Nilung Tungko, an all-boys boarding school in Komsing, is playing a crucial role in preserving the Adi tribe’s cultural heritage, blending traditional and modern education for children from impoverished families, focusing on the Donyi Polo faith in Arunachal Pradesh.
A morning of herky-jerky rain sets the scene. Five cars are parked beside a signboard facing a modest school called Nilung Tungko with students from the Adi tribe, flanked on the right by a little orange orchard. The trees stand barren. It is late June; not the season for fruit.
Today is admission day at the all-boys boarding school in Komsing by the Siang river, a beautiful village of the Adi tribe in Arunachal Pradesh. Parents from near and far — some as far as Namsai district over 250 km away — have arrived to drop off their children at the school, which opened its doors in 2023.
A muddy road winds its way to the headmaster’s office, perched atop a stilted building in one corner of the campus. In an adjacent classroom, about 25 students sit in neat rows, dressed in uniforms of dark green blazers and khaki-coloured pants, each sporting an identical haircut — a bit longer than a short crop. They sit patiently, waiting for the traditional prayer to begin.
“In olden times, our community would mark a point and use two blades for the haircut. Nowadays, we have a barber,” said Tamuna Messar, secretary of the Donyi Polo Cultural and Charitable Trust, a non-profit playing a crucial role in cultural preservation.
Tadum Tabi, the teacher assigned to teach the Adi language, enters the classroom. The students break into a chorus, invoking Donyi and Polo — the sun and the moon, principal deities of an eponymous, animistic religion practised by several indigenous tribes in this mountainous northeastern state bordering Bhutan, China and Myanmar.
Their chant, “Bome rom Donyi Polo (Donyi Polo will prevail and last forever),” rises and falls in waves, filling the room with a sense of reverence and unity. The rest of the chorus weaves together the elements of earth, wind, fire and water, attributing them all to the divine powers of Donyi and Polo.
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Headmaster Tapor Mibang translated the modified Roman script for the Adi language into Hindi.
Jo dharti pe garmi hain, hawa aur pani hain, woh sab Donyi Polo ka diya hua cheez hai.
he said, explaining that everything on earth — heat, air and water — is a gift from Donyi and Polo.
As the rain continues to fall outside, inside the school, there is a sense of hope and continuity. Here, amidst the lessons and prayers, a new generation learns to honour their past while preparing for the future.
Nilung Tungko is the fourth indigenous school established in Arunachal Pradesh, a state known for its 26 major tribes and 110 sub-tribes. This school specifically caters to children from impoverished families of the Adi tribe residing in Siang, Upper Siang, East Siang, Namsai, Lohit and Dibang districts.
Other schools, such as Menjwk Meqkok Rwguu in Basar, serve the Galo community, while Nyubu Nyegam Yerko in Mywa and Rang cater to the Nyishi tribe. All these schools share a common goal: to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of the Tani people. Funding for these institutions comes from the Donyi Polo trust.
“There are plans to open schools for the Apatani and Tagin communities as well,” said Tamuna, who is also the school patron.
Exploring the world of the Tani is like stepping into a realm where time stands still. The Adi, Nyishi, Galo, Tagin and Apatani tribes, alongside the Mishings of Assam, proudly identify themselves as the Tani ethnic group. They trace their lineage to the mythical Abotani, revered as the first human on earth. Abotani, meaning “father of the people”, is a name that binds these tribes together in a shared ancestry and cultural heritage.
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The languages of the Tani people, rooted in the Tibeto-Burman family, are as diverse as the landscape they inhabit. Over 50 dialects weave through their communities, each carrying the nuances of their distinct environments, subtly shaping their phonetic accents and creating a cultural variation.
The Tani people have honed a deep understanding of their surroundings. Nature has been their provider and teacher, guiding the creation of exquisite handicrafts, intricate fishing techniques and efficient hunting tools. These skills are not mere practices but treasured knowledge passed down through generations, preserving the wisdom of their ancestors.
Their cultural heritage is primarily preserved through oral traditions. With few written records, the history and wisdom of the Tani people are shared through stories, songs and teachings passed down from elders to the young. This oral literature keeps their culture vibrant and alive. Central to their way of life is the Donyi Polo belief system, a philosophy that emphasises harmony and balance with nature.
However, their way of life isn’t impervious to the rapid changes of the modern world. The movement to institutionalise the Donyi Polo faith among the Tani tribes gained momentum in response to many people turning to Christianity in recent times.
At Nilung Tungko, the daily rhythm of life is a blend of traditional and modern education. Eight-year-old Eliza Goi from Riew village, 30 km away, beams as he talks about his favourite teacher, Tadum Tabi.
“My favourite class is where I get to learn Adi,” he said, pointing to Tadum at the door. “Kicking football is my favourite pastime,” he added with a smile.
Tadum oversees football sessions in the evening at least twice a week and also conducts group study sessions to help students keep up with the NCERT syllabus till class 8.
Lessons alternate between NCERT CBSE textbooks in subjects like Hindi, English and mathematics, and indigenous learning. This includes teaching students the art of making mats from toko leaves, also known as the fan palm tree.
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“The mats keep cool in summer and warm in winter,” explained headmaster Tapor.
He added that students are awakened at 4.30am for morning prayers at 5am, followed by school until 1pm. After a brief rest, homework and sports hour begin at 3pm. From 8.30pm, right after dinner, is “folk tales and story time” for half an hour — a cherished moment that connects students to their roots.
“This time is essential,” the headmaster said, “as it helps weave the fabric of our culture, which has been slowly fraying with civilisation.”
School patron Tamuna emphasised the importance of integrating indigenous history with modern education to preserve their culture.
“With modernity, everyone is forgetting their language in the state. Parents speak Hindi and English, and even their children these days. We want to protect our language, tradition and culture,” he said.
The school accommodates 50 students, including 25 newcomers, all boys. They had to pass a written examination and interview to test their grasp of upper kindergarten subjects and indigenous knowledge. The students have a 45-day vacation split over two months each year. The school provides a vital educational opportunity for children whose families cannot afford private boarding schools.
“Government schools are enormously understaffed, risking the quality of education. Here, there is always a teacher present 24 hours,” Tamuna said. Two staff members stay at the school around the clock.
“Almost everyone in the school has parents living below the poverty line. There are two orphans this year and one last year,” headmaster Tapor said.
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Regarding the possibility of opening similar schools for girls, Tamuna pointed out the financial challenges.
“We can seek funds from the Union government, the ministry of tribal affairs, and the ministry of development of the northeastern region. However, there is a limit to how much donations can help. The Arunachal government released Rs 3 crore for the four indigenous schools across the state. The expenditure for food and other essentials for one school comes to Rs 80,000. We have to manage an additional Rs 160,000 on our own to run the school. We can open a school for girls if we get enough funds,” he said.
Until then, the all-boys boarding will serve as the symbol of a broader effort to reclaim and cherish the indigenous identity in the picturesque village of Komsing, where British officer Captain Noel Williamson’s grave across a colonial-era suspension bridge bears testimony to tribal resilience and pride. Williamson was killed while delivering the news of King Edward VII’s death to the tribal chiefs in March 1911.
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The lead image on top shows students during a prayer session at the Nilung Tungko boarding school in Komsing, Arunachal Pradesh. (Photo by Aatreyee Dhar)
Aatreyee Dhar is a Village Square Fellow 2023-24. She works as an independent journalist in Assam.
