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Arunachal Pradesh with The Apatanis
Portraying India
Perceptions of India, inspired by the lives of those who embody its most authentic spirit
In this edition, we look at Arunachal Pradesh from the perspective of its indigenous people, The Apatanis.
The Himalayas in India are home to some of the most resilient indigenous populations. Challenged everyday by the relentless landscape, these people have found ways of survival that were unique to begin with, but have now become renowned for their sustainability, the world over. Of these, the Apatanis of the Arunachal Pradesh, have a culture that is exemplary of the innovative thinking that can benefit us in our efforts to be ecologically sustainable.
They are known for their progressive agricultural practices and sophisticated land management techniques. Approximately half their land is dedicated to an innovative paddy-cum-fish cultivation system and a third of it is maintained as clan forest. Almost every house in the valley is known to maintain a home garden. This advanced approach to agriculture, developed over centuries, positions the Apatani as one of the more advanced societies in Northeast India.
Founded on the Pillars of Culture and Community
Since the Apatani people have no formal script and their cultural materials are made of perishable materials, it is difficult to factually trace their origins. According to estimates, their origins can be traced back to Mudo Suppung, which is in modern-day Tibeto-China. They speak a local language called Tani and it is believed that they migrated from this region and eventually settled in the Ziro Valley of the eastern Himalayas.
The cornerstone of Apatani culture is a deep respect for nature and its cyclical ways. In their primary religion, Danyi-Pilo, which translates to “the sun and the moon”, the celestial bodies are revered as deities that sustain all life, particularly farming that gives them food. People express their gratitude through biannual festivals aligned with the agricultural cycles of planting and harvest. During the pre-spring festival, villages welcome everyone day and night for feasting and fellowship, strengthening communal bonds that persist long after the festivities end.
The cornerstone of Apatani culture is a deep respect for nature and its cyclical ways. In their primary religion, Danyi-Pilo, which translates to “the sun and the moon”, the celestial bodies are revered as deities that sustain all life, particularly farming that gives them food. People express their gratitude through biannual festivals aligned with the agricultural cycles of planting and harvest. During the pre-spring festival, villages welcome everyone day and night for feasting and fellowship, strengthening communal bonds that persist long after the festivities end.
Revolutionary Farming Practices
One of the most significant challenges for all the indigenous populations of Arunachal Pradesh is the lack of land area that can support housing, farming and other human activities. A hallmark of the Ziro valley, inhabited by the Apatani people, is judicious utilization of limited land area. The relatively flat land in the valley is used for wet-rice cultivation where fish also is reared. In this indigenous technique of farming, shortly after rice is transplanted, three strains of common carp are introduced. These fish thrive on the natural food sources within the paddy fields, reducing the need for additional feeding.
Without any machines, draught animals or fertilizers, the Apatani people are able to produce food for the entire community by relying on age-old traditions and beliefs. Extensive irrigation channels, recycling of crop and natural watersheds by the forests surrounding the valley are methods that rely on strong laws against deforestation and a deeply embedded respect for nature. These practices allow for the availability of irrigation water for wet rice farming and promote a feeling of community amongst the people of the region.
Without any machines, draught animals or fertilizers, the Apatani people are able to produce food for the entire community by relying on age-old traditions and beliefs. Extensive irrigation channels, recycling of crop and natural watersheds by the forests surrounding the valley are methods that rely on strong laws against deforestation and a deeply embedded respect for nature. These practices allow for the availability of irrigation water for wet rice farming and promote a feeling of community amongst the people of the region.
“The sight is one I shall never forget, as we suddenly emerged on a magnificent plateau….Our hearts warmed up at the sight of primroses, violets, wild currants, strawberries and raspberries, and I felt disposed to almost believe some of the wonderful stories we had head of the fabulous wealth of this country.”
In Need of Preservation
In the face of a rapidly expanding commercial interests on every inch of the Earth, many indigenous stories and traditions are being threatened. While there have are technological advancements that help increase productivity, sometimes the cost to natural landscapes is too high. Ziro Valley bears testimony to the cultural traditions of the Apatani that are responsible for maintaining the landscape more or less in the same state for centuries together and developing innovative techniques like wet-rice farming.
In the absence of written material and scripts, their practices and traditions, which have great value for society and environment and recorded orally, need dedicated efforts to be preserved. To this end, The Apatani Cultural Landscape was recently added to the tentative list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. In an effort to spread awareness about their culture and continue evolving with the time, the people in the valley also hold the Ziro Music Festival every year.
Discovering Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is the eastern most end of India. A land covered with Himalayas, the name literally translates to ‘The Land with Dawn-Lit Mountains’. Its claim to fame is the promise it holds for those who are keen on straying from the Road Well Taken. With its remote mountain hikes, dense forests and streams of rivers, it holds a promise of paradise that is hard to find in other regions. Even though accessing the area is still a challenge, in the face of growing globalization, it is one of the places that remains untouched by commercialization.
Eat a traditional feast prepared by locals
Different varieties of rice along with fish, meat and locally grown green vegetables form staple foods of the region. Apong or rice beer made from fermented rice or millet is a popular beverage in Arunachal Pradesh, as an alcoholic drink. With great emphasis on community, meals are a time to share joys and miseries with people and a unique experience altogether.
Dance with the locals in a harvest festival
Arunachal’s cultural lifestyle is dominated by colourful festivals. Since agriculture is the mainstay here so people generally celebrate festivals as a mark of thanksgiving to the overlords for giving them a good harvest. Every group has a version of colorful festivals, although the pre-spring festivals are legendary for their festivities.
Nourish your sense of spiritual wellbeing
As with many mountainous regions in the Himalayas, Arunachal Pradesh is home to several monasteries. The magical Tawang Gompa, is reputedly the world’s second-largest Buddhist monastery complex after Drepung Monastery (in Lhasa, Tibet). Tawang has over 400 lamas, whose yellow-roofed living quarters surround the central buildings.
Learn about the unique textiles of the region
Women in Arunachal Pradesh have a tradition of weaving on single needle tension or loin looms to weave a thick, woolen-like cloth. Often combinations of red, white and black are used in their traditional clothing, with the coloring obtained from natural sources like barks, roots, leaves and seeds. Geometrical patterns in yellow, green and scarlet are often used for decorations.
Recommendations for Further Exploration
To Watch
Silent Footage on the Apatani in 1944/45 from Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf Film Archive
Archival Documentary on the Apatani by BBC
Silent Footage on the Apatani in 1944/45 from Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf Film Archive
Archival Documentary on the Apatani by BBC
To Listen
Apatani Folk Song
Apatani Folk Song
To Read
UNESCO Report on Apatani Cultural Landscape
The Apatanis at Ground Ziro by Tanmoy Bhaduri for People’s Archive of Rural India
Apatani: The Forgotten Origin by Palaniappan Subramanyam
UNESCO Report on Apatani Cultural Landscape
The Apatanis at Ground Ziro by Tanmoy Bhaduri for People’s Archive of Rural India
Apatani: The Forgotten Origin by Palaniappan Subramanyam
At Tushita, we marvel at India with you. After 45 years of travelling the country, we’re still enamoured by its beauty every day. From Ladakh, where Tushita was anointed by a Buddhist monk in 1977, to Tamil Nadu, where we worked with locals to showcase one of the oldest cultures in the world, we are partners in your journey to discover our part of the world.
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