Apatani people

Apatani

Diorama of Apatani people in Jawaharlal Nehru Museum, Itanagar.
Total population
(20,000 (2001))
Regions with significant populations
Arunachal Pradesh, India:    60,000
Languages
Apatani (Tanii), English , Hindicommon surnames= Nending, Hage, Pura, Nani, Nada,khoda,padi
Religion
Donyi-Polo, Christianity , Animism, Hindu ,
Related ethnic groups
Nyishi, Hill Miri , Adi

The Apatani, or Tanw, also known by Apa and Apa Tani, are a tribal group of people living in the Ziro valley in the Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh in India.

Their wet rice cultivation system and their agriculture system are extensive even without the use of any farm animals or machines. So is their sustainable social forestry system. UNESCO has proposed the Apatani valley for inclusion as a World Heritage Site for its "extremely high productivity" and "unique" way of preserving the ecology. They have two major festival- Dree and Myoko.In July, the agricultural festival of Dree is celebrated with prayers for a bumper harvest and prosperity of all humankind. Pakhu-Itu, Daminda, Pree dance, etc., are the main cultural programmes performed in the festival.. Myoko is festival to celebrate the friendship similar to modern friendship day but unlike the latter which last only for a day, it is celebrated for almost a month long from march end to april end. Apatanis trace their descent patrilineally.