Ethnography of Gadaba Tribe in Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

Gadaba is one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of Andhra Pradesh and its population is mainly concentrated in the Scheduled and Non-Scheduled areas of Visakhapatnam (41.95%), Vizianagaram (54.6%), and Srikakulam districts (2.92%). The Gadabas in Andhra Pradesh at present speak corrupt form of Oriya, along with their own language Gadaba. The younger generation among them now speak the regional language Telugu also due to their culture contact with the neighbouring caste communities. The ancestors of the present Gadabas were the palanquine bearers. The housing traditional structure/pattern is unique, as it is a small hut or thatched (Purillu). Majority of the Gadabas have pucca houses having being benefited from the housing scheme of government. The traditional dress of Gadaba is very simple; the men wear loin cloth (Gochi) to cover their lower part and leave the upper part bare, whereas women cover their entire body with sari without a blouse. The Gadaba women are not fond of gold ornaments, but they wear the ornaments made of silver and currency coins. Decorating the body with tattoo is a common habit among the Gadabas. Every woman invariably has a vertical line in the middle of the forehead, which represents a symbolic identification. Gadabas are non-vegetarians. Their staple food is Ambali (gruel), prepared with Jowar or Ragi flour. Both men and women smoke cigars and take alcoholic beverages. They observe the rituals like birth, naming ceremony, tonsure, puberty, marriage and death. They strictly observe the birth and death pollutions. Gadabas follow the rule of endogamy at tribe and sub-tribe levels and exogamy at clan and lineage levels. Both levirate and sororate are acceptable and widow marriage is permissible. The forms of marriage found among them are marriage by negotiation, elopement, capture, mutual love and service. The practice of voli (bride price) still persists among them. however, dowry system is also found. Their economy is agro-forest based and still largely considered as subsistence economy. They mostly subsist on land, livestock and forest resources. More than 60 percent of the Gadaba population stands at below poverty line. The Gadabas believe in witchcraft, sorcery and the evil eye. Ancestor worship is common among Gadabas. They worship both the benevolent and malevolent spirits and offer sacrificial animal blood in order to appease the malevolent spirit. The Gadabas still have faith in their own tribal medicine. The traditional political system still persists among Gadabas. At tribe level they have their own traditional head or council, which settles the disputes amicably whenever necessity arises. The traditional head position is hereditary.