Gamit Tribe
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Gamit tribes of Gujarat belong to the famous proto-Australoid family and reside in Surat, Valsad, Dang and Bahruch districts.
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Gamit tribes are known as one of the major tribal communities of Gujarat and they are widely distributed in the mountainous terrains and also in some of the plains of Surat, Valsad, Dang and Bahruch districts. The Gamit tribes are also popular as Vasava, Gamta, Gmit, Gavit, Mavchi, Pandvi etc.
The etymological significance of the term Gamit signifies a villager. The research of the some of the eminent anthropologists has traced the history of the origin of this Gamit tribal community. In the year 1920, the British ethnographer, Enthoven had rightly claimed that this Gamit tribal community was immigrated to Gujarat from various other places. It is also assumed that these Gamit tribes belong to the famous proto-Australoid family thereby it becomes obvious that this Gamit tribes have made their arrival in the country some what fifty to sixty thousand years ago. The Gamit tribal community is the fourth leading tribal community of Gujarat.
The language of the Gamit tribes is Konkani language and for writing most of these Gamit tribal community make use of the Devanagari script. They also speak in their local dialect named as Gamit language. With the time, due to the influence of the external world, most of these Gamit tribes have adapted some of the trends and languages of the modern day world. The amalgamation they create with their own culture admixtured with a modern zing adds a different flavour to their tribal culture. The Gamit tribes celebrate different festivals together flaunting their tribal cultural ethics. Among them, the festival of colour, Holi is celebrated with lots of merry making and tribal songs and dance.
Their knowledge about numerous herbal plants with high medicinal values have made their names popular amongst people who are residing in the other parts of the Indian territory. For curing health hazards they have set up their unique mode of treatment using these local plants and herbs. Although much of the indigenous customs have been lost in to oblivion, this practice is still prevalent and even passed to the next generation of people.
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