1922. ] Indian Science Congress. 1.8.C. 159 
selves they are known as Kisan, which means a cultivator. 
As regards the most prevalent name Oraon, some derive it 
from Aryan and others from aboriginal languages. Dr. Hahn 
was the first to derive it from Orgora, a hawk, which is a 
totemistic sept of the tribe, and he thought this was the name 
given them by the Hindus. Sir George Grierson suggested an 
improvement, saying it might be derived from the Burgandi 
urang ‘men.’ This may be plausible, but no tribe as stated 
before would go to borrow a word from another language for 
itsname. If it wanted to call itself a collection of men, why 
could it not take a word from the language it was using ? 
Mr. Roy is of opinion that Oraon is a corruption of an uncom- 
plimentary name given to them by the Hindus as Rawanput or 
born of the demon Rawana. The original word was in due 
course abbreviated into Rawan vulgo Rawana, which with an 
interjection O assumed the form of Oravana or Oraon. Here 
let me add that Gonds are known as Rawanbansi or descended 
to add a derivation of my own, assuming that Zs Eer® 
theory that the Oraons were Vanars or monkeys of Rama s army 
is admissible. I see no difficulty why Vanar should not have 
assumed the present form of their name. From V 
word Vanrao would simply be a form meaning “ monkey like. 
Vanrao may change into Unraon, leading finally to Urao. 
Now let us consider the name they use among themselves. 
stated before, Dr. Hahn would derive Kurukh from the Kola- 
rian horo man or the Dravidoscythian Korukb & oryer. 
Br. Grierson does not support this son -_ eo 
; ut not cryers. . : 
people may call themselves speakers Krishan changed into 
Some Kuru 
came from Konkan and that gave them the name. 
th ‘ . theretore, ‘ 
eir colour is black and they were ‘Another deriva- 
istic 
