki Pikkis becoming global herbal traders or Irulas helping medical research.
- A mix of Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic, and African ancestries, rare in any other region of India.