Bonda Tribe

Members of the Bonda community in Odisha’s Malkangiri district are set to transition from fragile thatched huts to permanent pucca houses under the Union government’s PM-Janman scheme, aiming to improve living conditions for this particularly vulnerable tribal group.

About the Bonda Tribe

Location and Population

• The Bondas are exclusively found in the Malkangiri district of Odisha, mostly in the Khairaput block.

• They are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) and are considered one of India’s oldest tribes.

• Alternate names include Bondo, Bondas, Bonda Paraja, and Bhonda.

• The tribe has a population of approximately 7,000 people living in mountainous and forest ecosystems.

• They are considered among the first settlers in India, with lineage tracing back to the Austroasiatic race.

Language

• The Bonda people speak Remo, an Austroasiatic language.

• Their language is distinct from mainstream Indian languages, making communication difficult for outsiders.

Groups and Social Structure

• The Bondas are divided into two groups:

  1. Lower Bondas: Live in southern Odisha near Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

  2. Upper Bondas: Reside in remote hilly villages of Malkangiri.

• They have a hierarchical social organization, with a council of elders making key community decisions.

• Villages are small and organized around communal spaces for ceremonies and meetings.

Culture and Lifestyle

Architecture

• Traditional Bonda houses are made of mud with thatched roofs, suited to mountainous terrain and local climate.

Art and Dress

• Bondas express art through decorative tools, utensils, colorful fabrics, and jewelry.

• Their dressing style is unique: women wear semiclad clothing with multiple jewelry pieces, while men wear distinctive traditional attire.

Religion

• The Bonda religion is animistic, emphasizing worship of nature and ancestral spirits.

Occupation and Economy

• The Bondas practice subsistence agriculture, hunting, and gathering.

• They follow a unique shifting cultivation system called dangar chas.

• Crops grown include paddy, millet, pulses, and vegetables.

Education and Health

• Only 6% of the Bonda population is literate.

• Life expectancy is low, and the community is considered nearly extinct due to small population and challenging living conditions.