Oraon, a tribe of the Proto-Australian origin. The Oraon people are short and black in complexion. Their noses are flat and their hair black and curled. In the subcontinent, they live mostly in Orissa, Chotonagpur, Rajmahal and the adjoining areas of Bihar. According to anthropologists, Oraons, mundas, Malpaharis and santals belong to the same group of aborigine people. From the point of view of language too, they belong to the same Austric family. Many specialists consider that the word Oraon is a distorted form of a totem in the ancient Kurukh language.

Historical Background:

There is no concrete evidence on how and since when Oraons have settled in the Bangladesh territory. At present, they live in rangpur, dinajpur, bogra and rajshahi districts. The census report of 1881 recorded that some Oraons lived in mymensingh, chittagong and noakhali districts. Population census conducted later did not treat the Oraons as a separate tribe and, therefore, it was difficult to ascertain their number. The 1991 census however, recorded their number in Bangladesh at about six thousand.

Social System:

Lifestyle: Oraon men and women wear simple dresses. Women wear coarse sari and men wear the dhuti and the lungi. Poor men wear the gamchha. Oraon women like to wear ornaments and use flowers in their make-up. A recognised social custom is to have tattoos on the body of both men and women. The better off and educated Oraons wear shirts, trousers and panjabi.

Rice is the staple food of Oraons. They take vegetables, fish, or meat with rice. They drink a homemade wine called pachai, which is generally made from rice. Mahua, another indigenous variety of homemade wine in Bangladesh, is rare in the Oraon habitats. Farming is the main occupation of Oraons. Men plough the land and women take part in other types of work. Women work harder than men. They sell fish and vegetables or fruits. Landless Oraon men and women work as coolie-kamin (land labourers).

Rituals: Like many other ethnic groups, Oraons worship nature. They however, believe that there is a creator of the universe, Dharmesh, who exists in the sun. Most of their religious ceremonies centre around the sun. Oraons believe in different gods having symbolic representation in villages, agricultural assets, forests, epidemics etc. They satisfy these gods through religious festivals similar to those of the Hindu community. For example, the Bhadu festival of Hindus and the Karam of Oraons are almost identical. This is a worship of trees performed symbolically with the kadam (anthocephalus chinensis) tree or its branches. In fact, bhadu and karam are the name of the same kadam tree in different languages. Religious festivals like the Hariari and Sarhul are associated with praying for the fertility of land and a good paddy harvest.

Oraons worship trees, flowers and fruits for increased crop production and protection of the tribe. Fertility of land and women is the same in their religious prayers. Their vows are closely associated with their lifestyle, the struggle for existence and the pleasures of life. Religious ceremonies and seasonal festivals reflect their way of living and their social needs. They also believe in the power of magic. All religious ceremonies and seasonal festivals of Oraons such as the Basundhara in the month of Baishakh, Bhadri in Bhadra, Jejuti in Agrahayan, Itu in Falgun and Sarhul in Chaitra reflect the tribe's link to agriculture.

Oraons burn the bodies of the dead. As a mark of respect to the deceased they offer flowers and leaves of sacred trees to the dead on the pyres. The Oraon people also express formal condolence.

Culture: Like other tribes, Oraons like to dance, sing and play musical instruments. Their dances and songs are deeply rooted in their social and cultural life. Jhumur songs of Oraons reflect their lifestyle and their religious philosophy. Dhumkuria is as important an aspect of their social life as the Dekachang is to garos, Akhra to Santals and Ghatul to Murias.

Social Structure: Oraons reside in dormitory type of houses that provide the young boys and girls an opportunity to mix with one another and to choose their partners in life. Marriage rituals in the Oraon community are similar to those of Santals and Mundas. Marriages are arranged by the guardians in the family, but the opinions of the brides and bridegrooms are also respected. Child marriage is not recognised. Divorce is allowed. Divorcees, as well as widows, can remarry. Both men and women can marry more than once but men are not allowed a second marriage unless they are widowed or are divorcees.

Oraons practise the age-old panchayet system in local administration. They did not get much modern education. Poverty is the main cause of their illiteracy. Added to this is their strong adherence to conservative norms and values. Christian missionaries tried to spread education among them. Many Oraons are now adopting christianity. At present, some non-government organisations work among them and implement programmes for their socio-economic development. [Ahmad Rafique]