Traditional Authority and Conflict Regulation among the Nocte: An Analysis of the Ngoathun System in Arunachal Pradesh

In tribal societies across generations, people have governed themselves autonomously through customs, shared authority, and collective responsibility, grounded in historical knowledge and lived experience. Long before formal institutions and codified laws existed, these systems of governance were already in place. The Ngoathun stands as a proud example of this tradition of self-governance among the Nocte. It represents a traditional council and judicial system shaped by ancestral wisdom and sustained through cultural continuity. However, despite its central role within the Nocte community, the Ngoathun remains largely undocumented and has received limited scholarly attention. This paper seeks to understand traditional authority, its structure and functions, and the ways in which conflicts are resolved and regulated within Nocte society. Drawing upon data from primary sources such as oral narratives and field observations, along with secondary literature, the study highlights the importance of indigenous governance systems.