Didayi

The Didayi belongs to the Proto-Australois racial stock.  They speak a language which has been included under Austro-asiatic language family. The Didayis are found only in Odisha. As a discrete ethnocultural group the Didayi is largely biologically sel-f perpetuating: shares fundamental cultural values' realised in overt unit in cultural forms; makes up a field of communication and interaction ; and a membership which identifies itself , and is identified by others , as constituting a category different from other categories of the same order. In Odisha Malkangiri constitutes the highest numbers of Didayi. The Didayo do not live in isolation. Their culture is perfectly in tune with their physical environment, but cultural nexus enjoys precedence over environment. In the ecological system the Didayi culture safeguards the interest of the people, acts as safety valve and accelerates adaption to changing situations with necessary coping mechanisms.