Koya (tribe)
File:Devotees of Pagidadda Raju God.jpg
{{Short description|Tribal community in central and southern India}}
{{About|people of central and southern India||Koya (disambiguation){{!}}Koya}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group =
| native_name = Koitur
| native_name_lang = koy
| image = Members of Koi community.jpg
| image_caption = Koya men
| pop = 779,854 (2011 Census)
| regions = {{flag|India}}
| region1 = Andhra Pradesh (incl. Telangana)
| pop1 = 590,739
| region2 = Odisha
| pop2 = 142,137
| region3 = Chhattisgarh
| pop3 = 46,978
| languages = Koya{{*}}Telugu{{*}}Odia{{*}}
| religions = Hinduism Christianity{{Cite web |title=C-01: Population by religious community (2011) |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/11387/download/14500/DDW21C-01%20MDDS.XLS |access-date=Sep 9, 2024 |website=Census India}}
| related_groups = Gonds, Dorla, Telugus, other Dravidian peoples
}}
Koya are an Indian tribal community found in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. Koyas call themselves Koitur in their dialect. The Koyas speak the Koya language, also known as Koya basha, which is a Dravidian language related to Gondi.{{cite web|title=Language and culture|url=http://www.aptribes.gov.in/html/tcr-culture.htm|access-date=12 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121021757/http://www.aptribes.gov.in/html/tcr-culture.htm|archive-date=21 January 2014|url-status=dead}}
Koyas are commonly referred to as Koi, Koyalu, Koyollu, Koya Doralu, Dorala Sattam, etc. Koya tribes can be further divided into Koya, Doli Koya, Gutta Koya or Gotti Koya, Kammara Koya, Musara Koya, Oddi Koya, Pattidi Koya, Rasha Koya, Lingadhari Koya (ordinary), Kottu Koya, Bhine Koya, Raja Koya, etc.{{cite web|title=THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA(SCHEDULED TRIBES)ORDER, 1950(C.O. 22)|url=http://lawmin.nic.in/ld/subord/rule9a.htm|access-date=11 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920212634/http://lawmin.nic.in/ld/subord/rule9a.htm|archive-date=20 September 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Portal of Tribal welfare Department, Govt of AP|url=http://www.aptribes.gov.in/html/tcr-studies-eci-koya.htm|access-date=12 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601235146/http://www.aptribes.gov.in/html/tcr-studies-eci-koya.htm|archive-date=1 June 2012|url-status=dead}}
Population and livelihood
The Koya population is concentrated in northeastern Telangana, northern Andhra Pradesh, far-southern Chhattisgarh and southwestern Odisha.{{cite web|title=State/Union Territory-wise list of Scheduled Tribes in India|url=http://tribal.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Documents/201306030201065184795StatewiseListofScheduledTribe.pdf}} In Telangana they live mainly in Khammam, Bhadradi Kothagudem and Warangal districts and are sparsely found in the old Adilabad and Karimnagar districts. In Andhra Pradesh the Koya mainly live in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, while in Odisha they live almost exclusively and are the dominant tribe in Malkangiri district in the far southwest of the state. in Chhattisgarh they live in the far-southern Bastar region, mainly in the districts of Sukma and Bijapur.{{cite web|title=Brief Ethnographic Profile of Tribes of Andhra Pradesh|url=http://www.aptribes.gov.in/bsethno.html|access-date=13 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222184050/http://aptribes.gov.in/bsethno.html|archive-date=22 February 2014|url-status=dead}} The Koya in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had a population of 590,739 according to the 2011 census. However, many became residents of Andhra Pradesh when their lands became part of Andhra Pradesh during the Polavaram project. There are another 147,137 Koya in Odisha, and approximately 46,978 Dorla (who are a mixed group in-between Gondi and Koya) in Chhattisgarh.{{cite web|title=THE SCHEDULED TRIBES Census of India 2001|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_st_andhra.pdf}}
- Populated agency mandals of Koyas
- Gundala mandal Kothagudem district
- Pakhala Kothaguda mandal
- Gangaram mandal Mahabubabad district
- Gudur mandal Mahabubabad district
- Tadvai mandal Mulugu district
- Mangapet mandal.
- Cherla mandal.
- Karakagudem mandal.
- Pinapaka mandal.
- Palimela Mandal.
- Kannaigudem mandal.
- Allapalli mandal.
- Manuguru mandal.
- Aswaraopeta mandal.
- Bhadrachalam mandal.
- Bhurghampahad mandal.
- Tekulapalli.
- Dummugudem.
According to Edgar Thurston, the Koya were formerly armed soldiers in the service of the various palegars in the region, and the time of his writing, practiced podu cultivation. Today the Koya are mainly settled cultivators and artisans, expertise in making bamboo furniture including mats for fencing, dust pans, and baskets. They grow Jowar, Ragi, Bajra and other millets. Tubers and roots such as Tella Chenna Gadda, Kirismatilu and edible green leaves such as Chencheli, Doggali, Gumuru, bacchalakura, gongura, pacchakura, pullakusiru, Thota kura, Boddukura are dietary staples as are curries made from some of these ingredients.
File:Village deity of the Koya Tribe.jpg
Koya practice marriage after maturity, and infant marriage is not practiced. The bride's maternal uncle has the deciding factor in the match, and cross-cousin marriages are permitted and common. Usually a wealthy groom will have no issues in finding a bride, but if they are poor enough, they can bribe the village headman to allow them to capture the bride. In the most simple Koya wedding ceremony, the bride bends her head and the groom leans over her, while water is poured on the husband's head by friends. Once the water has drained off the bride's head, they are said to be man and wife. They then drink milk, eat rice, and walk around a mound of earth organised under a pandal. They then get elders' blessings and go to their new home.{{Cite journal|date=September 1910|title=The Castes and Tribes of Southern India 1|journal=Nature|volume=84|issue=2134|pages=365–367|doi=10.1038/084365a0|bibcode=1910Natur..84..365.|issn=0028-0836|doi-access=free}}
Displacement
The tribal community faces the new threats of development and conflicts, posing serious questions on its existence and civilization. For instance, the displacement and migration of Gotti koyas tribals taking place in Andhra Pradesh. In the absence of land and access to a forest, the Koyas depend on wage labour in farm lands. The scarcity of these jobs lead to malnutrition of children and instances of anemia in women.{{cite news|title=Severe malnutrition among migrant Gotti Koya children|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/severe-malnutrition-among-migrant-gotti-koya-children/article3213079.ece|date=24 March 2012|work=The Hindu|accessdate=24 March 2012}} The Andhra Pradesh state government proposed Polavaram Project is posing a serious threat of displacement of 170,275 Koyas of the tribal population and more than 276 villages in the Khammam district of Bhadrachalam, Palwancha divisions.{{cite news|title=Tribal villages face threat of submersion|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2011/jun/14/70-more-villages-face-threat-of-submersion-262621.html#.UvsaQvmSzec|newspaper=The New Indian Express|date=16 May 2012|access-date=24 May 2019}}{{cite web|title=Stop Acquisition of Tribal Land for the Construction of Polavaram Dam, INDIA|url=http://acpp.org/uappeals/2009/09120409.htm|access-date=12 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305223642/http://acpp.org/uappeals/2009/09120409.htm|archive-date=5 March 2014|url-status=dead}}
Notable people
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commonscat|Koya people}}
- [http://www.aptribes.gov.in Andhra Pradesh Tribal Welfare Department] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326003538/https://aptribes.gov.in/ |date=26 March 2022 }}
- [http://tribal.nic.in/index.aspx Ministry of Tribal Affairs]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koya People}}
Category:Scheduled Tribes of Andhra Pradesh