1892 ] 
W. H. P. Driver —The Korlcus. 
129 
In appearance the Korkus vary according to the state of civilisation 
which they have reached. In the wilds they 
clothmg ranC0 an ^ have little clothing and are very dark-skinned. 
Round about Chikalda in the Ellichpore district 
(where I saw them) the men are copper-coloured and the women much 
fairer. The men w T ear ‘ dhotis,’ coats, and ornamental ‘pugrees,’ which 
at the Fagooa festival are hung with beads and bells, and they have 
country-made fancy waist cloths, the ornamental ends of which are 
allowed to hang down in the same style as the Uraons of Chota Nagpore. 
They also wear metal bracelets and large earrings. 
The women wear the 1 sari ’ tucked up like a divided skirt, accord¬ 
ing to the fashion of the country, but they hide the ugliness of this 
fashion by bringing the end ronnd in front like an apron. They also 
cover the head, and wear the short jacket common in those parts. All 
this gives them a very non-Kolarian appearance, which, however, is 
counteracted by the number of earrings, necklaces of beads, armlets, 
bracelets, anklets, and rings, with which they deck their persons. The 
anklets are thin and loose, so that they make a loud jingling noise when 
they walk or dance. 
The Korkus are a quiet peace-loving people ; they do not know the 
use of the bow and arrow, and they live chiefly 
Occupation. by cutting and selling bamboos, firewood, and 
other jungle produce. 
They do a little in the way of cultivation wherever they can find 
a level piece of ground, but the “ dhya ” system has been put a stop to 
by Government, and the valuable timber trees are carefully preserved 
by the Forest Department. 
Their staple food consits of “ Kutki ” (Panicum), which they boil 
and eat like rice ; but they also grow “ Kodo ” 
(Paspalum), and sometimes a little coarse rice 
besides pumpkins and beans. They also feed on various jungle products, 
such as the flower of the ‘ Mhowa ’ (Bassia latifolia), the plum of the 
ebony-tree (Diospyros melanoxylon), the fruit of the wild mangoe, the 
berries of ‘ Chironji ’ (Buchananialatifolia), the ‘ Ber ’ (Zizyphus Jujuba), 
the seeds of the * Sal ’ (Shorea robusta), the bean of the giant Bauliinia 
creeper, the seeds of the bamboo, a wild arrow-root (Curcuma), wild 
yams, and others. 
They are very fond of all kinds of meat, and will eat buffalo, bison, 
pig, goat, and other animals, but not cows or monkeys, which Hindus 
have taught them to revere. 
The Korkus divide themselves into two classes: the ‘ Roopa,’ or 
Divisions and Septs. greater > and the ‘ Bondoe, ’ or lesser. There is 
also a small tribe of alien origin named ‘ Nehals,’ 
