Nocte Tribe is inhabited mainly in the central regions of the Arunachal Pradesh. Etymologically `Nocte` means "people living in an organized community". In the Ahom and early British periods Nocte tribes were referred to as Borduarias, Panduarias, Namsangia and Jaipurias. They had come into close contact with general people in the middle of the 19th Century. The Noctes belong to the Mongoloid type. Nocte tribes had close relation with the Naga tribal communities is a known fact. The society is divided into two - The Royal Lowang Kepi and the Tangmo. Each class consists of many lineage groups called `Ku` or `Ru`. The tribe as a whole is endogamous.

Society of Nocte Tribe
Nocte society is based on patrilineal principles. The basic unit of Nocte tribe is the clan. The clans are patrilineal, patriarchal and patrilocal. It is organized under a chief who controls a village. The chief is called Lowang. The chief and his descendent form a separate class called Lowang Jat while the commoners are called Sana Jat. Physical division of villages is a special feature of the Nocte society. There is a prohibition of marriage between the members of different clans within a Chump. Nocte society is basically a male dominated society. Women have to remain under the control of male members. They do not enjoy any individual liberty. They have no right over the property of their husband as the society is patrilineal, patriarchal and patrilocal in nature.

The villager places his desire before the village priest for selection of suitable place to construct a house. The priest selects the place through divination. The houses are built at a height of four to twelve feet from the ground level. The land on which the house is built is uneven and undulating. Tako leaves are used for thatching the roof. A typical Nocte house is of the Chang pattern consisting of a Wakka or a big hall and an inner room which is known as Humanyu.

Agriculture of Nocte Tribe
The Nocte tribe`s traditional economy is shifting cultivation, hunting, gathering and fishing. Since last two decades some of them have started wet or permanent cultivation. The lands used for the cultivation are non-cadastral and the ownership is vested to the chief of the village or of the community. The period of Jhum cycle depends on two factors-the fertility of the land and the density of population in that area. If the land is fertile it can be cultivated for two or three years, with crop rotation. In this cultivation paddy, millet, arum, tapioca and few local pulses are grown.

Food of Nocte Tribe
Nocte tribe cooks food thrice daily in the morning, at noon and at night. In between they take Kham or rice beer. The basic diet of the Noctes consists of cereals, millets, vegetables, meat and fish which is supplemented with a variety of leafy vegetables, non-leafy vegetables, underground vegetables, floral vegetables, fruits as well as pumpkin, brinjal, gingers, onion, mustard leaf, chilly, the flower of plain bamboo shoot. They are accustomed to chewing betel nut and betel vine leaf.

Religious Life of Nocte Tribe
The Noctes tribes follow Vaishnavism. However their life is influenced by deep-rooted beliefs in a number of supernatural spirits and deities. The deities are both malevolent and benevolent in character. The household deities are benevolent. The Nocte tribes are very pious. They practice `Animism` and a sect of Buddhism. However, quite a lot of Nocte tribes came under the influence of Shri Shankar Deva and took up Hinduism in the eighteen century. There are several local deities whom they worship with reverence and appease them. `Jauban` is a significant one.

Festivals of Nocte Tribe
Amongst various festivals that these Nocte tribes fete, Loku is the major one. Nocte signifies `chasing out of the old season` which continues for three days. Slaughtering of cattle, amusement and also food gathering are the rituals held on first day of the festival.

Costumes of Nocte Tribe
The men folk shave their hair in the frontal area of the head, and the hair tussock at the back is tied into a roll of hair worn at the nape of the neck, known as `chignon`. The womenfolk will keep their long coloured hair plaits knotted into a bun at the back of the neck. However, it is customary for Nocte widows to keep their hair short unless and until they remarry. Tattooing also is in fashion. To beat the sultry heat of summer seasons, the men folk will wear a `loincloth` in front along with numerous cane belts, there by acting as `waistband`. Ivory bamboo slips and armlets are also worn on both legs and arms. The women have got unique sets of attires for themselves.