The Adivasi refers to inhabitants of Indian subcontinent, generally tribal people. The term is a modern Sanskrit word coined in the 1930s by political activists to give the tribal people an indigenous identity by claiming indigenous origin. The term is also used for ethnic minorities, such as Chakmas of Bangladesh, Khas of Nepal, and Vedda of Sri Lanka. The Constitution of India does not use the word Adivasi, instead referring to Scheduled Tribes and Janjati. The government of India does not officially recognise tribes as indigenous people. The country ratified the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 107 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the United Nations (1957) and refused to sign the ILO Convention 169. Most of these groups are included in the Scheduled Tribe category under constitutional provisions in India.
The Wancho are Naga indigenous people inhabiting the Patkai hills of Longding district in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Culturally Naga, they are ethnically related to the Nocte of Arunachal Pradesh and Konyak of Nagaland The Wancho and Konyak still today share similar names, Konyak is the largest tribe in Nagaland. Wancho's history is mostly based on present day Nagaland.Even today, There are villages in Wancho inhabited area in Arunachal and konyak inhabited Mon Nagaland with the same names for example Longkei village.. The Wancho language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family under Northern Naga languages
Nagas are various ethnic groups native to northeastern India and northwestern Myanmar. The groups have similar cultures and traditions, and form the majority of population in the Indian states of Nagaland and Manipur and Naga Self-Administered Zone of Myanmar; with significant populations in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India; Sagaing Region and Kachin State in Myanmar (Burma).
The Kurukh or Oraon or Dhangar, also spelt Uraon or Oraon, are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group inhabiting the Indian states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. They predominantly speak Kurukh as their native language, which belongs to the Dravidian language family. In Maharashtra, Oraon people are also known as Dhangad or Dhangar.
The tribes of Jharkhand consist of 32 scheduled tribes inhabiting the Jharkhand state in India. In 1872, only 18 tribes were counted among the schedule tribes from which Banjara, Bhatudi, Chik Baraik and Mahli were marked as semi-Hindu aboriginal and Kora as proletariat Hindu. In the 1931 census, including above four semi-Hindu aboriginal and Kora, a proletariat Hindu, the number was raised to 26 from 18 by adding four more in the annexure. They were Birajia, Godait, Karmali and Paharia, but Kisan was excluded from the list. In 1941 census, Baga, Bedia and Lohra included again taking Kisan in the annexure and number came to 30 which was prevailing till June 2003. Kanwar and Kol were added on 8 June 2003 in the annexure and the number of Schedule Tribes came to 32.
The Kuki people are an ethnic group native to the Mizo Hills, a mountainous region in the southeastern part of Mizoram and Manipur in India. The Kuki constitute one of several hill tribes within India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. In Northeast India, they are present in all states except Arunachal Pradesh.
Ukhrul district is an administrative district of the state of Manipur in India with its headquarters at Ukhrul, that is Hunphun. The district occupies the north-eastern corner of the state and it extends between latitudes of 24° 29′ and 25° 42′ N and longitudes 94° 30′ and 94° 45′ E approximately. It shares an international boundary with Myanmar (Burma) on its eastern side and is bounded by Nagaland state in the north, Senapati district and Kangpokpi district in the west and Kamjong district in the south. It has the distinction of being the highest hill station of Manipur. The terrain of the district is hilly with a varying heights of 913 m to 3114 m (MSL). Ukhrul, the district HQ., at an altitude of 2020 m (MSL) is linked with Imphal, the state capital by NH 202 which is about 84 kilometres apart. The district covers an area of 4,544 square kilometres including Kamjong district making it the second largest district of the state after Churachandpur district and has a population of almost 1,83,998 according to Census of India 2011 comprising about 6.44 per cent of the total state population. The Tangkhul Naga tribe constitute the major bulk of the population with other communities such as Thadou, Nepalese and other non-tribals constituting a small percentage of the district population. Administratively, the district which comprises around 200 villages was divided into five sub-divisions, where their boundaries were coterminous with that of the Tribal Development Blocks. There was no statutory town in the district except one census town which was formed in 2011 Census. Recently, Kamjong district was carved out from Ukhrul District as a separate district. Ukhrul District has three assembly constituencies before the bifurcation of the district which are Phungyar Assembly Constituency (43-ST), Ukhrul Assembly Constituency (44-ST) and Chingai Assembly Constituency. The district is best introduced by its rare Shirui Lily,. Also, the district has provided two of Manipur's chief ministers and the only from amongst the hill districts of Manipur, Yangmaso Shaiza the first tribal chief minister of Manipur and Rishang Keishing who is also the first MP from Outer Manipur. William Pettigrew (missionary), an educationist and a Scottish-British Christian Missionary pioneered the western system of education and introduced the Christianity faith among the Tangkhal Naga tribe. Phungyo Baptist Church, Tangrei, Ukhrul, the oldest and the first Christian church of Manipur which still stands today is a testament to his passion for missionary work.
Kotas, also Kothar or Kov by self-designation, are an ethnic group who are indigenous to the Nilgiris mountain range in Tamil Nadu, India. They are one of the many tribal people indigenous to the region.. Todas and Kotas have been subject to intense anthropological, linguistic and genetic analysis since the early 19th century. Study of Todas and Kotas has also been influential in the development of the field of anthropology. Numerically Kotas have always been a small group not exceeding 1,500 individuals spread over seven villages for the last 160 years. They have maintained a lifestyle as a jack of all trades such as potters, agriculturalist, leather workers, carpenters, and black smiths and as musicians for other groups. Since the British colonial period they have availed themselves of educational facilities and have improved their socio-economic status and no longer depend on the traditional services provided to make a living. Some anthropologists have considered them to be a specialized caste as opposed to a tribe or an ethnic group.
Maram tribe is one of the tribes that form the Naga tribe of Northeast India. The Marams occupy a large portion of Senapati district of Manipur. They are the only tribe of Nagas who did not consume pork in the past; today, with the advent of Christianity, they have started changing their food habit and now almost 99% of the Marams consume pork. The Marams are known for their rich cultural heritage: traditional attire, folk songs, folktales, musical instruments, and so on. There are more than 30 Maram villages scattered in the geographical expanse generally known as the Maram Area. As per the 2001 census, the Maram Nagas numbered about 37,340 in total. According to UNESCO database on endangered languages, the Maram Language was among the list which amounts to only 37,000 number of speakers. These figures, however, need further corroboration.
Rengma is a Naga tribe found in Nagaland and Assam states of India. According to the 2011 Census of India, the population of Rengmas in Nagaland stands at 62,951 and the population of Rengmas in Assam is around 22,000. Tseminyü District is the headquarters of the Rengmas in Nagaland and the headquarters of the Rengmas in Assam is located at Phentsero/Karenga Village.
Chang is a Naga ethnic group of Nagaland, India. It is one of the recognized Scheduled Tribes.
Zawlbûk was a traditional bachelorsʼ quarters of the Mizo people, predominantly of the Luseis living in Mizoram, India. It was prominently the largest house in the tribal village, and it was customary for every village to have it constructed in the middle of the habitation. Even though its basic use was as a dormitory for all unmarried men of the village, it was much more a social institution where education, entertainment, skill and personal developments, and security of the tribal community were (almost) entirely centred.
Sarat Chandra Roy was an Indian scholar of anthropology. He is widely regarded as the 'father of Indian ethnography', the 'first Indian ethnographer', and as the 'first Indian anthropologist'.
Jadonang Malangmei (1905-1931) popularly known as Haipou Jadonang was a Naga spiritual leader and political activist from Manipur, British India. He established the Heraka religious movement, which was based on the ancestral Naga religion, and declared himself to be the "messiah king" of the Nagas. His movement was widespread in the Zeliangrong territory before the conversion to Christianity. He also espoused the cause of an independent Naga kingdom, which brought him in conflict with the colonial British rulers of India. He was hanged by the British in 1931, and succeeded by his cousin Rani Gaidinliu.
Rungsung Suisa was an Indian politician. Suisa was one of the key figures in the movement to unite Naga-populated areas in Manipur with the Naga Hills (Nagaland). He was popularly known as 'Uncle Suisa'.
Pochury is a Naga tribe of Nagaland, India. The tribe's native territory is located in the eastern part of the Phek district, centered at Meluri town.
William Pettigrew was a British Christian missionary who went to India in 1890, eventually introducing western education in Manipur and converting the Tangkhul Naga tribe, inhabiting Ukhrul district to Christianity, "in masses".
The Bhuyan are an ethnic group found mainly in many districts of Odisha. The 2011 census showed their population to be around 220,859. They are classified as a Scheduled Tribe by the Indian government.
Haoreima or Haoleima is a goddess of tragic love and separation in Meitei mythology and religion of Ancient Kangleipak. According to some legends, she was a woman from the hills, who was killed while arranging to meet her lover, and turned into a tortured spirit. She is regarded as an incarnation of Goddess Panthoibi. She is also identified with goddess Nongthang Leima. She is also worshipped as goddess Ireima. She is one of the most revered Meitei goddesses, though she is of Tangkhul origin.
