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