Short info on Santal tribe as a part of assignment.

1. Santal Tribe
Name : Nirudha
Yadav

2. Santal Tribe
Location: Mayurbhanj,Balasore,Keonjhar (major) Odhisa, West Bengal, Bihar and Assam
Language: Santali.
Major Occupation: Agriculture, Industrial labor, Mining.
Settlement and Housing: Large, neat and clean houses with spacious rooms with attractive
multi colored painting. Walls are made of wood plastered with cow dung and mud. There is
sacred place known as Bhitar where ancestral spirits are worshipped.
Food and Drinks: Rice is the staple food. Rice beer (handia) is a very popular drink among
them. They eat all vegetables and crab ,fish, chicken and mutton as non veg.
Weekly market: Haat is their weekly market where they buy their neccessities by bartening
or selling their surplus agricultural and forest products. Also they meet with their friends and
relatives from different villages.
Social Life: Their family is patriarchal in nature. Father is the head of the family. Relationships
classified into 2 groups bandhupela (affinal kins) and kutumpela (consanguineal kins).

3. • Marriage and divorce: Marriage within same blood and cross cousins are prohibited. There is
no restriction of age. Marriages such as by negotiation, by mutual consent, by elopement, widow
remarriage, son-in-law in house are prevalent. Divorce is granted at wish of either husband or
wife.
• Religious Beliefs and Practices: Santals are polytheists. Important village deity is the Manjhi
Haram boonga (founder headman of the village).The santals believe in witchcraft and black
magic. Naike is the religious headman and priest of the village.
• Fairs and festivals: Most important festivals are Erok-sim, Harihar-sim, Iri-Guldi-sim, Janthar
Saharai, Magha-sim and Baha which are associated with agricultural events.
• Art, Crafts Music and dance: They have inherent talents in art and crafts which can be seen in
beautiful wall paintings, architecture and wood works. Dances such as Kalasi, Rinja,
Baha,Jachur are performed during different festive occasions. Musical instruments include
dhol, tamak, singa, sarangi.
• Change and Development: The opening of residential schools and scholarships provided them
with ample opportunity to educate their children. Traditional leaders are replaced by elected
people’s representatives.. Use of modern medicines, mill made clothes cosmetics are used.
Santal has its own script(ol chiki) which has been scheduled in the Indian constituition.

4. Santal house Wall painting
Baha festival
Dance and music