BONDA Tribes - Tribal Of Odisha
In the wild and remote mountainous country located towards the south-western tip of the Malkanigiri highlands lives a unique tribal community called- “Bonda”. The tribesmen identify themselves as “Remo” (man). Bonda speak a language of their own that belongs to the Austro- Asiatic (South Mundari) language group. Bonda men are brave and bold. They derive their identity from their arms, such as bow, arrows, long knife which they always carry and sago palm-wine which is their most favorite drink. The Bonda women with their clean-shaven head decorated with head bands of Palmyra strips and plaited fillets of caryota fibber. Mass of colorbred beads and shell strings, brass neck rings and necklaces hanging down even below the navel and the brass bangles covering the whole of the lower arms are the typical ornamentation of the Bonda Women. A short and narrow strip of striped loin-cloth woven at home by a double-bar tensioned loom covering only the private parts comprises the woman’s wear.
