T.SUBRAMANYAM NAIDU'S ETHNIC FILM ON MARIA GOND- A JEOPARADIZED TRIBE: STRUGGLING FOR SURVIVAL,
1. Name and Synonym
Madia Gond is a sub-tribe of Gond. Again there are subdivisions of Madia Gond. which are called as Maria Gond in Madhya Pradesh and Madia Gond in Maharashtra. Based on the geographical locations the Madia gond called in two names such as Chota Madia and Bada Madia. Those who live inside the dense forest and hilltops they call them selves as Bada Madia, while those who live in the plains, are called as Chota Madia.
2. Demography and Population Distribution
From the district Gazetteer of Chandrapur (1973), it seems the Gond of the Chandrapur district made their rise as a political power after the fall of two mighty Kingdoms Yadavas of Devagiri and Kakatiyas of Warangal. Wardha is considered the original seat of the Gond King, which is situated on the southern bank of the Wainganga river. From Wardha it shifted to present
3. Physical Features
They are Dravidians with black skin, round nose, and black hair.
Gondi, is the tribal language of Gond. There are a few differences among the sub- tribes of Gond. Gondi has no indigenous literature in written form.
4. Settlement Pattern
A village comprises of fifteen to twenty houses. Their traditional houses are mostly huts constructed with bamboo roof things and thatched over the roof by grass or paddy straws. The huts are constructed in a pyramid shape, having four sides. They totally depend on the forest collections for their house construction like bamboos, wild grass, paddy straw, and roots as rope to tie, etc. The wall is constructed with bamboo mesh, in center and plastered with mud and cow dung.
5. Dress and Ornaments
Their dress is scanty, consisting of a compromise between a langoti (a loincloth) and a dhoti, a strip of cloth wound tightly round the waist in rope-like folds and passed between the legs with the spare end hanging down in front below the knees. Often this garment diminishes to the scantiest rag. Maria women wear a lugada of strong cloth usually white with a coloured strip in the border.
Patrilocal residence is the norm among them. After marriage, usually a woman moves to the settlement of her husband and the couple establishes a separate household in that settlement. Under the changing circumstances of survival conditions, it is reported that the residence after marriage is determined mainly by availability of lands and other resources.
7. Lifecycle Rituals
Usually the first delivery (Janavav) takes place in the women’s parental homes. The umbilical cord will be cut with the help of a bamboo leaf or blade by the traditional mid-wife. On the 5th day Chatti is performed both mother and the child is given bath in hot water. Naming ceremony is performed on the Chatti day.
8. Forms of Marriage
The Abuj Maria follows the following forms of marriage (T.S. Naidu: 2013):
• Marriage by Arrangement (Tulkochana)
• Marriage by Love (Chalobihavo)
• Marriage by Elopement (Awitana)
• Marriage by voluntary (Parsemundav)
• Marriage by intrusion (Haiwark wat)
• Widow or a divorcee marriage (Tika tasana)
• Traditional marriage (Ostasana marmi)
If any woman becomes pregnant prior to her marriage the family members and the clansmen members discusses this issue in the village tribal panchayat.
9. Ghotul
The most important social institution among the Madia Gond is Gotul. The youth dormitory system or Ghotul is deeply rooted in Madia Gond culture. Traditionally the Madia have a Ghotul in every village where unmarried boys and girls assemble in the evening and play, mix, dance and learn folk stories.
10. Economy
Agriculture is the main occupation and source of livelihood for Madia Gond. They grow rice or paddy, maize, black gram and Kosari. Some of them are still practicing shifting cultivation or slash and burn cultivation by clearing a patch of land in the interior of the forest.
12. Religious Practices
The main deity is Danteswari devi. Their community deity is Talulswari Devi (mother earth) considered as nature god and supreme of all gods. Apart from their traditional gods they also worships Shiva, Parvathi and Krishna. Every clan has their own deities they are called Pen or Pat Deo. They believe in nature, and they worship the sun god, moon god, and the rain god.
13. Folk Culture
One of the beautiful aspects, which have been a part of the tribes, is their love for music and dance. This also displays the deep-rooted cultural strength of the tribes. Music, which displays different tunes taking the tune of folk, classic and modern, dance has its features too. Apart from their own songs and dances they adopted neighboring tribal songs and dances. Some of the forms of tribal dance are Panthi, Pandwani, Rawat Nacha, Soowa Nacha and Karma.
