A tribe is generally understood as a social group whose members share a common ancestry, language, territory, customs, traditions, and cultural identity. Tribes are among the earliest forms of human social organization and have existed across different parts of the world for thousands of years. In anthropology and folklore studies, the concept of a tribe is used to describe communities that possess a distinct socio-cultural system, often characterized by close kinship relations, collective ownership of resources, traditional occupations, and a strong sense of unity. In India, the Constitution refers to many tribal communities as Scheduled Tribes (STs), recognizing their unique historical, social, and cultural identities and providing them with special safeguards for their development and protection. The term "tribe" has been interpreted differently by various scholars. D.N. Majumdar described a tribe as a collection of families or groups of families bearing a common name, occupying a common territory, speaking a common language, observing certain taboos regarding marriage and occupation, and developing a well-established system of reciprocity and mutual obligations. G.S. Ghurye emphasized that tribes should not be viewed as isolated groups but as communities interacting continuously with the larger society. Contemporary anthropologists argue that the term should be used carefully because many tribal societies have undergone significant social, political, and economic changes while retaining their cultural identity. Tribal societies are generally organized around kinship. Family and clan form the basic units of social organization. Members often trace their descent from a common ancestor, whether real or mythical, and this shared ancestry creates a strong bond among community members. Clans regulate marriage, inheritance, and social responsibilities. Many tribes follow exogamy, requiring marriage outside one's own clan, while maintaining endogamy within the tribal community. Territory plays an important role in defining a tribe. Most tribal groups have traditionally inhabited forests, hills, plateaus, or remote regions where they developed a close relationship with the natural environment. Their identity is closely associated with their geographical surroundings, which influence their livelihood, religious beliefs, folklore, architecture, and social practices. Land is viewed not merely as an economic resource but also as a sacred inheritance linked with ancestors and spirits. Language is another important characteristic of tribes. Every tribe possesses its own dialect or language, which serves as a medium for preserving oral traditions, myths, songs, folktales, rituals, and indigenous knowledge. Many tribal languages belong to linguistic families such as Austroasiatic, Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman, and Indo-Aryan. Oral transmission plays a significant role because many tribal languages historically lacked written scripts. Folklore therefore becomes the primary means of preserving history, values, customs, and collective memory. Economically, tribal communities have traditionally depended on hunting, gathering, shifting cultivation, pastoralism, fishing, forest produce, handicrafts, and small-scale agriculture. Their economic activities are generally adapted to local ecological conditions and emphasize sustainable utilization of natural resources. Although modernization has introduced wage labour, settled agriculture, mining, and industrial employment into many tribal areas, traditional occupations continue to remain culturally significant. Political organization within tribes is usually simple and community-oriented. Leadership may be hereditary or elected, depending on the tribe.