Arandan/ Ernadan

Tribals in Kerala (Adivasis of Kerala) are the indigenous population found in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Most of the tribal people of Kerala live in the forests and mountains of Western Ghats, bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

According to the 2001 census of India, the Scheduled Tribe population in Kerala is 3,64,189 (lunas - 180,169 and felunas - 184,020). Wayanad has the highest number of tribals (1,36,062). Idukki (50973) and Palakkad (39665) districts are the next two that make the lion portion of the native tribal people groups in the state. The Paniya (Paniyar) are the largest of the 35 major tribes.

Adivasis of Kerala

Tribal people groups who are food-gatherers (without any habit of agricultural practice), with diminishing population and very low or little literacy rates can be called as Primitive Tribes. Cholanaikkans, Kurumbas, Kattunaikans, Kadars and Koragas are the five primitive tribal groups in Kerala. They constitute nearly 5% of the total tribal population in the State. Cholanaikkans can be said as the most primitive of them and found only in the Malappuram District. Only a handful of families are living in the Mancheri hills of Nilambur forest division. Kattunaikans, another lower-hill community related to Cholanaikkans, are mainly seen in Wayanad district and some in Malappuram and Kozhikode districts. Kadar population is found in Trisur and Palakkad districts. Kurumbas are living in the Attappady Block of Palakkad district. The Koraga habitat is in the plain areas of Kasaragod district.

Tribals in Kerala are living on the hill ranges, mainly on the Western Ghat, bordering Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. As a natural border, the mountain has branches in Kerala as well as in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The tribals on the Kerala hills are only listed here.

Adiyan
Alar
Arandan/ Ernadan
Cholanaikkan
Eravallan .
Malappulayan
Irulan
Kadar
Kammara
Kanikkar
Kattunayakan
Kochu Velan
Kondakapus
Kondareddis
Koraga, Koragar
Kota
Kudiya, Melakudi
Kurichchan
Kurumans
Kurumbas, Kurambar
Maha Malasar
Malai Arayan
Malai Pandaram
Malai Vedan
Malakkuravan
Malasar
Malayan
Mannan
Marati
Muthan
Mudugar
Muduvan, Muthuvan
Paliyan, (Palleyan), (Palliyar), Paanan
Paniyan, Parayan
Ulladan
Ural

A Paniya Lady

The Paniyas
A vast majority of tribes in Kerala state hail from the Paniya tribal sect. Paniyas inhabit in the regions of Wayanad and the neighboring parts of Kannur and Malappuram.Monogamy appears to be the general rule among the Paniyas. In marriage bride price is practiced like many other tribal communities. Widow remarriage is allowed. They do not practice pre-puberty marriage.They have only a crude idea of religion. Their major deity, is called 'Kali'. They also worship Banyan tree. They hesitate to cut such trees and if anyone attempts to cut such trees, they fall sick.

Tribes in Wayanad

One of the important characteristic feature of Wayanad district is the large adivasi population. Wayanad is considered as the tribal area around 36% of population sharing Adivasis,

The major tribal groups in Wayanad are

Adiyas, Kattunayakans, Kurichiyans, Mudugan, Paniyas, Paliyan, Uraali Kurumas

Some of them are live on the dense forests of Waynad & few live in the nearby places of these forests. Their language is a mixture of all Dravidian languages Many of them are not educated

Adiyas known as Ravulayar is the slave sects in Wayanad. Kurichiyans are an agricultural tribal community and are now educationally and economically better compared to the traditional Kurichians. Kattunayakans known as Ten Kurumar are the kings of jungle region & also worship Hindu deities Uraali kurumas known as Bet Kurumas is one of the rarest artisan tribes in Waynnad.They are most colorful tribal people found in Wanda. Pandas who were the bond laborers once, were sold by the landlords They have all the physical features of a hill tribe. They worship the deity called Kali & also the banyan trees. Mutagen who live in the deep forests of Wayland are mostly educated. They normally do agriculture ,breeding bees for honey. Playing who are advise Dravidian people have now become the traders of forest products.

Now a days, government has implemented new policies & programmes for the development of these tribes.