THE YOUTH DORMITORY SYSTEM AMONG THE TIWA: CONTINUITY AND CHANGES

The youth dormitory system among the Tiwa tribe of North East India is an important social institution. So far very limited studies have been undertaken solely devoted to this system. The Tiwa youth dormitory is known as the Chamadi. It is not only a meeting place for all the male members of a Tiwa village but also an institution of non formal education. It is a seat of learning for the younger generations. They learn music, dance, handicraft and other essential facts of life at the Chamadi. However with the progress of time and emergence of modern education system the significance of the Chamadi has drastically reduced. This paper is an attempt to highlight the various aspect of the Chamadi system among the Tiwa tribe and to understand its continuity and changes.