Remo (ISO-639-3 code: aim)

INTRODUCTION

The Remo, also known as Bondo, Bondo Poraja, Bhonda, or Bonda, is one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of India. The language is spoken by the Bonda community in southwestern Odisha. Approximately 30 Remo-speaking villages are distributed across four Gram Panchayats (GPs): (i) Mundulipada, (ii) Andrahal, (iii) Rasbeda, and (iv) Badadural, all located in the Khairput Block of Malkangiri District, Odisha, near the tri-junction of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh. According to the 2011 Census, the Bonda population was 12,231, comprising 5,669 males and 6,562 females. The Bonda community is broadly classified into two groups: Hill Bondas and Plain Bondas.

LANGUAGE

Remo language belongs to the Munda branch of the Austro-Asiatic language family. It is most closely related to the Gutob-Gadaba language. The Remo language is now an endangered tongue as more Bondos have shifted to Odia or Desiya Odia as their primary language of communication.

ETHNOLINGUISTIC PROFILE

The Bonda religious system represents a homogeneous blending of indigenous beliefs that resembles and follows Hinduism. Bondos retain belief in a supreme being (Mahaprabhu) who is identified with the sun, under whom is arranged a hierarchy of demigods. The siɳɖibor ‘an elevated stone platform’ is the sacred site to perform any rituals and the hunted animals are first brought to the siɳɖibor. Women are not allowed to sit on the siɳɖibor. Each village has a specific place near the foothills where they go and worship. They usually sacrifice a goat, hen, pig etc. The sisa ‘priest’ conducts the rituals whereas, disari ‘sorcerer’ usually conducts rituals related to invoking spirits and curing the sick and possessed.

They still practice the barter system, exchanging the produce of their fields for articles of daily use. In Remo/Bondo society, the women enjoy a privileged position. They are the primary workers and providers of food for the community. This matriarchal dominance is also seen in the marital norms of the community. Remo/Bondo girls largely marry boys who are at least five to ten years younger than them. Thus the girl looks after her husband as he grows up and in turn he cares for his elderly wife.

PRESENT WORK

Currently we are documenting the language and culture of Bonda/Remo. As part of our research we have conducted fresh field trips in the months of January, April and October 2015 and again in January-February 2017 collected data from Kirsanipada, Bandiguda, Mundulipada and Dumbripada villages which are in the Bondo hills. We intend to compile soon a 2500 words bilingual dictionary, a grammar sketch and an ethno-linguistic profile of Bondo/Remo community

Remo language has two main dialects, the hill Bondo and plain Bondo. We have also noticed that there are regional dialect variations within the hill Bondo which needs further investigation.

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