Description

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Context

Munda tribals from Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), Odisha, protested being denied access to their sacred groves, which have been converted into a tiger enclosure for translocated tigress Zeenat.

Who are the Munda Tribals?

Found primarily in the Chhotanagpur Plateau, which includes Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, and Bangladesh.
Similipal Tiger Reserve is also home to two indigenous tribes, the Erenga Kharias and Mankirdias, who practice traditional agriculture.
The Erenga Kharias and Mankirdias, one of India's largest Scheduled Tribes, have significant populations within the Similipal Tiger Reserve.

Historical significance:

Munda languages arrived in India about 4,000 years ago from Southeast Asia.
Munda freedom fighter Birsa Munda led anti-British revolts and advocated for Munda Raj.

Cultural Traditions:

Aspect	Details
Clan System	Patrilineal clans (Killi), believed to descend from a common ancestor.
Traditional Occupation	Originally hunter-gatherers; later turned farmers. Skilled in weaving and basket-making.
Sacred Groves & Rituals	Nature worshippers practicing animism; sacred rites are conducted at burial sites.
Folk Music & Dance	Celebrate festivals like Sarhul and Karam with traditional songs and dances.
Totemic Beliefs	Each clan is associated with a totemic animal or plant that symbolizes clan identity.

Source: Indian Express

Practice Question:

Q. Which of the following statements about the Munda tribe is/are correct?

The Munda tribe primarily inhabits the Chotanagpur plateau region.

Birsa Munda led the Ulgulan movement against British colonial rule.

The Munda tribe follows a matrilineal system of inheritance.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

A) 1 and 2 only

B) 2 and 3 only

C) 1 and 3 only

D) 1, 2 and 3

Answer:

A) 1 and 2 only

Explanation:

Statement 1 – Correct: The Munda tribe primarily resides in Jharkhand, especially in the Chotanagpur plateau region.

Statement 2 – Correct: Birsa Munda was a prominent tribal freedom fighter who led the Ulgulan (Great Tumult) movement in the late 19th century against British oppression.

Statement 3 – Incorrect: The Munda tribe follows a patrilineal system, not a matrilineal one.