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Mythologies of the Paliyan Tribe

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The  Paliyan , or  Pulliyar ,  Palaiyar  or  Pazhaiyarare , are a group of around 9,500 formerly nomadic  Dravidian  tribals living in the  South Western Ghats montane rain forests  in  South India , especially in  Tamil Nadu  and  Kerala . They are traditional  nomadic   hunter-gatherers , honey hunters and foragers.  Yams  are their major food source. In the early part of the 20th century the Paliyans dressed scantily and lived in rock crevices and caves. Most have now transformed into traders of forest products, food cultivators and beekeepers. Some work intermittently as wage laborers, mostly on plantations. They are a  Scheduled Tribe . They speak a Dravidian language,  Paliyan , closely related to  Tamil . "Thurston, (1909) quoting from the writing of Rev. F. Dahman. (1908) describes Palians as nomadic tribe, who for the most part rove in small parties through the jungle clad g...
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Mythologies of the Phôngsaly Tribes

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Phongsali is home to a number of curious hill tribes that live in secluded rustic villages, tucked away amongst the hills. Just within this one province are numerous different tribes - the Hmong, Akha Epia, Black Thai, Lan Tan, Akha Ikor, Por Sang, Akha Loma are just a few within the region. They adopt unique traditions with the women wearing specific tribal-wear with colorful garments, flamboyant embroidery and applique, jewellery and silver ornaments and distinctive head-dresses. The tribes are not accustomed to seeing visitors and foreigners are often greeted with an intriguing stare. Visiting these hill tribes provide an extraordinary insight into Laos’ simple way of life that is seen by very few outsiders. The provincial capital city is perched on a small ridgetop plateau, over 4,500 feet high. Above, the peak of Phou Fa rises and the town boasts panoramic views of the countryside below. Wandering through the town will lead visitors to the Old Quarter, a medieval-looking part...
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Mythologies of the Kaitag Tribe

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Kaitags  ( Kaitag : хайдакьан,  Kumyk :  хайдакълар ,  Tabassaran :  хайдакьланти ,  Lezgian :  къайтагъар ) are an ethnic group of the  Dargins ,  but sometimes considered as a separate people.  Their number are estimated to be over 25,000.  They live mainly on the territory of the  Kaytagsky district  of  Dagestan , partly on the plain and in cities ( Makhachkala ,  Derbent ,  Izberbash , etc.). Part of the Kaitag people were resettled in  Chechnya  in 1944,  from where they later moved to the north of Dagestan. They speak the  Kaitag language  of the  Dargin branch  of the  Northeast Caucasian family , but the  Dargin literary language  and  Russian  are also common. They are mostly  Sunni Muslims .  The Kaitag people themselves did not preserve ancient legends about the origin of themselves. In pre-revolutionary and Soviet literature, ...
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