Orissan Tribal Uplands

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Tribal Tour

(Note: There are two pages of photographs so check out page two or even better use the slide-show tool)

From Puri we embarked on a six day Tribal Tour booked through the excellent Adventure Odyssey (thanks to Chinya, Deepak and Jaisan!!) and had a fantastic insight into the adivasi cultures of West and South Orissa where over seventy indigenous peoples are recognised - each with different language, clothing, living arrangements and customs.

The highlight of the trip was Day Three when we met the Bonda tribe on their way to market. The Bonda today number just 5000 and their way of life is dying out. With their amazing body jewellery and clothing (see photos) they present a picture more akin to that of an African tribe from Ethiopia or Kenya. We bargained for some of the wares that they were selling on their way to the local market. The tribes carry baskets of beads, colourful cloth and vegetables up to 15km and more to the market and are glad to lighten the load along the road before they reach the market so this is the best way to make a good deal. At the market itself I even bought a longbow with iron arrows as used by the local hunters in the recent past but as they now generally hunt using rifles I felt it was okay to make this particular purchase. Let's see waht the Customs in Calcutta Airport say!

Our local guide was especially useful in negotiating and his conversations with these amazing peoples gave us an opportunity for some up-close photography. These are my favourite pictures from any of our travels in India or Nepal. When I look at them they bring back to me what a special place the hills of Orissa are.

As I said we encountered many different tribal groups (the few Bonda, Dongria, Mali and more) at the markets but at Bissam Kuttack we also had great fun taking part in the Hindu festival of Holi with its colourful madness. At the end of the colour fest we were in a bit of a state but we survived (as did the pristine white Ambassador car which took us on the 1400km round trip). The food in the local eateries that Chinya and Deepak took us to was excellent and the local people very friendly. We were sad indeed to leave the Orissan hills, with their ochre earth colours, autumnal reds and oranges and their crashing waterfalls.

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Photos

Mother and Child
Bonda Tribe

Photo 5
Drinking palm wine a.m.

Photo 8
Tamarind drying on street.

Photo 9
Fear

Photo 10
Holi

Photo 16
Bonda

Comments

[Kataline]

Wow What an adventure...
Excellent photography, amazing pictures... now I feel sorry that I haven't visited the hills of Orissa whilst there... Maybe next time. You have a great blog! Thanks for sharing Kat