Betta Kuruba

Betta means hill and Kuruba is the caste in Kannada. Betta Kurubas means kurubas of the hills. They live in the high reaches of western ghats of south India. They are classified under the Scheduled Tribes of India.Ethnically Jenu Kurubas and Betta Kurubas are the same. But their professions over centuries, unnoticed has brought in rift, after their contact with the civilized world.

Lifestyle

Betta Kurubas produce household items like baskets and sieves from the bamboo and other forest produce. Betta Kurubas had better contacts because bamboo goods could be woven in and out of season and could be sold throughout the year. They are also elephant trainers. They live in settlements called Hadis.

Subdivisions

Ane (Elephant) Kuruba, Bevina (neem tree) Kuruba, and Kolli (fire-brand) KurubaThey speak the Betta Kurumba language, which is grouped as Dravidian (Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil).

External links

* [http://www.ethnologue.com/14/show_language.asp?code=QKB/ Ethnologue]
* [http://www.southasianmedia.net/profile/india/history_india_languages.cfm/ Language]