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Mango Harvest Celebration: Women of the Lanjia Saora tribe in Rayagada district, Odisha, celebrate the mango harvest with traditional dance. This highlights the tribe’s cultural connection to their environment and agricultural practices.
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Unique Cultural Identity: The Lanjia Saora are a distinct subgroup of the Saora tribe, known for their isolation and rich cultural traditions, differentiating them from other Saora groups.
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Geographic Location: They reside in the forested hills of Gajapati and Rayagada districts in Odisha.This shows their adaptation to a specific environment.
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Language: They speak Saora, a Mundari language of the Austroasiatic family,preserving their linguistic heritage.
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Vibrant Dance Performances: Lanjia Saora dances feature spontaneous songs and traditional instruments like brass pipes, cymbals, and gongs, representing a key element of their cultural expression.
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Distinct Attire: Men wear turbans with crane feathers, while both men and women carry umbrellas, swords, and peacock plumes during dances, which are unique elements of their traditional clothing and symbolic items.
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Saora Tribe History: The Saora are an ancient tribe of Odisha, mentioned in ancient texts, indicating their historical significance.
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Cultural practices: The Saora Tribe’s unique cultural identity includes ritual art, traditional tattoos (Tantangbo).
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Economic Diversity: The Saora tribe has distinct economic groups, with the Lanjia Saora practicing shifting and terraced farming in the hills and Sudha Saora doing wet cultivation in the plains.This highlights their adaptation to different geographical areas and economic activities.