-: Orissa Tribes :-

Gadabas:

Gadabas are one of the very primitive and colouful tribes of orissa. They are concentrated in the southern most parts of the state of the ditrict of koraput.The gadabas whose original home was in the north of the Vindhya mountains should be called by a name connected with "GADA" by which a brook or a stream is indicated in the part of the country.The gadabas build their houses in two rows facing each other with some broad way left between them. The headman house is the biggest and it is generally stand in the middle of one of the rows .In front of the headman house a tree , the ficus indica of the banyan or the mango, is planted in the centre of the space between the row of house. Round the foot of the tree a platform is made with stones. this is the seat for the leader of the village to hold court to decide many disputes of their communities. During festive occassions also they all gather here to drink and dance .

The unmarried young men or women are not allowed to sleep at night with their respective parents. All the maidens are to sleep in the one place and all the young men in another place far remote from that of the maidens . For this purpose two houses a reset apart in each village one for the maidens and the other for the bachelors.

The economic life of the gadabas are mainly centered around agriculture .Besides, it is supplemented by collection of forest produce, hunting and fishing.The Gadabas domesticate local variety of cows , buffalows, goats, pigs and poultry. They breed cattle neither for sale nor for selling of milks.The cows a nd buffallows are used for plouging.They do not milch the cows as they believe it reduces the strength of the animals .The gadabas use very scanty clothes in their dress. The men folk use a peace of cloth called "Languti" with a flap which hang down in front .The women folk wear long strip of clothes commonly known as "Keranga" tied round the waist and a second peace of cloth is worn across the chest and fixed at the left or sometime right shoulder where a big knot is given .

Gdabas women are fond of wearing a number of ornaments to decorate their bodies.The ornaments are generally made out brass or alluminium .They use hairpins in their hair, generally it is found that the elderly married women wear a peculiar type of ear ring which is made out of silver , brass or alluminium.Besides they use ornaments in their nose and finger.They use bangles which are made of grass.No tatoo marks are done among the Gadabas. The gadabas believe in many gods and goddess . The chief of them is called Thakurani and is represented by slabs of stone and is worshipped by " dishari" .They also believe in many ghosts and spirits.

The gadabas celebrate many festivals such as Bandapana parab, Dushera parab, push parab, and chaita parab. The gadabas celebrate these festivals with most care , sincerety , devotion and fear.
The gadabas are very fond of dance and music. Among all the tribes they are very famous for their "dhemsa" dance.The dance is performed by women wearing their famous karenga saree.The men folk play the musical instruments while the women dance in semi circle with step three and four which gradually change to eight. The body is often bent forward, showing skillful moves on the heels.

The musical instruments consists of big drums , palmudi baja, madal, fluits, tamak and mahuri.They are also very fond of musics. They compose their own songs befitting differernt occassions and sing these songs while dancing.They have their own language known as "GUTUB".

Orissa Tribes

1.The Kondhs

2.The Parajas

3.The Bondos

4.Souras

5. Gadabas