Kawar

The Kawar, a little known community migrated from their original habitat of Chainpur of Ranchi District. They are endogamous and are divided into seven subgroups i.e. Dudh, Rathia, Cherwa, Kolhia, Tanwar, Chanti / Chati and are further subdivided into totemic exogamous clans such as Siar (Fox) and Bagh (Tiger) etc. Monogamy is predominant. Kawar family is nuclear, patrilocal and patrilineal. They practise marriage through negotiation (Sandhi), courtship (Dhukudhusu), by service (Khusakhusi/Ghar damad). Junior levirate, sororate, remarriage of widows and widowers (Churi pehanana) are permissible. Inheritance of paternal property follows the rule of primogeniture in male line only. They observe birth rituals such as Pirnahan puja, Chatti and Mundane. The dead are cremated and rites associated with it like Tihi, Bahi are observed. Death pollution is continues for twelve days. Their traditional occupation is cultivation and military service. They are now settled cultivators and some of them depend on wage earning and service.
Besides, they supplement their economy by animal husbandry, forest collection, petty business, hunting and fishing. Their supreme deity is Thakur Deo /Dullah Deo. They worship sun god (Dharam Debta), a number of other deities and also some Hindu deities. Like other tribes of their region their villages have sacred grooves (demulu) situated at the village outskirts where deities namely Patulpahanria Budha (Ashada), Dharam Debta, Bhataparasi, Kalamal, Rakasin, Raksa, Baharan, Talaparia, Garjanpat, Rakatmauli and Matipaharia reside. The traditional community priest - Baiga performs rituals with the help of an assistant called palias offering sacrifice of goat, fowl and pig.