Their major occupations are cultivation, forest collection, wage earning. The Bhumij live alongside other tribal groups in multi-ethnic villages. The attire of Bhumij is influenced by their Hindu neighbours. Men wear a dhoti with an upper cloth gamuchha on one shoulder.
A shirt may be used to cover the upper body when leaving the village. The women wear a saree and a blouse called jacket. Traditionally these have been made of coarse cotton, white with red or blue lines. In appearance the cloth was similar to that of the neighbours the Oraon but with a less prominent use of red in the form of thinner borders. Nose rings, bead necklaces, armlets and bangles are purchased by the women from local markets. Many of these are made from precious metals, particularly silver.
A distinct socio-religious belief system however governs this community. Internally, the Bhumij is divided into 15 totemic clans like Horse, Lotus, Snake and Earth.
For the Bhumij these totems representing flora, fauna and celestial bodies connect them to the natural world inhabited by Ghosts, Spirits and invisible Gods with the Sun. Singbunga is the supreme deity and each clan observes several taboos related to their totem and maintain marital contact across State boundaries.
Post a Comment