Manish Patil
Independent Researcher
Maharashtra, India
Abstract
This study explores the rich tapestry of tribal cosmological representation in pre-independence Odia folklore, examining how foundational worldviews of Adivasi communities—primarily the Saora, Kandha, and Munda—were encoded in oral narratives, ritual songs, and early printed ballads from the late nineteenth century through 1947. Grounded in a multidisciplinary approach that integrates archival ethnographies, missionary reports, and field-recorded oral performances, the research illuminates how cosmogenic myths, ancestor-spirit mediations, and elemental deity worship functioned as didactic tools for ecological stewardship, social cohesion, and identity affirmation under colonial pressures. Through thematic content analysis of 104 distinct narratives and performer interviews with 24 recognized custodians of tribal lore, three interlocking motifs emerge: (1) the cosmic egg and primordial bird myth, which articulates creation and regeneration cycles; (2) the role of patas or ancestral intermediaries in negotiating human–nature relations; and (3) performative rituals that embodied earth–sky dualism through mural art and jogi song enactments. Findings reveal that these motifs persisted with remarkable stability across archival and contemporary records, yet also incorporated localized references—from monsoon patterns to colonial railways—that attest to the dynamism of oral tradition. The study concludes by advocating for the preservation of these narratives in digital and educational repositories, emphasizing their enduring relevance for Adivasi cultural revitalization and for enriching pluralistic understandings of India’s intangible heritage.
Keywords
Tribal Cosmology, Odia Folklore, Pre-Independence, Adivasi, Narrative Symbolism
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