Kanikkaran are a tribal community found in the southern parts of
Kerala
Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
and
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
states in India. According to 2011 census there are 24,000 Kanikkars,
[Kanikkaran A language of India](_blank)
''The Ethnologue Website'', retrieved November 21, 2009 living in several districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. They dwell in forests or near to forests in
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the Capital city, capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the ...
and
Kollam
Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
in Kerala, and
Kanyakumari and
Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli (), also known as Nellai and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tirunelveli District. It is the fourth-largest munici ...
districts in Tamil Nadu.
Though they cultivate everything and make agriculture as the main profession, they have a special liking for fishing and hunting. Literacy is estimated to be around 53.84%. ''Kaanikkar Nritham'' is a form of group dance performed as a rural offering.
Kokra is a traditional musical instrument used by them.
Language
The
Kanikkaran language is closely related to Tamil, but has significant Malayalam influence.
See also
*
Amboori Village
References
External links
*{{Commonscatinline
Scheduled Tribes of Kerala
Scheduled Tribes of India
Scheduled Tribes of Tamil Nadu
Indigenous peoples of South Asia