JUANGA TRIBE: HABITAT, CULTURE & LATEST NEWS

Why In News?

A 16-year-old girl, Sumitra Juanga, from the Juang PVTG community in Odisha’s Keonjhar district, has successfully transformed her village's mindset regarding child marriage and maternal health. 

About Juang Tribe 

The Juang are one of the 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) found in Odisha, primarily inhabiting the Gonasika hills of Keonjhar district and the plains of Dhenkanal and Angul districts.

Etymology: Term 'Juang' translates to "Man" or "Sons of Man".

Historical Name: They were historically referred to as Patuas (leaf-wearers) because the women traditionally wore girdles of leaves.

Origin Myth: They believe they originated from the earth on the Gonasika hills near the source of the Baitarani River.

Divisions: Culturally and geographically, they are divided into two sections:

• Thaniya (Hill Juang): Those who reside in their original homeland of Juang Pirh in the Keonjhar hills.
• Bhagudia (Plain Juang): Those who migrated to the plains of Dhenkanal and Angul.

Language

• Dialect: They speak the Juang language, which belongs to the Munda family of the Austroasiatic linguistic group.
• Script: They do not have a script of their own and use Odia for inter-group communication.  

Social Organization

• Clan System: They are divided into exogamous clans known as Bansa or Khilli.
• The Majang (Youth Dormitory): It serves as a community house for youth, a guest house for visitors, and a venue for village councils. 
• Unmarried boys (Dhangada) and girls (Dhangdi) are members, playing a central role in their cultural education.
• Marriage: Monogamy is the general rule, though polygyny is permitted. They practice clan exogamy.

Political Organization

Village Council: The village is an autonomous socio-political unit managed by a council of elders known as the Barabhai. 

Pirh Council: Above the village level, the Hill Juangs have a traditional territorial organization called Pirh, which consists of a group of villages. The head of this inter-village council acts as a supreme socio-political authority.

Religious Head: The Nagam or Dehuri is the religious head who officiates communal worship.

Economic Life

Shifting Cultivation (Toila): The Hill Juang primarily practice shifting cultivation, locally known as Toila or Ering. They grow crops like oilseeds (Rasi), pulses, and millets on hill slopes.

Hunting and Gathering: Their diet and economy are heavily supplemented by collecting forest produce such as roots, tubers, and fruits.

Basketry: Juangs, especially those in the plains, are skilled basket weavers, crafting items from bamboo which they exchange for paddy and other essentials.

Religion and Culture

Deities: Their supreme deities are Dharam Devta (Sun God) and Basukimata (Mother Earth). They generally do not have specific idols for these supreme gods but offer prayers to them first during every ritual.

Festivals: Their festivals are closely linked to the agricultural cycle:

• Pus Punei: Marks the beginning of the agricultural year.
• Amba Nuakhia: Celebrated for the eating of the first mangoes.
• Magh Parab: A major winter festival.

Dance: The Changu dance is their traditional folk dance, performed by both men and women to the beat of the Changu (a tambourine-like drum).

Source: TIMESOFINDIA