TRIBES OF NABARANGPUR
HALVA:-
Holva tribe derives their name from the word ‘holo’ which means plough. Holvas are largely found in Papadahandi, Raigarh and Jhorigaon blocks of Nabarangpur district. According to 2011 census the population of Holva in Nabarabgpur district is 4858. They are also found in Malkangiri district (5030), Koraput district (3061) and Rayagada district (747) in the Koraput Region.
Dialectically their mother tongue is Halbi, but now most of them are converse in Odiya only through acculturation. Among the various local divisions, like Bastarha, Chhatisgarhia and Marethia, the Halvas of Nabarangpur belong to Bastarha division. Agriculture is the mainstay of the livelihood of the Holvas.
Holvas have incorporated a number of Hindu Gods and Goddesses in to their pantheon, like Siva, Bishnu, Laxmi, Kali and Durga. They observe new mango eating ceremony in Chaitra, Amus festival in Sruban, new rice eating ceremony in Bhadrab, Siva Puja in Magha.
Holvas have established social relationship with the neighbouring tribals, like Gond, Koya, Kondha and non-tribals like Sundhi, Teli and Mali
