Padam (tribe)

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Padam is one of the major subgroups among the Adi of Arunachal Pradesh. Rich in both cultural and oral tradition, the Padums are known for fiercely guarding their Democratic Society.

The Padam reside in the hills and the valleys of East Siang, West Siang and Lower Dibang Valley Districts. Famous for their community strength and feared for their war tactics, the Padams always looked for more land to occupy.

Damro is one of the most important ancestral places of the Padams. Its importance lies in oral recitation and daily beliefs is because many of the generations remember it as the place from where their forefathers migrated. Damro in true Adi Style(which is typical of Adi linguistic practises) Stands or is made out of two basic words, Padam and Aro. Padam is the name of the group. Aro means real or original. Bolung, Kaling, Dambuk are some famous Padam villages with interesting ancestry.

Each village has a village Head under whom all the proceedings of the Kebangs (meetings) are held. These Kebangs are held to settle the disputes among the local villagers

The Padam are adherents of Donyi-Polo. Donyi Poloism is the practice of Praying the almighty Sun goddess and The Moon God. A thing to be noticed is that the Adis might be the only few people in the world who practise a religion where Sun is the Goddess and Moon the God. Donyi and Polo are the visible forms of the omnipresent Gods Bo and Bomong.

[edit] Names

Surnames used by Padams are based on family lineage. Padams bearing each surname are further subdivided into numbers of clans. For example, the Tayengs are further subdivided into Kibing,Kirang,Kidang,Sapkom,Sapno,Tonkir,Tonmuk and Pertins are further subdivided into the Tinte, Tintung, Tinbang, Jomat, Jotan and Jongkeng clans.

Surnames
Pertin
Perme
Lego
Saring
Tayeng
Yirang

[edit] Festivals

The festivals celebrated by the Padam are very similar to those of other Adi tribes, including:

Name of festival	Dates
Aran	March 7
Solung Etor	May 15
Solung	September 1
Donyi Polo Longe	December 31

[edit] References

• Ethmologue profile
• Photo of a Padam Adi
• Encyclopaedic Ethnography of the Himalayan Tribes/edited by N.S. Bisht and T.S. Bankoti.