Mankidia Tribe:
The Mankidia community became the 6th particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) PVTG to get habitat rights over forests in Odisha.
- The Mankidia community is an Austro-Asiatic community that ekes out a living mainly from the forests.
- They constitute a semi-nomadic section of the Birhor tribe.
- They have been identified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Odisha.
- They are primarily a food gathering and huntingThey are one of the most little-known forest dwelling and wandering communities of the state as well as the country.
- They wander inside forests in small bands and stay at different tandas — the temporary makeshift settlements comprising of temporary dome-shaped leaf huts known as Kumbhas.
- They speak a form of Munda language and some of them are also conversant in Odia.
- They believe in both malevolent and benevolent spirits and Gods. Logobir and Budhimai are their supreme deities.
- The worship their ancestors for the purpose of enjoying health and achieving success in hunting and collecting forest produce.
- They are mainly found in Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
