The Supreme Court recently issued notice on a plea by Koya tribe members challenging Telangana HC’s order on the ST status of Lambadi, Sugali & Banjara communities, citing the impact on reservation benefits.
About Koya Tribe:
The Koya are one of the few multi-racial and multi-lingual tribal communities in India.
They live in the forests, plains, and valleys on both sides of the Godavari River, in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
According to the 2011 census, the total population of these tribes in India is 7,38,629.
The Koyas call themselves "Koithur".
They are said to have migrated to central India from their original home in Bastar, northern India.
Language:
Koyas speaks the Koya language, also known as koya basha, and is a member of the Dravidian language family. It is closely related to Gondi and has been strongly influenced by Telugu.
Most Koyas speak either Gondi or Telugu, in addition to Koyi.
Occupation:
Traditionally, they were pastoralists and shifting cultivators, but nowadays, they have taken to settled cultivation supplemented by animal husbandry and seasonal forest collections.
They grow Jowar, Ragi, Bajra, and other millets.
Society and Culture:
All Koya belong to one of five sub-divisions called gotrams. Every Koya is born into a clan, and he cannot leave it.
The Koyas have a patrilineal and patrilocal family. The family is called “Kutum”. The nuclear family is the predominant type.
Monogamy is prevalent among the Koyas.
The Koya usually live in villages located near dependable water sources.
Villages vary in size from three to more than sixty houses.
The chief of every Koya village is called “Peda’.
The Koya practice their own ethnic religion, but also worship a number of Hindu gods and goddesses.
Many Koya deities are female, the most important being the “mother earth.”
They maintain community funds and grain banks at the village level to help the needy families and provide food security.
Koyas either bury or cremate the dead. They erect menhirs in memory of the dead.
Their main festivals are Vijji Pandum (seeds charming festival) and KondalaKolupu (festival to appease Hill deities).
Koyas perform a robust, colourful dance called Permakok (Bison horn dance) during festivals and marriage ceremonies.
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