Kurumba: a language and community fighting for visibility

The Kurumba language is a significant element of the community’s identity and plays a pivotal role in its cultural practices. | Photo Credit: K. K. Mustafah The Kurumbas of Keralam are an Adivasi community who reside in the hilly forest regions of Attappady in Palakkad district. The community has been classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. They are one of the five PVTGs in Keralam. As the Census exercise is under way, one of the most significant identifiers of the community is faced with a troubling question.The community members speak Kurumba, an oral language with no script. This language is widely spoken by the people, even today, and is the primary language of communication among the Kurumba people. However, most outsiders do not use the language and therefore the community members are forced to either learn Malayalam or other languages in order to converse with others. Published - November 13, 2026 07:00 am IST