Youth dormitory in the life of the Liangmai Naga, India

Abstract

Youth dormitory or the bachelor house has been a prominent feature in Naga villages in the earlier days. Liangmai Naga calls the boys' dormitory, Khangchiu and the girls' dormitory, Liuchiu. Dormitory was usually situated in the middle of the village. It was the focal centre of various village activities- political, economic and cultural. However, the significance of youth dormitories has been declining with the advent of Christianity. In this paper, I would like to focus on the role of the youth dormitories in the life of the Liangmai. These were the primary institutions, binding the community together for generations. The dormitory has been the centre of training and perpetuation of traditional Liangmai music and dance. They have been the reservoirs of the rich culture and tradition of the Liangmai. Decline of this institution in the present is altering the whole social system. Weakening of social bonds and flouting of traditionally accepted social norms, ethics and morality are the results of the decline of the youth dormitories among the Liangmai Naga.