Current Context : Jharkhand’s Birhor tribe have actively participated in a movement against child marriage in Giridih district, marking a significant cultural shift.
About Birhor Tribe
The Birhor tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Jharkhand, has traditionally been a semi-nomadic, forest-dependent community.
- Location:Primarily found in Jharkhand, with populations also in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal.
- Language:Speak Birhor, a language belonging to the Munda group of the Austroasiatic language family, sharing similarities with Santali, Mundari, and Ho languages.
- Lifestyle:Historically semi-nomadic, engaging in hunting and gathering, particularly of monkeys. Some have transitioned to settled agriculture.
- Physical Characteristics:Typically of short stature, with long heads, wavy hair, and broad noses.
- Economic Activities:Traditionally rope-making from specific vines, sold in local markets.
- Social Structure:Divided into Uthlus (wandering) and Janghis (settled) groups.