Koya Tribe

Dec. 9, 2023

In a move to conserve the Indian Bison in their forests, the indigenous Koya tribes inhabiting the Papikonda hill range in Andhra Pradesh have made an exemplary transition by shedding the use of bison horns to make their traditional flute called Permakore.

About the Koya Tribe:

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, which lies in Andhra Pradesh.
Many also live in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.
They believe their main deity still resides in a cave in the Bastar region.
Language:
- Most Koya speak either Gondi or Telugu, in addition to Koyi.
- Koyi is closely related to Gondi and has been strongly influenced by Telugu.
Occupation: Traditionally they are pastoralists and shifting cultivators but now-a-days, they have taken to settled cultivation supplemented by animal husbandry and seasonal forest collections.
They erect menhirs in memory of the dead.
Culture:
- The Koyas adopted Bison horns to discover their two cultural forms: the Kommu Koya dance, during which two Bison horns are adorned on the head as part of the attire, and the Permakore flute, which is made of a single horn.
- They have retained their rich and varied heritage of colourful dance and music which form an integral part of their festivals and rituals.
- Many Koya deities are female, the most important being the "mother earth."