News: The Abujhmadiya tribe is in news because its members are increasingly participating in the Bastar Olympics sports tournament.
About Abujhmadiya Tribe
- It is sub-group and sub-caste of the Gond tribe of the Central India region.
- On racial grounds, they are placed in the Pre-Dravidian or Proto-Australoid group, with generally medium height and strong physique.
- Location: They inhabit the dense forests and hilly terrains of the Abujhmarh region, which spans the Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada districts of Chhattisgarh, bordering Maharashtra and Odisha.
- It is also recognized as one of the seven Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Chhattisgarh.
- Language: Speak ‘Madi’, a local dialect of the Dravidian language family’s Gondi dialect.
- Chief Deities: Major deities include Budhadeva, Thakur Dev (Tallubhet), Budhimai or Budhi Dokri, and Lingopen.
- They also have a house god (Chota pen, Bada pen, Manjhla pen) and a clan god (Gotranusara as the Kul Devta).
- Nature Worship: The tribe worships natural elements such as the Sun, Moon, rivers, mountains, and the Earth.
- Festivals : Major festivals include Pola, Kakasar, and Pandum, often linked to agricultural cycles.
- Dance and Music: Men and women are very fond of dancing and singing. Key dances include Kaksar, Gedi dance, and Rilo.
- Traditional musical instruments like drums and flutes are used during performances.
- Folk Songs: Their folk songs include Dadriya, Relogeet, Poojageet, songs for marriage, engagement, and baby showers (chhatthi).
- Body Art: Tattooing (Godana) is considered a permanent jewel for Abujhmaria women.
- Social Structure:
- The society is patriarchal and organized into clans (gotras).
- They have a traditional caste panchayat system led by a Manjhi (chief).
