Traditional Administartive Systems & Youth Institutions among the Janajatis of Northeast Bharat Independence Day Special Issue 2016 A Monthly News Bulletin Vol. XV. No.8, AUGUST 2016 Heritage Foundation K.B.Road, Paltan Bazar, Guwahati-781008 ```60/- e-mail : [email protected] website : www.heritagefoundation.org.in Success is not Permanent. Failure is never Final. So always do not stop effort until your Victory makes a History. - Chanakya Subscription may be sent by M.O./ Cheque / Demand Draft to : Heritage Foundation, # 30, F.C.Road, Uzan Bazar Guwahati-781001, Ph: 0361- 2636365 e-mail: [email protected], Website: www.heritagefoundation.org.in (Please Mention Pin Code No. along with your full postal address in BLOCK Letters) Annual DDs/Cheques may please be drawn in favour of Subscription Heritage Foundation. ```100/- Bank A/c with SBI, Chenikuthi, Guwahati, A/c No. 3598 1047 410 OR Heritage Foundation. Bank A/c with PNB, Guwahati, A/c No. 3213 0001 0009 3631 Edited by : Amarendra Brahma,C/o. Heritage Foundation, K.B.Road, Paltan Bazar, Guwahati-781008, Published & Printed by : Narayan Dev Sarma on behalf of Heritage Foundation, K.B.Road, Paltan Bazar, Guwahati-781008, Published at: Heritage Foundation, K.B.Road, Paltan Bazar, Guwahati - 781008 (Assam). e-mail: [email protected], Website: www.heritagefoundation.org.in, Printed at: Arindam Offset & Imaging Systems, Rajgarh, Guwahati-3 & Angik Press, GNB Road, Guwahati - 781001 Heritage Explorer 2 Independence Day Special Issue 2016 FOREWORD It is enterprising and indigenous mechanism. Most of Karbi Anglong are some good encouraging to note that the societies have well structured examples of bachelors’ Guwahati based HERITAGE indigenous mechanism to sort dormitory. Among the Tiwas of FOUNDATION located at Uzan out various disputes within their Assam, we can see the structure Bazar has brought out the own. Prior to advent of modern of samadi, the erstwhile bachelor Independence Day special issue administrative system, such dormitory that lost is significance of Heritage Explorer on a topic institutions are functioning as in the present context. Traditional Administrative dispute redressal mechanism. Under such circumstances, Systems and Youth Institutions Still they have their own this volume is very much among the Janajati of North East importance. Except grievous important to provide us an insight Bharat edited by Mr Amarendra offences most of the disputes are view of the various indigenous Brahma. It is come to known that settled through such self governing institutions, village the foundation is bringing mechanism. They are known by councils, youth institutions, monthly publication on various different names among different customary practices of the issues focusing on north east. communities. Their foundation is various ethnic groups of the This particular issue is a special based on the traditional laws of region. Except of few most of the one focusing on various the respective communities. scholars are indigenous indigenous practices pertaining Though they are continuing in the scholars. They know better their family, clan, village same manner, there are own society than others. Their administration, traditional changes in terms of power and emic perspectives are always administrative system as well as functions due to advent of significant. This volume youth dormitories prevalent modern justice system, comprises are 38 articles among the various indigenous panchayati raj, modernization, contributed by various noted groups of the north east. spread of modern education and scholars of the region. I am sure The North East is the home changing outlook of new that this volume will be helpful for of diverse ethnic groups with generation. Due to influence of all kinds of readers, their colourful customs and globalization, it is seen that every academicians, planners and traditions going on across the society is passing through a policy makers. The editor must generations. Each group is process of transition and be complimented for his untiring unique from one another in terms transformation. So there are effort. of their dialect, dresses, changes which is inevitable. It is traditions, festivals, customs, due to that the youth indigenous organizations as well organizations like bachelors as local self governing dormitories have lost its institutions. These aspects are importance. It was used earlier Dr Ranga Ranjan Das very much interesting so far as as centre for education, training Director [i/c] various disciplines are to make a person for responsible Law Research Institute concerned. The interesting community member and Eastern Region aspect of these societies is recreation. It also involves in Gauhati High Court presence of customary laws various welfare activities of the Guwahati-781001 which is responsible for communities. Now except a few, maintaining peace and harmony it lost its relevance. The murung in the society through an of Nagaland and jirkedam of Date: 08.08.2016 Heritage Explorer 3 Independence Day Special Issue 2016 Dear Readers, We would like to have your comments on the articles published in the Special Issue of Heritage Explorer with the title, ‘Traditional Administartive Systems & Youth Institutions among the Janajatis of Northeast Bharat’. We hope it will be hopeful for other readers too in developing new ideas and better insight. Also we would like to have comments from Esteemed Readers on articles being publishing in our Regular Issues also. It is to share ideas with all others and to give a direction to this publication. With Regards Amarendra Brahma Editor Write your letters.... To, The Editor “Heritage Explorer” 30, F.C.Road, Uzan Bazar Guwahati - 781001 Contact : 9707085235 Or E-mail to : [email protected] Heritage Explorer 4 Independence Day Special Issue 2016 FFFrom Editor’r’r’s Desk We are glad to offer this Special Issue of ‘Heritage Explorer’ on the eve of Independence Day 2016, with its subject centered on - ‘Traditional Administartive Systems & Youth Institutions among the Janajatis of Northeast Bharat’. A number of Janajati communities use to dwell here in this region, may they have a small or big population, but each of them have their own social administrative systems which are rooted deep in their village and family life. All those systems are being inherited by them through generations. All of them were learned people who had evolved such systems keeping in mind their impact in the community life for all times to come. Today, such people are rare who can see into the very essence as well as causes of all such systems – “why and how they were evolved in the society, their impact; what new systems can be evolved and what modifications/reformations should be done to the existing ones.” Today, due to modern education systems and changed life styles, some of those systems are changing which is inevitable. Youths started moving outside their main inhabitations in search of livelyhood where they do not find a society of their native villagers and so they remain away from the traditional administrative systems, but these systems are still in practice in many a villages in this region of NE Bharat. They differs from one community to another and each of them have their own logic, no one can be said illogical!. It may be suggested that some social-scientists should come forward to study and analyse them. The presence of police personnel in the village and hilly areas is very negligible here and Courts invites only a few number of litigations. The reason of this effect is the administrative systems of the Tribes in the Northeast. There are village councils, which functions in various names, use to settle all types of village cases- both civil and criminal, due to which only a few cases use to reach the Heritage Explorer 5 Independence Day Special Issue 2016 courts. But it is interesting to say, the higher Courts always use to refer the decisions of the village courts with utmost importance as the people who had put their mind into it knows either of the parties and their backgrounds. If, with some modifications, such self-rulling systems put into practice nation wide, which was true once upon a time in the ancient Bharat, Courts’ burden along with their expenditures can be minimised. The next step of “Panchayati Raj” should be “Village Courts” or “Gram Darbar”! There were systems of youth dormitories in each of the janajatis which were used for their training and putting the youth force in village economic engine which are no more in practice, vanished now a days. But they took the shape of students organisations, units of which are formed even upto village level which can not be found any where in the country outside Northeast. In other parts of the country Students organisations are college centric. Alas to say, in many of the students’ organisations elders’ role is negligible. Though Youths are a Force but Elders are the Eyes, without the giuidance of the elders youths power may prove to be devastating. Hence the youth organisations should be given a new shape for their integral develoment as well as for the welfare of the community as a whole as Youths are the Future of that Community. Amarendra Brahma Editor Heritage Explorer 6 Independence Day Special Issue 2016 Contents Local Self-governing Institutions of the Tribal in North-east India: A Study of the Village Authority/Council P-9 Indigenous System of Justice among the Akas of Arunachal Pradesh P-13 Traditional System of Justice Among the Apatanis of Arunachal