Current Affairs Categories

Bonda Tribe

Published: December 29, 2025
Indian Society

Members of the Bonda community in Odisha’s Malkangiri district are set to transition from fragile thatched huts to permanent pucca houses under the Union government’s PM-Janman scheme, aiming to improve living conditions for this particularly vulnerable tribal group.

About the Bonda Tribe

Location and Population

  • The Bondas are exclusively found in the Malkangiri district of Odisha, mostly in the Khairaput block.

  • They are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) and are considered one of India’s oldest tribes.

  • Alternate names include Bondo, Bondas, Bonda Paraja, and Bhonda.

  • The tribe has a population of approximately 7,000 people living in mountainous and forest ecosystems.

  • They are considered among the first settlers in India, with lineage tracing back to the Austroasiatic race.

Language

  • The Bonda people speak Remo, an Austroasiatic language.

  • Their language is distinct from mainstream Indian languages, making communication difficult for outsiders.

Groups and Social Structure

  • The Bondas are divided into two groups:

    1. Lower Bondas: Live in southern Odisha near Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

    2. Upper Bondas: Reside in remote hilly villages of Malkangiri.

  • They have a hierarchical social organization, with a council of elders making key community decisions.

  • Villages are small and organized around communal spaces for ceremonies and meetings.

Culture and Lifestyle

Architecture

  • Traditional Bonda houses are made of mud with thatched roofs, suited to mountainous terrain and local climate.

Art and Dress

  • Bondas express art through decorative tools, utensils, colorful fabrics, and jewelry.

  • Their dressing style is unique: women wear semiclad clothing with multiple jewelry pieces, while men wear distinctive traditional attire.

Religion

  • The Bonda religion is animistic, emphasizing worship of nature and ancestral spirits.

Occupation and Economy

  • The Bondas practice subsistence agriculture, hunting, and gathering.

  • They follow a unique shifting cultivation system called dangar chas.

  • Crops grown include paddy, millet, pulses, and vegetables.

Education and Health

  • Only 6% of the Bonda population is literate.

  • Life expectancy is low, and the community is considered nearly extinct due to small population and challenging living conditions.


 


 

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