The descendants of peoples who lived on the Indian subcontinent long before the arrival of Indo-Europeans, who now dominate the population, number over 50 million and are concentrated in the central, eastern and northeastern parts of modern India. Known to others as adivasi (original peoples), they refer to themselves by hundreds of tribal names in a wide variety of languages. Thousands of years of relations with larger groups have made the boundaries of tribal groups difficult to define, but from the hills, forests and deserts where they live, the creative traditions of tribal peoples have inspired all of Indian society.

© Photo : Walter Huber