Traditional Communication and Indigenous Knowledge: Cultural Continuity and Change Among the Galo Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh – A Case Study

The communication systems used by Indigenous people are not to be generalized and therefore considered as sacred. The patterns of communication are deeply rooted in the community structures unique to each ethnic group. The observed modes of transmission within these communities include intergenerational and lateral communication. Notably, in recent times, there have been a few changes relating to their modes of communication as a result of globalization, modernisaton, and cultural homogenization which compromise the retention of indigenous knowledge. This paper explores on the modes of traditional communication, including practices of communication and feedback among the Galo community of Arunachal Pradesh that explain the factors of continuity and change in these systems. The paper focuses on i) the sharing of indigenous knowledge and the communication channels utilized in encoding that knowledge within the traditional communication systems of the community ii) modern-day issues and external communication strategies that are engaged by the community that serves the purpose of safeguarding the indigenous knowledge. The primary data for this research study has been obtained through participant observation and focus group and interviews with the community members, priests, and leaders.