HISTORICIZING THE CONCEPT OF TRIBE WITH REFERENCE TO KORAGAS

Abstract

India has one of the largest tribal concentrations in the world. In India they have been alienated not only from the development processes, but even from their own dwellings. As mainstream development processes tended to create social spaces of inequality, tribal communities face marginalisation virtually in every sphere of social life over decades. Tribals are the marginalized population everywhere in the world, among them Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) are the most backward because of their geographic isolation, distinctive culture, primitive traits, and shyness of contact with the community at large, economic backwardness coupled with discrimination and exploitation by the outsiders. They are deprived of basic needs of their life and suffering a lot due to social exclusion and discrimination. Koragas of Kasaragod, one among the five PVTG in Kerala, the most subjugated are on the verge of extinction and bear the outcome of social evils and deprivation from time immemorial.Considering the immense odds against the tribes, the present paper discuss how Koragas, an old primitive tribal group has been marginalized and thrown in to the lowest bottom of the social ladder. It tries to high light the socio- economic conditions of Koragas.