Of Nose Plugs and Tattoo of the Apatanis

Ami Nwdo Bwnyi was the most beautiful woman of her time. She was also the most virtuous and skillful. She excelled in the art of weaving and making intricate designs; she was expert in cultivation and other household works. So immersed was she in her daily works that she did not have time to enjoy life.

One fine morning, she suddenly realized that all her friends have been married off and she is getting past her age for marriage. She got worried and decided to consult the God for advice.

“I have lived a virtuous life and have been a good daughter to my parent and a good sister to my brothers. But alas! I have remained unmarried while all my friends are enjoying their conjugal life,” Ami Nwdo Bwnyi said. “I wish to get married too and lead a normal life of a woman. But I am getting old and my beauty is deserting me. Pray, my God, advise me.”

“Your life will not go in vain,” the God said. “You will get the best husband on earth.”

“I am getting old and no longer pretty,” Ami Nwdo Bwnyi asked sadly. “Who will marry me now?” 

“I will tell you the secret of remaining ever youthful,” God said. “Twpe on your face, hulo on your nose and huxo with rutiñ yarañ on your ear will keep your beauty and youth for ever.”

Ami Nwdo Bwnyi got her nose and ear lobes pierced and put on yapiñ hulo and yaru huxo. She further decorated her ears with rutiñ yarañ. She then tattooed her face, the design of which was copied from that found in the pine trees.

One day, a young man saw Ami Nwdo Bwnyi and fell in love with her. He was Mwdo Jiñdo Tajiñ. He asked the beautiful woman with twpe and yapiñ to marry him.

Ami Nwdo Bwnyi and Mwdo Jiñdo Tajiñ got married. They gave birth to various xalos – the races of the world. They were able to raise lots of livestock’s which are the birds and wild animals that we see today. Pine trees, which inspired the facial tattoo design is considered sacred by the Apatanis.

So, it was after the mother of all xalos that the Apatanis came to tattoo their faces and put on nose plugs to beautify themselves. In the olden days, more prominent the twpe (tattoo) and bigger the size of the yapiñ hulo (nose plug), more beautiful a woman looked. The more prominent the twpe and bigger the pwdiñ (hair knot), more handsome a man was considered.

Twpe and yapiñ are no longer practiced today and will become things of the past. However, they will remain the characteristic features of the Apatanis forever.

(Adapted from here)

Kalung Rañtw - best of the Sacred Groves at Ziro

We have talked about the mystery of Rañtw - sacred groves of Ziro in a previous posting. Among the rañtws, Hari Rañtw is the best known for its magnificent trees which are named after the women who are believed to have planted them. Less known, but no less grand, is the Kalung Rañtw.

A special feature about the Kalung Rañtw is the fact that a shed at the site of the traditional nyatu - resting place, had been inaugurated by Kuru Hassang in 1998. The rañtw, most probably, has the biggest area and best maintained of all the village sacred groves.

The boundary is well demarcated with iron or concrete posts to prevent any encroachment attempts. Apart from magnificent blue pine trees, sacred trees include a wide varieties of other trees as well. The look of the sacred forest reminds one of Frost's verse, "The woods are lovely, dark and deep...."

Placid views from the rañtw add charm to the place.

Welcome to Kalung Rañtw.

How Bwhañ Tabu lost its Poison

Abotani was returning home. On the way, he saw the deadly Bwhañ Tabu jumping in joy.

"What is the occasion, my friend?" Abotani asked.

"I have done it!" the reptile shouted. "I have killed him with my poison!"

"Whom did you kill?"

"Someone with black hair on his head," Bwhañ Tabu told.

Abotani recalled all the creatures who have black hair on their heads. Suddenly, it dawned on him that it is the humans who have such features. He became worried. If this goes on, the future of mankind was bleak. He had to do something.

"Oh, I am sorry but you are celebrating in vain," Abotani told the tabu. "The one you bit is sitting in the sun with beautiful cloths and his hair neatly combed. I have come that way and saw him myself."

Bwhañ Tabu was shocked. He was disappointed with himself.

"What use is my poison," he thought, "if it cannot kill a creature!"

So saying, he spat out all of the poison he had at Supuñ Lañta. It was from that day onwards that the once-poisonous Bwhañ is harmless today.

Other small creatures like the bee, ants, etc. helped themselves with the poison that the tabu had spat out. That is how they got the poisons they have!

Apatani Handicrafts

It is becoming harder and harder to find good quality Apatani handicrafts these days. Old pieces have been destroyed or allowed to decay without any care. Only a handful of people, who are able and willing to find time to create those handicrafts, are alive today.

While the native people are still to understand the values and significance of this art, there is hope that appreciation for the handicraft skills of the Apatanis will live on. This hope springs from seemingly insignificant facts like finding of an Apatani bamboo glass (Tanii turla) in the corner of a Harrisonburg home. 

If an American can carry a turla all the way home across the ocean, will an antique collector in the crowded Thamel in Kathmandu remain behind? 

An Apatani rucksak (lera) was nicely displayed in one of the antique shops in Kathmandu. Curiously, I asked the price. It was 8000 Nepali rupees, amounting to 5000 Indian rupees! Good price, as a lera is among the best rucksacks one can find.

A couple of Apatani caps - byopas, too adorned the walls of the antique shop. These byopas are equally useful both in sun and rain. They double up as helmets as well.

One only hope these useful handicrafts are not yet relegated as antiques!

World Bamboo Day

As the world was observing the World Bamboo Day on 18th last, I was looking around the ways we use bamboos in our daily life. I briefly mentioned the roles of bamboo in our live here and so, will not repeat that. I'll show some bamboo items as I looked around my home. 

Piipiñ and yagii are two of the most prominent items in any Apatani house. Piipiñ is used to dry paddy, millet, chilly or other items. It also serves as giant plates for many people to eat together on certain special occasions.

Yagii essentially serves as a basket to carry things around. They are named according to their sizes - giida pata, entii yagii, puhe yagii and so on. The one in the picture is the giida pata.

 There are many other bamboo implements that I mentioned earlier. I recently constructed a bamboo furniture which I find is really useful.

 And this is the season bamboo is harvested at Ziro. The following are the remains of the bamboo - the top (milyiñ and arañ). They too are used for many purposes; I am still figuring out the best uses now.

The few points mentioned here are hardly a comprehensive list of the ways the Apatanis use bamboo. It is just a pointer to the fact that bamboo is the material that sustains our lives.

Custodian of Ranii Akhii

Dree this year has been celebrated all over the country in the most visible way, thanks to the internet and social networking sites.

Some of the most significant events, however, take place silently. Such an event has been the passing away of Tabyu Karlung, who inherited Ranii Akhii from his brother Tabyu Tabin and has been responsible for initiating the process of Dree ritual every year. He quietly passed away on June 25, 2011 just a week ahead of the Dree.

Ranii Akhii remains one of the most sacred and mysterious artefacts in Apatani culture. As per the oral history, the comb was brought from a mythological place called Wiipyo Ranii by a war expedition. "Wiipyo Ranii gañda ho nyibo pachala, Tanii Dree miinii naniipa, Ranii Akhii mi pagiitii," so goes the narration.

The tale of the akhii, which resembles some designs of Chinese hairpin, has always been baffling. During a major fire accident in Tajang village decades back, Tabyu Tabin, who was its custodian at the time, thought it has been burnt along with his house. To his amazement, however, the akhii returned unscathed a day after he re-constructed his house! Now, however, extra care has to be taken as one of its legs is broken and may not be able to run away in such crisis on its own.

Ranii Akhii has always been kept away from ordinary people, especially children, as it would harm them in various ways if disturbed. If its curse causes, for example, skin diseases, that could be cured by propitiating the akhii in appropriate ways. It was only during occasions like Dree that the sacred akhii could be freely seen by anybody. Did you see it this Dree?

Even as the custodian of the Ranii Akhii quietly passed away, Dree has been celebrated with pomp and gaiety, praying for the well being of humankind. The world goes on.

Yapuñ Yaper

It is always a pleasure to walk the road between Hija and Dutta villages. The road is flanked by magnificent bamboo gardens. What one often miss, while enjoying the walk, is the Yapuñ Yaper – the famous stone that we have grown up hearing about.

The spot where this unique stone was originally located used to be an important landmark in the days when the present road was a footpath connecting the two villages. It got displaced when the road was widened. However, some concerned people took interest and fixed the stone over the roadside drain with concrete mix.

I tried to get the history behind the stone with not much success. Do you have any?

Babo

The advent of Myoko is announced in myriad ways. It starts with the monkey hunting expedition (bidiñ) after the harvest. Then follows preparation and fetching of babos and lapangs from the jungle. Not-so long ago, such events were major ones. Members of clans used to stay for nights together preparing the lapangs. When the selected trees were felled for babos, young men used to rush in to mark the piidiñ, so that he can tie his rope on the topmost portion of the babo while dragging it to the village. Such young men were heroes of the clan.

The babos are erected and lapangs repaired during December/January of the Myoko anyangs. The babos are decorated like a bridegroom before they are erected. Taper, rinyo, lako - all in place.



Erection of babo is still a great event that every neighborhood look forward to. Every male member of the clan has to participate. Once fully decorated, the babo is pulled up using cane ropes. The ropes are tied to the topmost portions - the piiding and the tapers. Once in place, one agile young man volunteers to climb up the babo to bring down the ropes.



It is not only the festival of Myoko, but the preparation as well that is worth enjoying and watching.

Dree Story - 2: Sustaining Agriculture

Life was good. Abotani had good harvests every year from his aji at Liiha Poñtañ.

One year, however, Abotani noted that the yield had decreased. It decreased further the next year. As usual, Abotani turned to Aba Liibo and Ane Donii for advice.

Aba Liibo and Ane Donii examined the field. Their faces became gloomy.

“What’s the matter, my Lord?” Abotani asked with a worried expression.

“Dree is eating up your crops,” they said. “That is why your harvest is low.”

“Who is this Dree?” Abotani asked, perplexed.

“This is Dree,” Aba Liibo said, pointing to a tiny pest nibbling away at a paddy sapling.

“And this too,” said Ane Donii, picking up a worm which was eating the root of another sapling.

“Dree, in the form of these pests, insects and worms are destroying your crops,” they told.

“What should I do now?” asked Abotani looking up at Aba Liibo and Ane Donii with hope.

“Alas! We have no clue,” they said, sadly.

Abotani could not sleep that night. As soon as he heard the first crow of the cocks, he went to Anii Niinii and Punu Ninii.

“What brings you here, Tani?” they asked.

“I have been working very hard,” Abotani said. “But Dree is eating up the fruits of my labor. I have come here to seek your wise counsel.”

“Ah! Dree!!” they cried. “You need to propitiate Dree.”

Abotani started thinking quickly, “Who can help me propitiate Dree?”

He then remembered Changu Mitu (Poñkha Sah) and Dogu Misi (Pongu Mitu). “There is no greater priest than they,” he told himself. With hope flickering, he approached Changu Mitu and Dogu Misi.

“Dree has been eating my crops,” Abotani told the priests. “Anii Niinii and Punu Niinii have advised me to propitiate Him. Pray, help me.”

“Why not, son,” said the priests. “We will be happy to help mankind.”

So, Changu Mitu and Dogu Misi set working. First they collected a cup each of rice or millet from each household as Dree myiihii. Then they constructed the Dree pogyañ (altar) at Liiha Poñtañ. With offerings of hens and eggs, they then called upon Danyi-Piilo, Sii-Myoro, Siipiñ-Myome, Siitêr-Korlañ and Harnyañ-Pubyañ to prevent Dree from destroying the crops.

This was the first Dree! Thus the cultivation of food to feed mankind was sustained.

Welcome to Dree festival being celebrated by the descendants of Abotani every year!

Dree Story - 1: the Beginning of Agriculture

Abotani was tired. It had been a long day. He did not get much food today, though he had trekked through several hills. He had to forage for food everyday. He had to survive.

Lying down beside the fire, an idea struck Abotani, “I could plant the seeds of the food at one place. I won’t, then, have to go from place to place.”

As the cocks crew early next morning, he took this idea to Aba Liibo and Ane Donii. “A brilliant idea, Tani,” they cried. “Go to Jilyu Myogyañ (Jilyu Myodi) and Tolyo Siipêr (Yomo Barañ). Sow the seeds there. They shall be your aji (agricultural fields).”

“Where would I get the seeds?” Abotani asked.

“Ah, we will find out who can give you the seeds,” Aba Liibo and Ane Donii said.

Help was forthcoming. Hintii and Hirii offered to provide seeds for the primary food items. So, Abotani got seeds of emo (rice), sarse (millet), taku (cucumber) and tanyi (corn) from them.

“These seeds are pure,” they told. “They will yield pure food. They will sustain you in good times and bad times.”

Aha Riñtii brought the seeds of other food items like tape (pumpkin), peruñ (bean), inge (taro) and so on. Abotani did not consider them pure but sowed them to supplement his diet.

Cultivation was thus started in Jilyu Myogyañ and Tolyo Siipêr. Life became more comfortable for Abotani. After some years, however, the yield decreased. Abotani was worried. He consulted Aba Liibo and Ane Donii again, “I have been working hard in the fields, but the land is not kind to me. What could be the reason?”

Aba Liibo and Ane Donii examined the soil and said, “Aha! These fields have lost their fetility.”

“Is there nothing I can do?” Abotani asked.

“Yes, you can, Tani,” they said. “Some distance from here is a place named Liiha Poñtañ. Go ye there and cultivate.”

So, Abotani shifted to Liiha Poñtañ and made it his agricultural field.

Tiipe - the Body Art

Tiirii tiipe pa pa
Yapiñ tiipe pa pa
Nyachu piñpu pa pa
Goñpii tiipe pa pa
Pakii giilyu, giilyu, giilyu

The Apatani children used to grow up with the playful voices of their mothers singing this rhyme while mockingly putting tattoo (tiipe) on the face of the child, starting from the forehead (tiirii), nose (yapiñ) and the chin (goñpii) with her finger. Finally, she would tickle the child's chest making her laugh gleefully.

Apart from yapiñ and yaru hullo, tiipe is another form of body arts, practiced by the Apatanis. It was a painful and bloody process as the soot had to be stuck into the skin with thorns. Some children have said to have looked forward to the occasion when their face will be tattooed, but most understandably dreaded it.

Tiipe is becoming history now, but will always remain a characteristic features of the Apatanis.

Floriculture

Flowers like Neha apu and sanji apu have always played major roles in the lives of the Apatani people. Love for beauty, and so for flower, seems to be growing. Floriculture has made an entrance at Ziro.

The one shown in the picture is located in the Bamiñ Rañtii between Hapoli and Old Ziro. Good collection of various ornamental flowers - almost all pot flowers. I could not see any cut flower, cut foliage, seed bulb, rooted cuttings, and so on which are parts of floriculture. Good collection for a beginning, though.

Stop by and visit the Diilyang Diibyu Welfare Society, running the establishment.

Neha Apu

When a mother is getting ready to leave for the fields, the child cries, insisting that she wants to go with her. "The field is very far, my child," the mother cajoles. "Play at home and I will get neha apu for you."



Just as the fathers brought Sanji apu from the jungle, the mothers brought neha apu from the fields. The flower was used for making bagañ rinyo used to decorate one's ears.

Advent of Myoko

It is not fog. It is not due to impending rain. It is an indicator that the Myoko festival is not far. Murpa sai, the characteristic hazy look in the horizon is so unique at Ziro.

No wonder it is unique, as Myoko is unique at Ziro. Unlike other festivals like Dree which is celebrated all over the country, Myoko can be celebrated only at Ziro. Murpa sai, along with takuñ apu and señbo apu, is one of the nature's way of signalling that Myoko Pillo is here.

Oh yes, Myoko Piilo is here.

Meder Nello

Last few years have seen a renaissance of indigenous faith all over Arunachal Pradesh. In the central belt of the state, also called the Tani belt, inhabited by the tribes following the Danyi-Piilo or Donyi Polo, a number of prayer houses called Meder Nello or Nyedar Namlo are being constructed. This is one such in Tajang village at Ziro.

Though not appreciated by all, these Meder Nellos are attracting curious visitors. It has the potential to be developed into institutions for preserving and show-casing the indigenous culture and traditions of the tribal people.

Muruñ Piilo

Subu and Muruñ are two occasions which are perfect examples of the people turning a crisis into an opportunity. One may have these occasions as any other ritual to propitiate the God, but they are always observed with an air of festivity. Other reason for performing these rituals, especially by a person who has done well in the society, may be a kind of thanks giving.

The main features of these festivals are supuñ-niiñ, mithun sacrifice, penii (in case of Muruñ) and hiirii khaniiñ. Supuñ-niiñ has become an occasion to display one's ornaments, dresses and handicrafts mostly by the female members of the family. The young people gets a chance to test their agility and strength during Mithun sacrifice. Penii is the climax when everybody goes in a procession around the world (supuñ paker) of the Apatanis. People can be seen dressing up themselves any way they like. A kind of fashion show.

For whatever reason and in whatever way these festivals are observed, they are great occasions to preserve and promote the Apatani culture and practices.

Jilañ on Indian Postage Stamp

At last, the traditional Apatani design in the jilañ has found its place in the Indian postage stamp along with Varanasi Brocade, Kanchipuram Silk and Kalamkari. More details can be found here.

The traditional textiles of the Apatanis had got the much needed boost in 1997 when the Apatani Cultural and Literary Society (ACLS) organized a traditional fashion contest entitled "Trendsetters". Since then, various designs have been adapted and used in various cloths.
Jilañ is the dress used by the priests during ceremonial occasions like the Murung and Subu. Mythology has it that the designs were copied from the color combinations of the peacock.

Apart from the jilañ, other traditional clothes include jig-jiro, jikhe, piisa-leñda, lañchañ abi, pyamiñ pulye and so on.

Clay pots

December is a time for frantic house constructions in the Apatani valley. It is time also for sacrificing of pigs reared so carefully throughout the year. For children, it is time for keeping an ear for the shrieks of the pigs so as to get a small share of boiled blood in the clay pots. One has, of course, to be from the same clan as the family sacrificing the pig.

Bamin village was known as the place where best quality clay pots were prepared. The art, sadly, seems to be disappearing as clay pots are being replaced by readymade utensils available in the market. We met a not-so elderly woman who recalls seeing clay pots being prepared in the past and nostalgically tried her hand at it. Obviously, the result was not so satisfactory as is evident from the pictures below. One pot is an old one and the other is the one moulded recently.


It is said that the food inside the clay pot loses little of its moisture as it is surrounded by steam, creating a tender and tasty dish. As water evaporates, the dish is not burnt so long as the pot is not allowed to heat until it is completely dry. And unlike boiling, nutrients are not leached out into the water.

The sacred blood of the pigs was, till recently, boiled in clay pots only, but this practice also is being paced out now. One wonders whether the present and future generations of our people will ever miss food cooked in clay pots.

Harvesting Time

On the instigation of Tini Rungya, Abotani had married her and divorced his virtuous wife, Diilyañ Diibyu. As the years went by, Tiini Rungya showed her true colors and ruined Abotani. A day came when not a morsel of grain was left.

Abotani realized his mistake, divorced Tini Rungya and tried to woe Diilyañ Diibyu back. Ayo Diilyañ Diibyu would not listen. Abotani begged for some food. No mercy.

He had to survive. Humankind had to survive. He had to get some food somehow.

"Go to Diilyañ Diibyu's house," Abotani told his dog. "She must be drying paddy on the piipiñ. Roll on it and come back running fast."

The faithful dog did as he was told. However, Diilyañ Diibyu saw Tani's dog and immediately knew his trick. She caught hold of the dog, cleaned all the paddy crops sticking to his hair and sent the dog back, "Now you can go back to Tani."

When the dog returned Tani was disappointed. As he petted the dog, however, he noticed a morsel of grain in each of the small pocket that all dogs have on their ears. Now, he had to multiply these grains to feed mankind.

The first year, Tani sowed the grain in the hearth - ugu. Next, he sowed them in the space around the urinal - si sita. Thus as the years went by, he had enough grains to be sown in the seed bed - midiñ.

It is entii piilo now. Time for harvesting paddy that our ancestor had propagated all around. This is one of the two seasons when the Apatanis cannot wait for anything. The other is the transplantation time of the paddy saplings.

The dog being the one who brought grains to us, the Apatanis never beat them during harvesting time.

Entii piilo is also the time for entii patañs to get together. A patañ usually consists of ten members - five male and five female. It is because it takes around two weeks to complete the harvesting of paddy.

It is a time to rejoice - reaping the fruits of the year-long labor.

Oldest Lapañ

When the Apatanis migrated to the present valley in an unknown past, they are said to have planted the Rantii Piisa that we can see in the Hari Rantii and constructed the first lapañ which is famous today as the Dokañ Lapañ. This lapañ is considered the oldest one in the Apatani valley and is maintained by the Mudo halu of Hari village.


It is a pity, however, that the construction of the lapañ has been modified using iron pipes and concrete posts these days. This could, otherwise, be the right one to be designated the heritage lapang. It is still a significant landmark at Ziro because of the history and mythology associated with it. Welcome to Hari village.