Working with Community: The Wancho of eastern Arunachal Pradesh, India
The Wancho are a tribal community with a population of 56,866 (Census 2011), living in Longding District, in the Patkai range of eastern Arunachal Pradesh in India. The landscape is considered remote even within the Northeast region, and limited contact with outsiders, apart from neighbouring tribal groups, has helped to preserve the indigenous cultural heritage and the traditional design of local dwellings and community structures. The Wancho villages (Nok) are dense settlements that were typically isolated from one another. Four villages were selected for this study of architecture: Kamhua Noknu, Kamhua Noksa, Khasa and Jagan. The traditional buildings in the villages are made of local materials: wood, bamboo and palm leaf thatch. The use of organic materials and the impact of heavy annual rainfall accounts for the ephemeral nature of buildings that must be reconstructed every 8-10 years. Each rebuilding represents a significant event that brings the community together to revita...
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