page_title: Munda people
section_title: Culture and tradition
hierarchical_section_title: Munda people / Culture and tradition
caption_attribution_description: Picture of aadiwasi dance.
context_page_description: The Munda people are an Austroasiatic speaking ethnic group of India. They predominantly speak the Mundari language as their native language, which belongs to the Munda subgroup of Austroasiatic languages. The Munda are found in the northern areas of east India concentrated in the states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal. The Munda also reside in adjacent areas of Chhattisgarh and Arunachal Pradesh as well as in portions of Bangladesh. They are one of India's largest scheduled tribes. Munda people in Tripura are also known as Mura, and in Madhya Pradesh they are often called Mudas.
context_section_description: Nomadic hunters in the India tribal belt, they became farmers who were employed in basketwork and weaving. With the listing of the Munda people as Scheduled Tribes, many are employed in various governmental organisations (particularly Indian Railways).
  Clans among Mundas are known as Killi which is similar to Sanskrit word Kula. Munda are patrilineal and clan name descends father to son. According to tradition, people of same clan are descendant of same forefather. Clan among Mundas are of totemic origin. Some clans are Baa (a fish), Baba (rice), Bodra, Balamchu (fish net), Barla, Bhengra, Bulung (salt), Dang, Dungdung (a fish), Gudia, Hans (swan), Hemrom (a tree), Herenz (a Specific Bird) Horo (turtle), Hundar (hyena), Jojo (tamrind), Kauwa (crow), Kerketta (a bird), Kula (tiger), Nil (bull), Mus (mouse), Nag (cobra), Pandu (cobra), sandil,candil,chandil, saandil(a tree), Purty, Runda (wild cat), Sanga (a type of root), Surin (a bird), Tiru (a bird), Tuti (a type of grain).
  Involved in agriculture, the Munda people celebrate the seasonal festivals of Mage Parab, Phagu, Karam (festival), Baha parab, Sarhul and Sohrai. Some seasonal festivals have coincided with religious festivals, but their original meaning remains.
  They have many folk songs, dances, tales and traditional musical instruments. Both sexes participate in dances at social events and festivals. The naqareh is a principal musical instrument. Munda refer to their dance and song as durang and Susun respectively. Some folk dances of munda are Jadur, Karam susun and Mage susun.
  Munda religion is a blend of Sarnaism and Hinduism. Although the Mundas have preserved much of their culture, they have absorbed a number of Hindu traditions. The supreme deity of Mundas is Singbonga, meaning the Sun god, who according to them, saves them from troubles.
  The Munda people have elaborate rituals to celebrate birth, death, engagement and marriage. The birth of a boy is celebrated as an earner for the family, and the birth of a girl is celebrated as a family caretaker. Lota-pani is the engagement ceremony. Dali Takka, a monetary gift to paternal guardians, is generally paid before the marriage. Marriage, considered one of the main rituals of life, is a week-long festivity.
  An ointment of scented oil and turmeric is applied to the face and body after death. Widow marriage is common. The Munda people are patrilineal, patrilocal and patriarchal.
  Munda people of Jharkhand also follow the old age tradition of Patthalgari i.e. stone erection in which the tribal community residing in the village buries a large inverted u shaped dressed headstone on the head side of grave or entrance of village in which is inscribed the family tree of the dead persons. There are some other types of patthalgari also:-
  Horadiri - It is the stone in which family tree is written.
  Chalpadiri or Saasandiri - It is the stone in remarking boundary of any village and its limits.
  Magodiri - This is the headstone of social criminal who committed polygamy or unsocial marriage.
  Ziddiri - This is the stone placed over burial of placenta and dried naval part of a newborn.
caption: Mundari dance
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