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Kandha Tribe

  • 20 May 2025
  • 2 min read

Source: TH 

Facial tattooing among Kandha tribal women in Odisha’s Kandhamal district is a fading tradition, reflecting both past trauma and present-day empowerment. 

  • Facial tattoos among Kandha women, applied from age 10 in geometric patterns, served as a form of protection against sexual exploitation (not decorative) by landlords, royals, and British colonizers. 
  • About Kandha Tribe: It is numerically highest among all the 62 tribes of Odisha, making up 17.13% of the state’s tribal population according to the 2001 Census 
    • They speak Kui or Kuvi (Dravidian languages) and call themselves ‘Kui loku’, ‘Kui enju’, or ‘Kuinga’ from the Dravidian Kui and Kuvi languages. 
    • Nuclear families are common and joint families are rarely found. 
    • Their population is concentrated mainly in south and central Odisha, especially in Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput, and Kalahandi districts. 
    • Among Kandha communities, Kutia Kandha and Dongria Kandha are recognized as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). 
      • PVTG is a more vulnerable sub-group of Scheduled Tribes. India has 75 PVTGs, with Odisha having the most (13), followed by Andhra Pradesh (12). 
    • Dongria Kandha are recognized for opposing mining in the Niyamgiri hills, while Kutia Kandha reside in distinct homes with floors situated about 2 ft below the village road level.   

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Read More: Dongria Kondh Tribe 
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