AN ETHNOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION INTO THE KOYA TRIBE AND THE GATTU-GOTRA SYSTEM

The Koya tribe, one of the most prominent tribal communities of South India, represents a distinct cultural group inhabiting the hilly and forested regions of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh. Rooted in the Dravidian tribal fold and closely associated with the Gonds, the Koyas have nevertheless developed their own unique identity through kinship systems, rituals, and socio-cultural practices. Central to their cultural organization is the Gattu–Gotra system, an elaborate kinship and marital regulation framework that combines lineage-based descent groups (Gotra) with numerical clan divisions (Gattu). This dual system regulates exogamy, prescribes ritual duties, and ensures the continuity of cultural identity. The present study traces the historical origins of the Koyas, their myths of creation, migration patterns, and encounters with colonial power, before situating the Gattu–Gotra system as their moral constitution. The ethnography demonstrates how surnames, marriage rules, and ritual duties are preserved through this system, which not only prevents inbreeding but also organizes socio-religious life. Despite the challenges posed by modernization, urbanization, and inter-caste interactions, the system remains a strong cultural identifier in rural Koya settlements. This article argues that the Gattu–Gotra system represents a unique indigenous model of kinship law and cultural resilience, and preserving it provides insights into the anthropological and historical richness of Indian tribal societies. Keywords: Koya Tribe; Gattu–Gotra System; Kinship; Marriage Rules; Clan Exogamy; Tribal Identity; Telangana Tribes; Cultural Resilience