Key Facts about Toto Tribe

About Toto Tribe:

• Toto is an aboriginal Indo-Bhutanese tribe concentrated in the village of Totopara in Alipurduar district of West Bengal.
  • The Totopara village befalls under the periphery of Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • It nestles just to the south of the border between Bhutan and West Bengal, on the bank of the Torsa River.
• Anthropologically, the Toto tribe is a branch of the Tibetan-Mongoloid ethnic group.
• They are one of the most endangered tribes in the world, with just over 1,600 members surviving. The Toto tribe is often described as ‘a vanishing tribe’ on the verge of extinction.
• They are categorised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
• Toto Language: It is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Toto people and is written in the Bengali script.
• Totos are endogamous and are divided into 13 exogamous clans, from which, they choose to marry.
• Unique to their culture is the idea of having only a single wife, and they strongly advocate anti-dowry system, unlike neighbouring tribal practices.
• Their houses are elevated bamboo huts covered by thatched roofs.
• Beliefs: Toto people consider themselves Hindus who also worship nature. 
• Economy:
  • In the past, Totos were mainly food gatherers and practiced slashes and burn types, of cultivation.
  • Along with this, the Toto families earn a good amount of money by working as porters for carrying oranges from the different gardens of Bhutan to Totopara.
  • With the passage of time, occupational diversification has taken place. At present, they became settled agriculturists.

Q1: Who are Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)?

PVTGs are a more vulnerable group among tribal groups in India. These groups have primitive traits, geographical isolation, low literacy, zero to negative population growth rate and backwardness. Moreover, they are largely dependent on hunting for food and a pre-agriculture level of technology. Currently, there are 2.8 million PVTGs belonging to 75 tribes across 22,544 villages in 220 districts across 18 states and Union Territories in India.

News: Totos, a primitive tribe near India-Bhutan border, are fighting for survival