Sacred Rituals of Apatani Tribes.
MURUNG RITUAL (1944)
These men are sitting on a ritual platform during an Apatani feast (Murung). The men on the right and left are shamans. On the left is Nada Bida, the main shaman; on the right is another man, who is the secondary shaman in this long, complex feast. Both men wear a woven headdress, special shawl and large hoop earrings, and carry a ritual fan made of hornbill feathers, all of which identify them as shamans. Nada Bida appears to be tying a string of bamboo to a dried rat (which will be used later during a ritual in the feast sponsor's house). This scene on the platform is part of a day-long ritual procession. Each year, several Apatani families celebrate this three-week long feast, involving mithun and cow sacrifice, public chanting by the shaman and complex gift-giving between the feast sponsor and various kin and ceremonial friends. During the procession, which takes place more than a week after the large animal sacrifice on the first day, the shaman leads a long line of young boys and men belonging to the sponsor's clan. Dressed in ceremonial finery and brandishing their machetes, they walk through the entire Apatani valley (only 8 kilometres long and 4 across), visiting all nine villages and each ritual platform in each village. At every platform, they perform a simple dance and are given food and drink.
These men are sitting on a ritual platform during an Apatani feast (Murung). The men on the right and left are shamans. On the left is Nada Bida, the main shaman; on the right is another man, who is the secondary shaman in this long, complex feast. Both men wear a woven headdress, special shawl and large hoop earrings, and carry a ritual fan made of hornbill feathers, all of which identify them as shamans. Nada Bida appears to be tying a string of bamboo to a dried rat (which will be used later during a ritual in the feast sponsor's house). This scene on the platform is part of a day-long ritual procession. Each year, several Apatani families celebrate this three-week long feast, involving mithun and cow sacrifice, public chanting by the shaman and complex gift-giving between the feast sponsor and various kin and ceremonial friends. During the procession, which takes place more than a week after the large animal sacrifice on the first day, the shaman leads a long line of young boys and men belonging to the sponsor's clan. Dressed in ceremonial finery and brandishing their machetes, they walk through the entire Apatani valley (only 8 kilometres long and 4 across), visiting all nine villages and each ritual platform in each village. At every platform, they perform a simple dance and are given food and drink.
ROPI RITUAL (1972)
These Apatani men are taking part in a ritual known as ropi. In imitation of warriors, they wear shoulder armour (cum-rain coat) made of blackened fibres of the sago palm, a cane hat and ceremonial shawls (or jacket, in the case of the last man).
They also carry spears, as well... as the everyday machete. This ritual is performed in order to prevent retaliation by the soul of one's dead enemy and his ancestors. In the past, the hand of the killed enemy was brought to the ritual hut (visible on the right in the background) where it was burned. Today, and in the past, it is also performed when certain animals are killed, particularly a jungle cat. Apatanis believe that, in the world of ancestors and spirits, this animal is closely allied to humans. As with humans, the ritual is intended to prevent retaliation by the animal's soul and ancestors. This photograph was taken in Apatani valley, Arunachal Pradesh, Lower Subansiri District, India