Paang: Dormitory Tradition of the Ollos of Tirap District, Arunachal Pradesh

Abstract

Among the Ollo community of Tirap District, the Paang (dormitory) has long stood as more than a physical space it has functioned as a living institution through which masculinity, discipline, skill, and collective identity were shaped. Traditionally, boys entered the Paang at around ten years of age when they were considered physically fit, beginning a phase of life marked by training, instruction, and social responsibility. Drawing on fieldwork, interviews, participant observation, and available secondary sources, this paper traces the historical role of the Paang, its continuing relevance, and the gradual decline of its earlier functions. The Paang once operated as a centre of indigenous education where young boys learned basketry, wood carving, and the making of bamboo mats, alongside wrestling, war techniques, games and sports, folk songs, and folk dances. Under the supervision of the Paangsoongvang, the dormitory also transmitted customary laws and maintained discipline, ensuring that knowledge was not merely taught but lived through daily practice. In contemporary times, however, the Paang has increasingly shifted from a training institution to a ceremonial and administrative space, used mainly during festivals such as Worang and Dongshot, and for community announcements and decision-making. This paper argues that the changing role of the Paang reflects broader transformations in Ollo society, where modern social influences have altered traditional systems of learning while leaving behind institutions that continue to carry cultural memory and symbolic authority.