Birhor Tribe – Short Notes
- Location: Primarily in Jharkhand (also in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal).
- Status: One of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Jharkhand.
- Name Meaning: “Birhor” = Bi (jungle) + hor (man) → “People of the Jungle.”
- Ethnology: Porto-Australoid stock; short stature, wavy hair, broad nose; akin to Santals, Mundas, and Hos.
- Belief: Claim descent from the Sun; consider Kharwars their brothers.
- Religion: Blend of animism and Hinduism.
- Language: Birhor (Munda group, Austroasiatic family); related to Santali, Mundari, Ho; many bilingual in Hindi/Bengali.
- Society: Small, close-knit, clan-based; leaders resolve disputes; live in temporary tandas/bands (conical huts of leaves and branches).
- Economy:
- Traditionally nomadic hunters and gatherers (esp. monkeys).
- Rope-making from vine fibres (sold in markets).
- Some shifted to settled agriculture.
- Groups: Uthlus (wandering) & Janghis (settled).
- Medicinal Knowledge: Rich in herbal and traditional medicine.
- Current Development: Recently gaining electricity access in Koderma district, Jharkhand.
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