Ethnohistory, Ethnography and Cultural Aspects of the Chenchu Tribe of Andhra Pradesh
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Abstract
India has always been described as a "melting pot" of races and culture. Tribal in India is the most glaring example exploitation indifferences and lack of appreciation for our divergent minority groups. The present study is an attempt to study the enthnohistoric and historiographic literature available on various aspects of culture and society of Chenchu tribe of Andhra Pradesh in India.
Among the thirty three tribes in Andhra Pradesh the most populous one is Sugali it numbers 2 lakhs. Next to Sugali are the Yanadis and Koyas who count 2 lakhs each. On other hand the Gond and the Yerukala have a population of more than one lakh each, while the Konda Dora and the Savara have little less than one lakh each. Only two tribes namely the Bagathy and Jatapu have a population between fifty thousand and sixty thousand each. The Chenchu, Gadava, Kolam Kammara, Konda Kapu, Konda reddy, Khond and Valmiki number between 20 thousands or thirty thousands. The Kotiya, Manne dora, Muka dora, Pradhan and Andh, Konda Reddi, Mali, Nayak and Reddi dora have a population less than three thousands each and the other six tribes namely Bhil, Kattunagakan, Kulia, Rana and Thoti have a population of less than one thousand each. Keeping this objective in view, the present study focuses its attention on the ethnohistory and the social-cultural mobility of Chenchu tribe in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The fragmented accounts of ethonohistory of the tribals provided by anthropologists and historians in the past one hundred years do not clearly deal with several issues especially the historical affinity of the Chenchus, the multiplicity of designations for a single tribe in different places. The contributions of the tribes and non-tribals to the cultural dynamics operating in the dominant tribal population as a step in the long process of social cultural homogenization within the context of the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Among the thirty three tribes in Andhra Pradesh the most populous one is Sugali it numbers 2 lakhs. Next to Sugali are the Yanadis and Koyas who count 2 lakhs each. On other hand the Gond and the Yerukala have a population of more than one lakh each, while the Konda Dora and the Savara have little less than one lakh each. Only two tribes namely the Bagathy and Jatapu have a population between fifty thousand and sixty thousand each. The Chenchu, Gadava, Kolam Kammara, Konda Kapu, Konda reddy, Khond and Valmiki number between 20 thousands or thirty thousands. The Kotiya, Manne dora, Muka dora, Pradhan and Andh, Konda Reddi, Mali, Nayak and Reddi dora have a population less than three thousands each and the other six tribes namely Bhil, Kattunagakan, Kulia, Rana and Thoti have a population of less than one thousand each. Keeping this objective in view, the present study focuses its attention on the ethnohistory and the social-cultural mobility of Chenchu tribe in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The fragmented accounts of ethonohistory of the tribals provided by anthropologists and historians in the past one hundred years do not clearly deal with several issues especially the historical affinity of the Chenchus, the multiplicity of designations for a single tribe in different places. The contributions of the tribes and non-tribals to the cultural dynamics operating in the dominant tribal population as a step in the long process of social cultural homogenization within the context of the state of Andhra Pradesh.