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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
The '''Bhuyan''' are an indigenous community found in the Indian states of [[Assam]], [[Bihar]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Odisha]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] and [[West Bengal]]. They are not only geographically disparate but also have many cultural variations and subgroups.<ref name="west">{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania|last=West|first=Barbara A.|publisher=Infobase|year=2009|isbn=978-0-8160-7109-8|pages=107–108 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pCiNqFj3MQsC&pg=PA107}}</ref>

The ''Bhuiyans'' name comes from the [[Sanskrit]] ''bhumi'', meaning ''land''. Most of the Bhuiya are agriculturalists and many believe that they are descended from [[Bhūmi]], the Hindu goddess who represents [[Mother goddess|Mother Earth]]. They are [[patrilineal]] [[exogamy|exogamous]] groups with strong family ties.<ref name="west"/>

There are significant economic variations in the Bhuiya community, with some in areas such as Ghatwar and Tikait being landowners  but many others being reliant on working the land either independently or as paid labourers. Basket-making, livestock rearing, fishing, hunting and the sale of forest produce such as firewood, honey and resin also contribute to their livelihood, although the practise of food collection has probably mostly died out.<ref name="west"/>

The [[Government of Uttar Pradesh]] had classified the Bhuiya as a [[Scheduled Caste]] but by 2007, they were one of several groups that it redesignated as [[Scheduled Tribe]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |title=State At A Glance&nbsp;— Uttar Pradesh |date=July 2007 |journal=Pratiyogita Darpan |volume=2 |issue=13 |page=81|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7egDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT72|last1=Darpan |first1=Pratiyogita }}</ref> As of 2017, this tribal designation applies only for [[Sonbhadra district]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tribal.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Documents/201212010356439267578File1068.pdf |title=State wise Scheduled Tribes&nbsp;— Uttar Pradesh |publisher=Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India |accessdate=2017-02-04 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123041643/http://tribal.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Documents/201212010356439267578File1068.pdf |archivedate=2016-11-23 }}</ref>

The [[2011 Census of India]] for Uttar Pradesh showed the Bhuiya Scheduled Caste population as 4095.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/SC_ST/PCA-A10/SC-0900-PCA-A-10-ddw.xlsx |title= A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh |publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |accessdate=2017-02-04}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Bhuiyar]]
*[[List of Scheduled Tribes in Uttar Pradesh]]
* [https://www.todaythinking.com/cg-bhuiya/ Chhattisgarh Bhuiya]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Tribes of Uttar Pradesh}}
{{Scheduled tribes of West Bengal}}

[[Category:Scheduled Tribes of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Scheduled Tribes of West Bengal|*]]
[[Category:Social groups of Assam]]
[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Social groups of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Odisha]]
[[Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu]]


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