The Kondh Of Orissa- Their Socio Cultural Life and Development

Abstract

A good ethnographic account of any community has far reaching implications as it enables researchers as well as development practitioners to decipher the inherent growth-positive, growth-neutral and growth-negative values of the people for whom development intervention is intended. Further, such knowledge is also helpful in prioritizing economic, social and political problems in the specific context of the beneficiaries. It may be mentioned here that people may accept or reject certain programmes which may be adjudged by them as compatible or incompatible to their way of life. It has been seen either people have rejected or have shown no interest in some programmes which run counter to their ethos, ideology and world view. Culture has survival value and hence it should be assigned due importance in the context of State-sponsored development programmes. The First Edition of the book did not contain ethnographic account of the Kutia Kandha, who constitute a significant section / sub-tribe of the Kandha tribe and identified as one of the Primitive Tribal Groups of the State, like the Dongria Kandha. Therefore, in the Second (Revised and Enlarged) Edition, a section on the Kutia Kandha, was incorporated. The First Edition was written by Dr. N. Patnaik, the then Director and Shri P.S. Das Patnaik, Deputy Director of the Institute. For this volume Shri H.S. Mishra, Research Officer has prepared the write-up for the Kutia Kandha which was included in this Second (Revised and Enlarged) Edition. Besides, two new Chapters one on Dongria Kandha Youth Dormitory prepared by Prof. P.K. Nayak, former Director, SCSTRTI, Shri B.B. Mohanty, Deputy Director, SCSTRTI and Smt. T. Patnaik, Research Officer, SCSTRTI and the other Chapter on Labour Co-operatives prepared by Prof. P.K. Nayak, former Director, SCSTRTI and Shri T. Sahoo, Research Officer, SCSTRTI published in the Journal Adivasi have been included in the Dongria Kandha section.