BHUBANESWAR: The ST and SC Development department will organise a virtual tour of dance and songs of Koya tribals, through the State Tribal Museum on Sunday.
Director of SCSTRTI Prof AB Ota said that people can take the tour by visiting the museum’s Facebook and Twitter pages - @stscdev and @scstrti respectively.
Dance and music are central to the celebrations of Koya festivals. The sacred seed festival of Bijapadu is celebrated in the month of Chaitra.
The festival honours the village Goddess Gudimata and appeals to her for a bountiful harvest. During this festival, it is the Koya women who sing, dance and play drums to welcome the men from a ritual hunting expedition.
The bison horn attire of the Koya has a close similarity with that of the Marias of Bastar and is believed to have similar significance.
The men often engage in mock fights that mimic the bison during the dance. It is through these festivals and dances the community reinforces its connection with nature and maintains harmony and respect for the environment.