An Ethnographic Study of Kattunayakar and Irular Tribes: Cultural Practices and Traditions

Abstract

A tribe is a group of people or community that shares common ancestry, culture, language, and often territory. There are more than 476 million indigenous tribes people living in about 90 countries across the world, with more than 5000 distinct groups and speaking 7000 languages. They form 6.2 percent of the global population. India has about 700 tribes and over 1500 tribal languages. The second-highest number of tribal populations are found in India. India has numerous tribes spread across different regions of the country. The indigenous sects in India are naturally isolated from the main stream. Lack of education and communication barriers made it difficult for tribes to compete with the outside world. This limits many opportunities for tribal people. According to the 2011 census, 40.06% of tribals live below the poverty line. Education, one of the fundamental rights of human beings, has the power to change the course of one’s life. Education can uplift tribal society, and knowledge of the world paves the way for them to have strong self-esteem and self-employment.