Bhunjia tribes are reckoned as an ancient tribe of Orissa. They are basically found in Nuapada which is said to be the abode of the Bhunjia tribal community. The word `Bhunjia` connotes `people who have originated from the earth`. This tribal group is considered as a sub division of Halbas of Baster. As per the ancient history, they ran away from Baster as a result of a clash with the Dhakars.

Apart from this, the Bhunjia tribal communities are also found in several districts like Kalahandi. Since the topography of the region is quite rugged with hills, mountains and also dense forest areas, these Bhunjia tribes have settled down in scattered manner in their villages and hamlets that they have built in their own hands.

Just like any other tribes of the mountainous region of India, these Bhunjia tribes too have adapted the profession of shifting cultivators. Seeing the degradation of the landscapes due to rampant cultivation, in the present day, many of these Bhunjia tribes sustain their living by gathering and also selling various non- timber forest products in the local markets.

Chaukhutia Bhunjia and Chinda Bhunjia are the two ramifications of Bhunjia group of people. The Chinda Bhunjia people are the inhabitants of plain area while the Chaukhutia Bhunjias reside in the hilly areas of Sunabeda plateau. People of this Bhunjia group are the descendants of the Dravidian group of people. The people of this tribal group converse in Halbi language which is an amalgamation of Marathi, Chhatisgarhi and Oriya language.

The costumes of the Bhunjia tribal people are marked for their dressing and ornaments. The men of this tribal group generally wear a piece of cloth and shirts. Sarees and different jewelleries made of glass, coils, beads, brass, silver and aluminium bedeck the women of this community. Ornaments like bangles, ear-rings, necklaces, anklets etc are some of the jewelleries are prevalent among the women. The most special is their way of hair do as their long hair is tied in very different pattern.

Bhunjia tribes are more conservative, traditional and also introvert and shy. Moreover, it has also been said that the Bhunjia tribal community has a kinship with the Gond tribe. The myths that are commonly heard about the Bhunjia tribal people strongly suggest this close relationship between these two tribal communities. Even Because of the close affinity with the Gonds, the Bhunjias had started worshipping the gods and goddesses of the Gond people.

The Bhunjia society is patriarchal and the culture follows the norms and practices, just like any other tribal communities of Indian subcontinent do. For these Bhunjia tribes also marriage is an important institution. For regulating the marriage, these Bhunjia tribes have a number of exogamous units or clans. The Bhunjia people have marital relationship with the Gond people. Marriages also take place among the cross cousins of the community. The people of this community are divided into two groups namely Markam and Netam and each group is sub divided into several Barages. Marriages in these groups are not allowed.

Generally, these Bhunjia tribal people duly follow the structure of nuclear family with a monogamous form of marriage. Special marriage rites and rituals are followed thereby ennobling their cultural scene. In fact the `kitchen shed` of these Bhunjia tribes is believed to be quite consecrated and the entry of married daughters into the kitchen is firmly prohibited.

The pious nature of these Bhunjia tribes has a plethora of gods and goddesses whom they revere a lot. The Bhunjia tribes worship them for the sake of well-being and prosperity of them. Cure and prevention from various diseases, seeking good harvesting etc are also the reasons for which these deities are worshipped.

Sunadei is their principal deity and the priest, better known as `Pujari`, carries on the religious rites. Festivals too are part and parcel of these Bhunjia tribes. Except Holi, these tribes celebrate almost all the other Indian festivals with enthusiasm. It is said to the Bhunjia tribes have excelled in the art of dreadful magic and spells. There is a legend popular amongst the Bhunjia tribes. There is an iron drum located upside down on a huge rock on the hill, and that every year Bhunjia tribes used to surrender a Brahmin before their ancestral deities and peel off the skin from his chest to fixate on the drum. The drum was then beaten up and the sacrifice was finished. A Brahmin named Chingari, due to his magical spell, turned the drum upside down with the curse that whosoever touches the drum henceforth would pass away within a year.

These Bhunjia tribes follow the traditional system with the formation of village council as the key unit of village administration and control. All the aged people of the Bhunjia village constitutes of the basic unit, while in the top hierarchy, the inter-village council exits.

An important aspect of Bhunjia tribal society is the status of their women. In fact, the Bhunjia tribes have a very stringent set of rules in order to govern a woman`s life however males are free more or less. It is said that women are not permitted to consume food from outside and there is no such limitation for the male folks. Also, only the women folks of the Bhunjia tribes are not allowed to wear slippers they are not supposed to step on the sacred earth where the deity, Sunadei, lives. However, no such rule is applicable for the Bhunjia male.