Collective Action and Community Labour Management System among the Adis of Arunachal Pradesh

Abstract

The Adis are sparsely populated but closely-knitted society with a high degree of interactions and inter-dependence based on clan and ethnicity. Cooperation and mutual help is a salient feature of socio-cultural life of the people. The respect for collective or joint effort and sharing pattern of life give them a sense of belongingness. As a result, most of the Adi villages, though modern with almost all the civic amenities, still maintain village solidarity. One such practices which fabricates the solidarity irrespective of clan, sex, tribes, etc, and binds the people with a common sense of cooperation is the Riglap- the system of mutual reciprocal help. The services rendered by the members are based on the principle of mutual help and reciprocity. No payment is made but the similar type of services is expected in the future by person who rendered the services. This system of exchanging services serves as traditional system of insuring the services to the   community with the hope of getting similar services from other at the time of needs or when such services are required. But there is no formal rule as such that governs the exchanges of services as in modern legal contract. The Riglap is still prevailing among the Adis and sustainably facilitates collective action for achieving mutually beneficial ends. The paper is based on participant observation.