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The Birhor tribe living in Odisha are primarily scattered in the hills of Similipal in the district of Mayurbhanj. The SCSTRTI and OPELIP conducted some recent surveys, and their populations are recorded only at 351, which makes them an extremely vulnerable tribal group. They are socially divided into two types: settled Jaghi and Uthlu semi-nomadic people. The Birhor speak a dialect of the Munda language family; in their own tongue, the word Birhor translates to "man of the forest" as "Hor" means 'man' and "Bir" means 'forest.' Another name for the semi-nomadic group is Mankidi or Mankirdia, which really signifies their traditional expertise in monkey catching.
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The Birhor tribe living in Odisha are primarily scattered in the hills of Similipal in the district of Mayurbhanj. The SCSTRTI and OPELIP conducted some recent surveys, and their populations are recorded only at 351, which makes them an extremely vulnerable tribal group. They are socially divided into two types: settled Jaghi and Uthlu semi-nomadic people. The Birhor speak a dialect of the Munda language family; in their own tongue, the word Birhor translates to "man of the forest" as "Hor" means 'man' and "Bir" means 'forest.' Another name for the semi-nomadic group is Mankidi or Mankirdia, which really signifies their traditional expertise in monkey catching.
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Uthlu Birhors or Mankidias live in small, mobile groups called Tanda, wandering about the forests to look out for siali creepers and monkeys. Their dwelling place consists of temporary dome-shaped huts made of leaves. These are called Kumbha. They have a Kudi-ada, which is a girls' dormitory within their settlements and has social significance for them. The Birhor worships the Sun, whom they consider their supreme deity, and celebrates the annual hunting festival in the forest known as Disum Sendra. In their culture, monkeys are a delicacy, and they sun-dry much of the surplus meat for the lean season.
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The forest is not simply their territory but also constitutes the solid ground for most of their livelihood. Making ropes from the bark of siali creepers (Lama Bayer) practically forms part of Birhor life. There are chopping, stripping, and yielding of these fibers into ropes, slings, nets, bags, and baskets (topa). Time has changed this craft to be now making some fancily adapted items such as handbags made from jute, plastic, and siali fibers. These handcrafted products find a wide reception in the local market particularly by the farming communities.
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The Birhor communities have shown resilience and adaptability and have not made themselves completely dependent on forest resources. The traditions of their elders remain at the core of their lived life, but clearly, they are coming to terms and embracing new skills and materials for their craft. The coping up of the community reflects their innovation and opens avenues for economic sustainability away from forest-based interventions, especially at a time when demand for their unique handicrafts increases.
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Culture holds an important place in the society of the Birhors. It has enriched itself with dance forms such as Dong, Lagre, Mutkar, Jadur (done by Gena), and Karam (combined with Khemta, Jhumar, and Hansda). The thrill of these dances is principally for performance during some festival or other grand occasions, making them walk a tightrope between nature and a people. A new twist is added to the life of the Birhor people in the way that it is thoroughly brightened up and embellished with a rich tapestry of forest lore, craft, spirituality, and performance.
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