ABSTRACT
Much more than the tribe, it is the clan which matters in the daily social interactions of most Northeast Indian communities. Moreover, clan membership is often the prerequisite to tribal membership. Historical clues suggest that, till recently, social identities were primarily based on clan rather than tribe. Clans assume various shapes and incorporation into them depend on various descent rules. At the local level, solidarity, authority as well as conflicts, are often shaped by relationships among segments of clan. Urban migrations have not jeopardized the social significance of clans. To the contrary, clans have become corporate actors at the regional level.
