How less and little do we know about our neighbors? In our forefathers time there were no roads, only thick forest to compensate. Moreover we were enemies and even among ourselves- among the different ‘Naga’ tribes, down to villages head-hunting was most prevalent and there were hardly any interactions between closely situated villages either: not in the form of trade or intermarriage, friendly relationships between neighbor-villages. For tribal people with primitive culture and lifestyle this was their way of life. Head-hunting was our way of life where Life was created and taken as parallely as life was lived among these hills. Where do we implement that into a modern identity? Where must we change now? And how must we live onwards taking into consideration a larger identity and with people around us? I guess this asks both of our tribalism within ourselves as it would ask about getting to know or live with our neighboring states. We have roads connecting the seven sisters of the North-east hills. We have roads within Arunachal, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram. It would be our choice whether we wish to travel them, and here I would use it as a metaphor even implying that this is a choice whether we will chose to learn and get to know our neighbors. There is such a difference to actually be in a place than to imagine how it might be, or prejudice them with shallow observances. The people, air, smell and feel is different. You cannot just say a Manipuri is Just a Manipuri once you’ve experienced and seen Manipur yourself too. It is important, we no longer live in a village under the umbrella of a khel, clan and surname. Nor do we exist as just One tribe. In the face of a global world you are far too small and it is here that neighbors are significant. And relationships whether procured from enmity from olden days or friendly relations need to be observed from a new lens- a modern lens perhaps, because if modernity should penetrate us it should be on arenas like these and not a superficial masquerade.
Arunachal Pradesh
I spent some time with the Apatanis. They are a tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, one among the 26 main tribes of Arunachal (there are many more sub-tribes who can be considered independent tribes because their languages are different, customs, attires and lifestyles). My friend took me to Ziro, Lower Subansiri district, Arunachal Pradesh –where the Apatani tribes live. Arunachal Pradesh (name coined by Indira Gandhi) attained statehood only in 1987 barely 24 years ago, and before that they were under NEFA (North-east Frontier Agency) and were all independent tribes respectively. So in a way, you observe that the tribes are quite independent from one another besides their differences in language, attires etc. like us Nagas too. Perhaps the more peculiar difference is that they do not really have a common name or common-inclusive identity as us ‘Nagas’ have done from a period in our history although we have a heterogeneous congruity unlike Meghalaya, Assam, Mizoram or Tripura tribals. However, its very interesting to observe how so many tribes of a same Mongoloid stock but of whom may have come in different waves of migration or from different migration routes and hence different languages, attires, customs etc. constitute independently of one another and might have lived in this way had we all not been enveloped under the great Indian umbrella. One doesn’t feel like he/she is in India when you come to the North-east of India and likewise when you are in Arunachal their distinguished personality and beauty of their own uniqueness impresses upon you. When I observe the whole North-east of India sometimes I can observe independent ‘nation-states’ of tribes, people, languages down to independent villages! We are so peculiar and unique in this way- our ethnic indigenous tribal identities!
With the Apatanis
My friend is from the Apatani tribe and although I had heard about them and their customs from her, hence my curiosity enhanced, the experience of meeting and interacting with them face to face was quite something else! The Apatani women pierce their noses from a young age and they slowly enlarge their piercings as they grow older. The women also tattoo their faces and five lines on the chin, much like the Aos did before too. The men only have one tattoo on their chin which is a straight line. The ink used in tattooing their faces is actually soot or ash from the fire. It seems the Apatanis used to get into conflicts with the Niyshi tribes (a majority tribe in Arunachal) who would kidnap their women away as the Apatani women were very beautiful so the Apatani women pierced their noses to look ‘less’ beautiful and also imposing to their enemies. Some elders told me that it was not only Niyshi tribesmen who came and took their women away but also other invaders. Therefore the Apatani men consider these piercing as a symbol of beauty and the bigger the nose-piercing the more beautiful the woman is. This custom of nose-piercing among the Apatani women is dying with the coming of modernity and I perhaps witnessed and interacted with one of the last tattooed and pierced Apatanis. The women I talked to considered that it was no longer relevant to pierce their noses now and that they look ‘ugly’ among a modern society. It may be true that it is no longer relevant to pierce one’s nose today but I would not consider them ‘ugly’ or grotesque as it held a significant symbol in their custom and practice. Even about their reputed beauty and sacrifice for that, which their men considered as a sign of beauty in their eyes.
Most Apatani people still believe in the ‘old religion’ or animistic beliefs like how we Nagas had also practiced once upon a time. They worship the sun and moon and it is called Doni Polo religion. Arunachal has a mixture of religions actually, you have the animistic belief besides influences of Buddhism, Christianity etc.
I would like to share some few photographs I took while there. You cannot look at a person, people through a superficial glass or shallow skimming and this speaks as much about Tribalism among Nagas as it does state-enmity in the North-east. Let us learn, huh? Now you’ve learned a little about the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh along with me. If you are in Arunachal Pradesh you should visit the upper regions of the state which I couldn’t because of time-scarcity. Regions like Tawang district, Anini, West Kameng districts etc. You’ll find a lot of very tribes like the Monpas or Sherdukpens who seem to have Tibetan and Chinese influence, a tribe called ‘Tai Khampti’ who have very distinguished similarities with Thai people. It is a most beautiful place, still filled with deep forests, towering trees and high, cascading waterfalls. I hope it remains that way as long as it could……
