11th - 18th May Up to Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh

I'd arranged to do some trekking in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, the sprawling state in North East India that lies north of Assam and borders Bhutan to the west and China to the north. I'd always wanted to visit this intriguing place, so far removed from the usual tourist hotspots of India's cities to the west and south.

Getting to Ziro, where I had arranged to meet my trekking guide, Chadda, involved a lengthy period of travel. Firstly I returned to Jorhat, spent a night there and then caught the 5.30am bus to North Lakhimpur, a journey of ten hours that was uttterly exhausting. I then needed to find a sumo jeep that would take me up to Ziro, a fairly large town built on a high plateau in west Arunachal Pradesh. Eventually I obtained one, although it involved another lengthy journey of around five hours through mountainous terrain, although as the light faded, the proximity of cliff edges and sharp bends became a more pressing concern! It was a profound relief to arrive at the hotel after one of the most physically draining days imaginable. I had initially intended to start a three-day trek from Ziro to Talle Valley the following day, but common sense prevailed and I commenced the trek a day later.

However, I met with Chadda the next day and had a long and fruitful chat with him about my stay in Arunachal Pradesh and options for trekking. We later walked round Ziro market and managed to obtain a pair of reasonably waterproof boots that were surprisingly comfortable. The market was pretty interesting, with Chadda pointing out some varieties of spices that I'd not come across before, like Sikkim pepper.

Sikkim pepper

Chadda's cousin, Bamin, who was originally to take me on the trek picked up Chadda and I, and dropped us off on the outskirts of Ziro village where we began our trek to an overnight resting place called Pange. The camp at Talley is around 30 kilometres from Ziro, and the area is comprised of mainly sub-tropical and alpine forests, and is regarded as having greater biodiversity than many other parts of India.

We set off under fairly open skies, and I was surprised to find small kiwi fruit plantations, and there were more of these the further we walked. Its a fledgling development at present, but apparently there are plans to expand the operation.

Kiwi plantation

Quite soon, however, the sense of being immersed in thick vegetation became stronger, with huge swathes of different varieties of grasses towering over us, at times obscuring much of the light. There were enormous ferns, larger than any I'd seen before. A vast confection of pine trees and bamboo.

Chadda leads the way, enveloped in forests

Huge ferns

During the course of the trek, Chadda explained a great deal to me about the tribal beliefs and cultures of the peoples of Arunachal Pradesh, particularly the Apatanis, and so gave me valuable insights that I would not otherwise have gained. In doing so, it helped me gain a fuller appreciation of the diversity of India as a whole, but also in the context of this state.

At various times we came across many mithuns, or 'gayals', the state animal of Arunachal Pradesh. They are huge semi-domesticated animals, shy and fearful despite their heft and are only found in North East India, as well as a handful of places in Myanmar and China. Much larger than cows and more akin to bison, they are not milked, and mostly roam free in the forests, until they are ritually slaughtered. Chadda pointed out that there are 26 registered tribes across Arunachal Pradesh, with a variety of sub-tribes. One of the smaller tribes, numbering around 30,000 people, is the Apatani tribe, to which his family belongs. Ziro is home for the Apatani people.

All of the tribes regard mithun as an intrinsic part of their culture. Ownership of mithuns conveys high status as they are extremely expensive. The value of each mithun is based upon the size of their horns, not their weight as might be assumed. Within Apatani culture, the bride's family can demand that the groom's family purchase a mithun as a dowry, a complete gender reversal from the traditional Hindu marriage set-up.

Mithun

Interestingly, mithun are not tethered in any shape or form, and they are free to roam wherever they wish. However, the owners need to ensure they do not stray too far away from a specific area, so they check up on them every early evening by having a distinctive call, something we witnessed later in the day. The forest provides all the nutrients required by mithuns, apart from salt, which their owners provide, and this helps to cement the relationship between man and beast. Ownership of the mithun is illustrated by distinctive cut marks made to the mithun's right ear.

Shamans plays a very significant role in the culture of the Apatani people through presiding over births and marriages. Where a groom's family is in search of a bride, the ritual killing of a mithun and the shaman's examination of its liver is used as a means of assessing the suitability of a potential match. Where the liver's portents are considered favourable, the evidence is presented by the shaman to the bride's parents with a view to securing agreement for the marriage.

Shamans are also called upon to resolve other matters, such as in the event of a large non-domesticated member of the cat family being inadvertently killed by an Apatani tribesman seeking to trap some other kind of animal, such as fowl. Large cats are revered by the Apatani, and the process for making amends to the deceased cat's spirit is extremely costly. It involves the shaman walking around the village for 3 days performing various rites, which involves the entire village. In addition, three young boys must stay awake for 3 nights continuously while they guard the whole family from the deceased cat's spirit from seeking vengeance. In addition, the person responsible for the death of the cat must spend 3 days continually changing into different clothes to confuse the cat's spirit as to who was responsible for the cat's untimely passing. At the end of this process, it is hoped that the cat's spirit can rest in peace.

Chadda also spoke of the dietary habits of the Apatanis. Mithuns are only killed at the end of their lives, and the cost of the meat is beyond the means of most Apatanis. It rarely appears at market and is twice as costly as chicken. However, as a means of exerting pest control, particularly in relation to protecting rice yields, Apatanis consume rats to maintain control of the population. These are sold in the market at specific times of the year. Dogs are also consumed by the Apatanis, but less frequently.      

River view at Pange

Arriving in Pange, we were served an evening meal by the two kind fellows who maintained a set of rooms for visitors. The meal of lentils and rice was cooked over an open fire in the room where we sat, with great plumes of smoke causing my eyes to water at various times.

The next morning we set off at about 9am and arrived at the Talle valley camp building at around 3.30pm, having walked roughly 14 kilometres. As with the previous day, we were fairly fortunate with the weather, with only a couple of showers despite it being fairly overcast for most of the time, and when it rained Chadda's Indian army poncho, procured from a soldier some time ago, came in very handy. As we walked, we often heard the call of the hawk cuckoo in the near distance.

Chadda continued to tell me of the social and political context of tribal living in Arunachal Pradesh. All of the tribes shared a belief in 'Donyipolo', which essentially involves worship of the sun and the moon. The Indian government recognises the socio-economic discrimination that so-called "scheduled tribes" experience, and hence all of them are entirely exempt from paying income tax. They also benefit from protected employment quotas in relation to securing government jobs. The land that they live on is considered ancestral and so its ownership by tribal people is protected; non-tribal people may rent it, but they can never own it.

Before commencing the trek, Chadda had warned me of a particular hazard associated with trekking in jungle areas: leeches. I'd thought I had steered clear of them when I felt a strangle feeling on my thigh, which i'd initially dismissed, only to find the offending creature bloated with its tell-tale trail of blood a few inches from where it had had a good feast. Goodness knows how it had got there. The next morning I had gone to the bathroom and thought i'd experienced a minor knife wound to the midriff, a liberal splash of congealed blood, and there were the remnants of another leech. Apparently they continue taking in blood and then can eventually explode, which is what seems to have happened.

Trekking in the jungle

Chadda takes a break

Arriving at the hut in Talle valley, the views were great. The hut was as basic as possible, but Chadda and I tidied it up a bit and after gathering wood and boiling lentils for food, it wasn't so bad.

The next day we trekked all the way back to the outskirts of Ziro, about 25 kilometres. Chadda highlighted the role of animal sacrifice, particularly during the Murung festival of prosperity in January. Mithuns are sacrificed if a shaman considers that it may aid fertility within the family owning mithuns, or to help a family member recover from a serious illness, or if the shaman has received a spiritual sign telling him to perform the ceremony. Either way, it demonstrates the social status of the family, in that the whole community can enjoy a communal feast.

The mithun sacrifice is presided over by a shaman seated on a raised platform (called a 'lapang'), who chants for the whole of the day, after which the mithun is killed with a blow to the back of the head from an axe. After the axe blow, the villagers jump forth to grasp the mithun's tongue to prevent it from screaming, as this represents a bad omen. A piece of mithun for consumption is given to each married couple in the village. Ten days later, there is a procession with people passing from village to village which people observe in their traditional dress. They are welcomed with rice beer and food. At the end, everyone makes their way to the host family's home (which sacrificed the mithun) and are offered food and drink. This marks closure, but also reminds the wider community that the ceremony which took place earlier is out of respect for that family.

In March, Apatanis celebrate "myoko", a spring festival. It also celebrates good relations with other tribes in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly the Nyishi, which is easily the largest in the state and whose population is roughly ten times that of the Apatani. All of the 9 villages in Ziro valley are divided into groups of 3, and each group takes it in turn to host the celebrations. Hosting villages hoist large T shaped poles with flags flying upon them. During the first few days of the festival, people from the non-hosting villages can visit the host villages and be welcomed with food and drink. On the second day of the myoko festival, all of the men gather carrying ratan palms while a shaman sits in a small village hut in the centre of a village and chants, calling upon the departed spirits to come and join them.

On the third day of the festival, every married couple sacrifices a pig. The women dress up the pigs with flour and sprinkle them with rice beer. The shaman utters various prayers before the pigs are sacrificed, such that they are offered up to the spirits so that they may be contented, and that the married couples may enjoy better lives in future. The cooked pork is roughly divided between the relatives of the bride and groom.

Between the 7th and the 10th day of the festival, the shaman is again called to the homes of the hosting villages, where he offers further prayers for the families.

On the 15th day, a special ceremony takes place where offerings are made in the form of meat, eggs and rice beer to the departed spirits to protect the family's welfare. This occurs in a bamboo garden within the hosting villages.

On the 30th day there is a small closing cremony to conclude the festival.

The Apatani also celebrate the Dree festival in July. This festival is to appease the gods of agriculture in seeking to produce a good harvest, and to protect it from harmful pests. There are folk dances, animal sacrifices and much feasting. The festival continues for approximately 10 days, and during this period people are dissuaded from carrying out agricultural work in the fields. During this festive period, villagers carry out traditional sports, such as wrestling. Apatanis also visit the homes of their older relatives and present them with a gift of wine as a token of love and respect, and to strengthen their relationship.

During the trek back to Ziro, the sunlight was brighter than it had been for the previous few days, which meant it felt a little less claustrophobic. Some Apatanis were combining collecting firewood and having a picnic, and kindly offered me a glass of beer made from millet and rice, which had a fine, distinctive flavour.

The following day (16th), Chadda took me on a one-day trek into the Kardo hills. This was a wonderful trek through thick pine forests, and the weather remained fine. There were spectacular views throughout, and to some extent the terrain felt not dissimilar to some of the trekking days I'd enjoyed in Nepal. Chadda spoke with considerable pride about the Apatani people's approach to sustainable preservation of the pine forests of their ancestors, which is based upon a refusal to follow the "slash and burn" approach followed by other tribal people's, which has resulted in almost complete deforestation in some areas.

In 2014, UNESCO recognised "the co-existence of man and nature perfected over the centuries by the Apatani civilisation", and highlighted their "systematic land-use pattern which ensures high level of biodiversity in Ziro valley and efficient conservation of crucial watersheds ensuring perennial streams flowing into the valley to meet the needs of the people". It also lauded the Apatanis for their "systematic land use practices and rich traditional ecological knowledge of natural resources management and conservation". The lush pine forests of the Ziro valley seemed a vivid illustration of sustainable agricultural practice in action.

View of Old Ziro

View of paddy fields

During the Kardo hills trek and the latter part of the Talle valley trek, I was fortunate enough to photograph some of the fabulous butterflies that adorn the landscapes.

The following day, Chadda took me on a walking tour of Apatani villages in Ziro. One of the most interesting aspects was walking through rice fields, which were adjacent to the villages, observing how the fields had been divided so that families were allocated sections to cultivate and the process of irrigation, with water engineered to flow by gravity from one segment to another. Yet from a distance each of the paddy fields seemed to be of a similar height; it was only through walking along the narrow paths seperating them that the differences became apparent.

The laborious nature of rice cultivation was something I'd not fully appreciated. Cultivating fledgling shoots in designated "rice nurseries" before transferring them to larger paddy fields once they had become established, and removing weeds from other fields before introducing new shoots all had to be done by hand. At one point, Chadda referred to this as a "primitive" process, not in a pejorative sense, but as a reflection of the absence of mechanisation. It would seem that rice cultivation has not changed much over time, if at all, unlike so many other forms of agriculture. It is physically demanding work, and virtually all of it is done by the women. I thought of all of the rice I'd consumed over the years but never really considered the sheer physical effort that went into producing it.

Rice nursery

Weeding a rice field

Harvesting rice

Newly planted rice 

Later we walked through Hong village, which I was surprised to discover is the second largest tribal village in Asia, yet only has about 180 Apatani families living in it. Some of the things that Chadda had talked about earlier came to life on this walk, such as the 'lapang' (raised platform) where the shaman performs the rites before animal sacrifice, the storage areas for keeping rice and the T shaped poles used to denote the hosting villages during the myoko spring festival, and to welcome visitors to it, the site of the Myoko rattan palms ceremony and the use of a 'tamu' erected outside people's homes to appease the spirits and so protect the household. More generally it was fascinating to see the wooden homes built on stilts.

Lapang

Place for tethering mithun for sacrifice

T shaped structure for Myoko festival

Tamu

Site of Myoko rattan palms ceremony

Apatani home

8

Storage for rice

In recent years, many of the Apatanis have coverted to the Christian due to the concerted efforts of missionaries over many years, which is evident through the preponderance of many church buildings. In recent times, however, there has been a movement shared by various tribes against what some see as an encroachment upon traditional tribal cultural practices. This is evidenced through the flying of a flag above numerous homes that celebrates the continuation of traditional belief systems, and a rebuttal to other belief systems.

While the women of the household bear heavy responsibility for rice cultivation, the men's role is to maintain the bamboo garden. The houses are made almost entirely of bamboo, and require continual repair. The gardens are large and segmented by fencing, and making sure that different areas of the garden access sufficient light to support bamboo growth apparently requires considerable effort. The heating of the homes and all cooking is done through burning wood, and maintaining a constant supply of dried wood involves regular trips to the adjacent forests.

Flying the flag

Bamboo garden

One of the highlights of visiting various Apatani villages was taking a peek into traditional homes, as well as meeting some residents. Apatani men have a distinct face tattoo which is applied when they reach puberty. Apatani women, however, were traditionally given six face tattoos, five of which run vertically below the lower lip, and another from the middle of the forehead to the bridge of the nose. In addition they were required to wear nose plugs. The reasons as to why this cultural practice arose are shrouded in the mists of time. Some argue that it began as an attempt to prevent Appatani adolescents being abducted by men from other tribes, particularly Nyishi, by making them less attractive. However, Chadda pointed out that in recent years young girls have revolted against this practice, commenting that when they visited other areas of India to access higher education, their appearance attracted adverse comment from non-Apatanis. Chadda recalled the fierce arguments that raged within Apatani homes during his youth in relation to this practice, something made more complex by the fact that both tattoos and nose plugs were applied by older women within the extended family. Yet the views of the younger women prevailed, and hence these striking facial markings are now mainly found among older Apatani women.  

Central area of the home

Kitchen garden at the rear of the home 

Apatani woman

The folowing day I left Ziro for the state capital, Itanagar. It had been an exhilirating few days, truly memorable. The journey was undertaken by shared sumo taxi, and there were some fabulous views as we descended from the mountains.