Youth home

Youth Home
(General Article)
Indian tribal groups are progressive regarding their youth. They believe in perfection of
youth training, which is fulfilled by youth homes. Though many tribal groups have youth
homes, it is not common. Youth home (a place where the young male and the female of
the tribe live) have different names. Among the Konyak Naga of the northeastern state it
is Ban for males and Yo for females, Arichu and Memis in Aao Naga for both sexes,
Ekuchi for male and Eloichi for females, Kichuki for Angami Naga of the northeast.
Rangbang among the Bhotia (a tribe of Uttaranchal) is used for socio-cultural training
and Gitiora in Munda and Ho tribe of north India, Ghumkuria or Jonkarpa in Oranav of
Bihar, Chhangar basa in Bhuia of Bihar, Ghotual in Gond of Bihar.
Morang (youth home) of the Garo tribe of northeast is known as Nok-Pante (home of the
unmarried) and Darbar in the Juang of Orissa.
Kurumba of Tamil Nadu also make Pundal mane (youth home). Women come in Mane
(home) only at night. Yurali of South India have Chiltalpore (only for males), whereas
Banagiri is for women.
Youth homes of Kota of South India and Selanidingo of Bondo tribe of Orrisa permits
married male and women.
Every youth home is concerned with the socio-cultural training of the youth of the tribe,
but sexual relations are permitted and common. Pregnancy is avoided and is not
considered a good action. The tribal community follows some prohibitions (taboos)
during pregnancy. In such a situation, the husband of the pregnant woman and her
previous children (if any) are kept separate (in the youth home) from her.
Community rituals, customs and every tradition are taught by the elderly to the youth,
which makes for a perfect generation.
Muria male (tribe of Bihar) can’t live with his wife until his child bears a normal navel.
Prohibition continues in many tribal societies till the breast feeding of the newborn child.
In general, the youth homes are constructed on the border of the village. It is colored and
decorated building, which is also used for those who are far or outside of their general
homes due to some prohibition (especially pregnancy cases). Dancing, story telling and
folklore are the different programmes of the youth homes.
The residents of the youth homes are divided into seniors, who know the socio-cultural
life of the concerned tribe and the juniors, who have to learn the rituals and customs of
the tribes. Membership of the youth homes is compulsory for every tribal youth that has
acquired ten years of age and they stay there till before they get married. Kota of south
India is an exception where married males and females are also permitted.
Youth homes are used during the night. The activities during the night are not told to any
one. Privacy and secrecy are the main factors in the youth homes.
Muria (a tribe of Bihar) senior (unmarried) women give sex education to juniors of either
sex. They avoid pregnancy. They believe their youth home god “Lingo” will be angry
and in the occurrence of any pregnancy they carry out sacrifices to appease Lingo.
The process of acculturation, urbanization and modernization are vanishing these unique
youth homes in tribal India. Even the Ho tribe denies any existence of Gitiora (youth
homes).
Government agencies are using these youth homes for the dissemination of government
policies and information.