Chenchu is a primitive tribal group, mostly found in
Nallamalai Hills of
Andhra Pradesh and spread over
Kurnool,
Prakasam, and
Mahabubnagar districts. They are also found in less numbers in
Guntur,
Nalgonda, and
Rangareddy districts. Other Chenchu communities can be found in the states of
Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka and
Orissa.
Their native language is also called Chenchu, which belongs to the Dravidian language family. Chenchu’s dependent on nature for their food. The men are experts in bamboo cutting and honey collecting. These tribes live in hive-shaped houses made of wattle thatch (poles intertwined with twigs, reeds, or branches). Chenchu society is made of clans (extended family units), local groups and families. Their custom does not allow marriage within the same clan. They follow
Hinduism.
