Tribal Life in Goa: An Intrinsic Part of Goan Lifestyle

A popular holiday destination known for its sandy beaches, azure Arabian Sea, salubrious climate and laid back ambience, Goa is a destination of a life time. The people living in Goa are extremely friendly, hospitable and welcoming. The population of Goa also includes the descendants of several ancient tribes. Notwithstanding the fact that the ethnic tribes in Goa form an intrinsic part of Goa, their importance is undermined in comparison to the popular tourism aspects.

 

When it comes to the tribal lifestyle, they firmly follow their ancient practices, customs and routines. It’s not that they are not aware of the modern development in their surroundings, they still preferred to stay connected to their roots. The four chief tribes of Goa include Gowdas, Kunbis, Velips and Dhangars. All these tribes live in segregated villages.

Gowda Tribe 

One of the major tribes in Goa, Gowda tribe inhabits the villages located in the deep interiors of Goa. However, there is no documented fact regarding the migration of Gowda tribal people in Goa. These tribes practice Hindu religion and worship lord Mallikarjun, a form of Lord Shiva. Though they follow Hindu religion firmly, they do not bury dead bodies as per Hindu religion. They are pretty strict in guarding their blood lines and customs. In Gowda tribes, cross-cousin marriages are allowed between paternal and maternal cousins. 

Women Gowda Tribe

In Gowda’s, many rights and powers have been attributed to the women such as working in the agricultural field and inheriting their husband’s property. 

Kunbis Tribe 

Women Kunbis Tribe

Touted as one of the original tribes in Goa, Kunbis Tribe reside in Salcete Taluka. Well known for their pleasant nature, the people of this tribe work hard to earn their livelihood. Initially these people used to follow Hindu religion but were later converted into by the Portuguese. Their folk dance and music is quite popular in Goa. 

Velpis Tribe 

Women Velpis Tribe

In terms of population, the number of Velpis tribes is quite low making it to a few thousands. They are also considered as the original inhabitants of Goa. The members of this tribe mostly reside in the interiors of the forest. Forest-fringed areas such as Canacona, Sanguem and Quepem are the regions where the dwellings of this tribe are found.

Dhangars 

Dhangar Couple Mopa Goa

Migrated from Gujarat, the members of Dhangar tribe are purely propelled and have settled in the northwestern parts of Goa. Members of this tribe are quite pious and religiously worship their god named ‘Bira Deva’. Their festivals are quite vibrant and colorful. Their folk dance is the highlight of these festivals which involves simple footwork on the slow beats of Cymbals and Dhol. The dress worn by these tribal people during the dance performance include turban and Kathiawari style white dress. 

Last to last year in September, these four tribes were included in the scheduled tribe list by the union ministry of tribal welfare. Currently, Goa is holding a five-day tribal art show to throw light on the various aspects of ancient Indian heritage. If you are looking forward to explore Goa's Tribal Life, the best thing is to go online and type 'Goa Trip or Goa Tour'. You'll find a list of tour packages that feature Goa's tribal life as a theme.

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