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Kurumbas are seen only in the Attappady Block area of Palakkad district. They speak a language which is basically related to Kannada with slight variations. They also use Malayalam and Tamil. The clan system is of very high order among Kurumbas. The land area possessed by Kurumba habitats are in the name of the habitats [Oorubhoomi].
The Kurumbas were shifting cultivators and food gatherers. They use to cultivate seeds like redgram, Ragi & Vegetables etc. during rainy season. Chama, Ravi, edible roots, fruits & vegetables, tubers of various creepers meat etc. are their normal foods. |
Their staple food is ragi. However, now-a-days they use rice also as their staple food. They use to take meals 3 times daily. Liquor consumption is a menace among them |
Kurumba men wear a loin cloth round their waste. Their women wear a chela round their
waste. A portion of the Chela cover their torso and breasts as well. Young Kurumba women wear rings, chains, ear ornaments etc. made of brass, tin. aluminium, plastic and glass.
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Kurumbas build their traditional houses with bamboo, mud and wildgrass. The traditional houses of kurumbas are linear structures with compartments so that each compartment can be occupied by a marital family. Usually two to three such families are seen in such compartmental houses. They use to set up temporary sheds/huts in the middle of their agriculture plots for guarding their agriculture crops. After harvest they destroy these huts.
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They make carrying vessels and baskets using bamboo, reed, rattan etc. Now- a-days they use aluminium vessels for cooking along with pottery. Their main sources of drinking water are streams and springs
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| Kurumbas have a long tradition in establishing and maintaining a politically acephalous society in which the Ooru[hamlet] is an ultimate socio-political unit. The head of the ooru is oorumoopan. The Oorumoopan represents the Ooru and he interacts with Government Officials and settle inter-hamlet disputes, assisted by other social functionaries like " Bhandari, Kuruthalai and mannookaran'. The bhandari serves as a treasurer to social functions and the mannokaran is a traditional agriculture expert.
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| Kurumbas worship both their traditional Gods and the hindu deities. They are famous for which craft and magical performances like odivakkal, mayivakkal etc. Kurumbas are famous for their traditional healing practices with herbal therapies. They bury the dead bodies on the third day of death.
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The clan system is still in existence in the Kurumba society. The society is divided into eight clans and various social functionaries are from different clans. They have matrilineal inheritance. The families are nuclear. Bride price and pre-marital counting are allowed. They observe pollution at the time of childbirth, death and menstual periods of women. Kurumbas have marriage relationships with the Mudugars,a major tribal community found in the lower valleys of Attapady hills.
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