The Chenchu tribe, a Primitive Tribal Group (PTG) recognized in 1975, is an indigenous community residing in the Nallamalai Hills, which spread across the districts of Kurnool, Prakasham, and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. Known for their traditional lifestyle, the Chenchus have preserved their cultural heritage while adapting to modern developments. This article explores the demographics, social structure, cultural practices, and livelihood of the Chenchu tribe.
As per the 2011 Census, the Chenchu population is 47,315, with 23,847 males and 23,468 females. The overall literacy rate is 32.91%, with a male literacy rate of 37.77% and a female literacy rate of 27.98%. The Chenchus predominantly speak Telugu, their mother tongue.
The Chenchu tribe is organized into various exogamous clans, which are prefixed to their names. Some common clans among the Chenchus include:
Chenchu families are predominantly nuclear, though a few joint families also exist. The society is patriarchal and patrilineal, with monogamy being the most common form of marriage. Polygyny is rare but practiced. Marriage practices include:
In the past, levirate (marrying one's elder brother's widow) was practiced but is now declining. The groom or his parents bear the marriage expenses, including the payment of a bride price. Divorce is socially acceptable for reasons such as sexual incompatibility, drunkenness, ill-treatment, infidelity, or childlessness.
The Chenchus primarily subsist on food gathering and hunting. They collect a variety of roots, tubers, wild fruits, and edible leaves. Non-vegetarian by diet, they abstain from eating beef. Their traditional houses are small conical or oblong huts with wattle walls and thatched roofs.
Some Chenchus engage in agriculture, supplemented by agricultural labor. They domesticate goats, sheep, buffaloes, cows, and plough bullocks.
Chenchus are skilled in honey collection from mountain cliffs and caves. They choose brothers-in-law, not own brothers, for this task due to the levirate marriage system. They also collect minor forest produce such as gum, tamarind, myrobalans, nux vomica, honey wax, mahua flowers, chironji, soap nuts, and broomsticks, selling them to the Girijan Cooperative Corporation.
Social control is maintained through a council of village elders headed by a "Peddamanishi." The position of Peddamanishi is usually hereditary, passed to the eldest son, but any sensible man can be chosen if deemed suitable. Traditional councils handle disputes and enforce social norms.
Chenchus worship various deities and spirits, both malevolent and benevolent, and celebrate Hindu festivals. Their religious pantheon includes:
To support the overall development of the Chenchu tribe, a separate Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) operates at Srisailam. This agency implements various schemes in agriculture, irrigation, education, health, nutrition, horticulture, drinking water supply, and road construction.
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