Tribes of West Bengal have occupied a large section of the total population of West Bengal. West Bengal state is the abode of numerous tribes who reside in the rural parts of the state. Their culture, religion, costumes, tradition have enriched the culture and tradition of West Bengal. Most of the people of the tribal groups of West Bengal speak in Bengali with their own localized accent. They are, in general, confined to the rural belt of the state. However, a small portion of this population has now moved to the urban belt, in search for employment and a better lifestyle.

Various Tribes in West Bengal

Among the various tribal groups of West Bengal, most significant tribes are the Bhutia Tribe, Garo Tribe, Lohara Tribe, Mahli Tribe, Mru Tribe, Munda Tribe, Oraon Tribe, Paharia Tribe, Kora Tribe etc. These tribes comprises of less than one-tenth of the total population of the state. Most of the people of the tribal groups have adopted the religious culture of Bengal.

Bauls, Bhuyiya, Santhal, Oraon, Paharia, Munas, Lephcas, Bhutiyas, Chero, Khariya, Garo, Magh, Mahli, Mru, Munda, Lohara and Mal Pahariya are amongst the popular tribes in West Bengal.

some of the prominent tribes are discussed below:-

• Bhutia Tribe of West Bengal: Bhutia tribe is one of the prominent tribes residing in West Bengal. The Bhutia tribes generally speak in Sikkimese language. This language has got similarity with some of the foreign languages. Also Nepali language is widely spoken by quite a number of Bhutia tribes. Apart from these, these tribes also speak in Hindi, Bhutia, Lepcha, and English.
  
• The Bhutia tribes are mostly farmers, producing several vegetables and fruits. They are followers of tantric Buddhism. Festivals and fairs are an integral part enriching the culture and tradition of the whole of the Bhutia tribal society.Tribes of West Bengal.mongst Bhutia tribes of West Bengal, marriage is held and is held in high esteem. Usually intermarriage within their clans is prevalent. The Bhutia tribes also follow a very hierarchal structure of selecting both bride and groom. What is significant is to note that discrimination amongst clan is widespread and marriage outside the community of Bhutia tribes is not at all entertained.
• Mru Tribe of West Bengal: The Mru tribes are mostly found in various areas of the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal. The occupations of the Mru tribes are mainly agriculture. Festivals are an integral part of this Mru tribal society.They also practice 'jhoom (slash and burn)' cultivation. Both females and males take part in the cultivation. Apart from cultivation, these Mru males have the onus of building houses, going for hunting, basket weaving. Very recently, in order to meet the demands of the society, some of these Mru people took up other professions as well. These Mru people also engage themselves in making clothes, blankets, instruments and various household and cultural items.Mru tribal society is egalitarian without any prevalence of castes and only a handful of hereditary positions.Thus, this Mru tribe is one of those small numbers of native people who have maintained their own unique culture, rituals and beliefs. Thus, musical melodies, exotic dresses as well as the elongated, flower-decked hair kept back in topknots etc are the style marks of the cultural tradition of this tribe.
• Garo Tribe of West Bengal: Garo tribes are located mainly in Burdwan district, Meghalaya, Cooch Bihar, Jalpaiguri and Dinajpur districts of West Bengal. The main language spoken by these tribes is Garo, also known as ‘Garrow’.They are  found in Kamrup, Goalpara and Khasi hill regions of Assam, Mymensingh district of Bangladesh and in Jalpaiguri, Cooch-Behar districts of West Bengal. They practice both permanent and ‘shifting hill cultivation . Artificial irrigation and manuring are known to them. They mainly cultivate paddy (summer variety).They also participate in occasional hunting and fishing activities, especially in agricultural off-season.The Garo habitually dress themselves with traditional long attires, in winter season; an additional coloured, stripped cotton-jacket is worn on the top of them. Married daughters with their husbands may liThough mother is the person in supreme command in a Garo family, yet father is responsible for the subsistence of the family members.ve in mother’s family. Most of the families are matrilocal i.e. bridegroom comes to reside in the house of brides’ mother after marriage.Though mother is the person in supreme command in a Garo family, yet father is responsible for the subsistence of the family members.
• Lohara Tribe of West Bengal :The Lohara are a respected tribe who are prominent in the state of West Bengal.The word Lohara is derived from the word loha, meaning iron, as they were traditionally blacksmiths. They are involved in several types of work in which they earn a living. Some are shepherds; many breed cattle while others weave baskets. They have special tools for carving. The houses they live in are very artistic in design.The Lohara Tribe communicates in Sadri. They are also conversant with Hindi. They use the Devenagari scripts.Both males and females of Lohara tribes perform dance forms wearing their conventional attires. Singing songs in accompaniment of wonderful musical instruments add stupor to the whole of merrymaking.
• Oraon Tribe of West Bengal: Oraon tribes of West Bengal are one of the biggest tribes in the whole of south Asia.  These Oraon tribes converse with each other in Kurukh language, a popular language belonging to the Dravidian language family. Due to their amiable nature, these Oraon tribes live in close association with their adjoining tribes like Munda tribe. In fact the chief of the Oraon tribes is called as Munda. Oraon tribes abide by the village and clan exogamy. The patrilineal extended family is the supreme residential unit, and also nuclear families are also prevalent. Traditionally, Oraons are dependent on forest and farms for their livelihood. Few members of Oraon tribal group have immigrated to the north-eastern part of the country where they are employed in the various tea estates. The culture of Oraon tribe comprises a wide range of folk songs, traditional musical instruments, dances and tales. Both male and female members of the tribal group participate in dance forms that are performed at social festivals and other events.
• Munda Tribe of West Bengal: Munda tribes are one of the largest tribes of India.Munda Tribes are residents of West Bengal and apart from it they are populated in various corners of Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam and Odisha. Main languages spoken by these tribes include munda’or ‘Killi’, ‘Santali’ and ‘Mundari’.They believe that they are the descendants of ‘Sing Bonga’, the supreme God. These Munda tribes are pious and religious minded and mainly practice Hinduism.Occupation of Munda Tribe In earlier times the Munda tribes were wandering huntsmen and collectors. Very recently, these Munda tribes too take up the profession of shifting cultivation, thereby following the practice of most of the tribes of Indian subcontinent. Many of these people still depend on labour to earn a livelihood. Mage, Phagu, Karam, Sarhul and Sohrai are the few festivals celebrated among the Munda tribes. They perform ‘Nupur’ dance in their festivals and tribal occasions. The specialty of this dance is that the people wear an ornament called ‘Nupur’ which is an anklet and dance in a group.

Occupation and Lifestyle of Tribes in West Bengal

• The tribes of West Bengal are mostly farmers but many of them are engaged in some other occupations like carpentry, weaving, hunting, fishing etc. Rice is the staple food of the tribal people of Bengal and sometimes they include fish, meat, chicken and fowls in their diet. Some of the tribes are adept in art and craft and their created items give evidence to the exclusive tribal arts. Tribes of West Bengal are famous all over the world for its proficiency in art and crafts. Terracotta, earthenware, brass and copper ware, needle works, wall-hanging, hand looms, fine muslin and silk clothes, wood statues, cane works etc. are a couple of examples of handcrafts which have developed from the villages households of these tribes of West Bengal. Maximum of these craft products embellish the cottage industry of the state and have been spine of the economy of the rural provinces of the West Bengal state.