Conclusion

The journey of Oraon in the past 100 years has been impacted with the advancement in the educational system, independent India’s tribal development, and other welfare programmes, changing the economic system and various revival movements.

With the revival movements like Tana Bhagat movement, influence of neighbouring Hindu community, and conversion to Christianity, the Oraon tribe has been divided along religious lines. Nevertheless, they maintain their clan identity through their surnames based on totems.

Notes

1 The hereditary office of village priest belonging to a particular family/clan.

2 The descendants of the original founder or founders of an Oraon village.

3 A person belonging to a special group who plays music during festivals and ceremonies.

4 Malar is a different tribal community.

5 The ceremonial hunting expedition performed by young Oraon on the following morning of Phagua festival.

6 Long curved iron blade fitted into a wooden foothold for cutting purpose.

7 Jitia, known as Pua Jiuntia in Western Odisha and Dwitibhana puja in other parts of Odisha is a ritual performed by mothers for the long life of their sons.

8 A type of dance performed by Oraon women with earthen pots filled with raw rice, turmeric, tender grass, and mustard seeds known as karsa bhanda (bhanda means pot) during festivals and ceremony.

9 The supreme deity of Oraon, who is believed to be the creator of the universe, controller of other gods and spirits, is referred to the Sun.

10 The group of ancestral spirits and their living descendants are regarded as one family. The spirits are believed to live underground near the village kundi.

11 Different names of the deity residing in Sarna. The suffix burhia indicates Hindu influence.

12 Name of village spirits/deities of the Oraon.

13 The place where sacrifice is offered to Darha spirit.

14 The familiar spirits of an individual that receives sacrifices secretly.

15 The piece of land from which expense for the sacrifices to Gairahi Bhut is derived.

16 The minor village spirits residing in river/pit (garha), streams (dhorha) and the four corners (cha- tur) of the village boundaries (siman) (Roy 1928:59).

17 A periodical fair or festival held for religious purpose.

18 The word Karam is used by S.C. Roy. But in recent years it is spelt as Karama/Karma.

19 Heaps of pebbles seen in the outskirts of an Oraon village.

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