Traditional Marriage System of the Adi Tribe of Lower Dibang Valley, Arunachal Pradesh: Continuity, Rituals, and Cultural Meaning

Abstract

This paper examines the traditional marriage system of the Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, with particular reference to practices observed in the Lower Dibang Valley District. Based on ethnographic fieldwork oral narratives and participant observation the study explores the social ritual and symbolic dimensions of marriage among the Adis. It highlights the continuity of customary practices alongside subtle transformations influenced by ecological beliefs seasonal cycles kinship norms and moral values. Marriage among the Adis is not merely a personal union but a socially sanctioned institution central to lineage continuity kinship solidarity and cultural transmission. The paper reports major processes involved in marriages including but not limited to the process of partner selection and engagements to the post marital settlement and ceremonies: affirming the continuing applicability of indigenous knowledge systems in governance of marital life.