Preserving the past, Celebrating the present, and Embracing the future.
Nyishi Community
The Nyishi community is the largest ethnic group in Arunachal Pradesh in north-eastern India. The Nyishi language belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family, however, the origin is disputed. Their population of around 300,000 makes them the most populous tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, according to the 2001 census.
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Etymology
The word Nyishi is derived from two words "NYI" means person and "Shi" means this or being, which together mean "human being or this is human". The Nyishi are geographically concentrated around the Dafla Hill range, located in the northern part of the Papum Pare district. Previously, they were referred to as Dafla, a term replaced by "Nyishi" through the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Act of 2008.
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A young Nyishi male wearing Byopa (haedgear), Tadok (yellow beads) and Ubung (quiver).
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In pic: Shri Gungli Bate
Geographical Distribution
The Nyishi are concentrated on eight districts of Arunachal Pradesh, East Kameng, Pakke Kesang, Papum Pare, Lower Subansiri, Kamle, Kra Daadi, Kurung Kumey, and Upper Subansiri. They also live in Sonitpur and North Lakhimpur district of Assam.
Festivals
The Nyishi celebrates three major festivals namely, Boori-Boot (February), Nyokum (February), and Longte (April). They celebrate and pleases the gods and goddesses for good harvest, health, wealth, and prosperity.
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The Boori-Boot is celebrated majorly by the Nyishi community of Kamle District and nearby areas while the Nyokum is celebrated by all Nyishi. Both festivals are celebrated for invoking the benevolent spirits of nature and bless with prosperity, good harvest and prevent from diseases. The rituals of chanting and animal sacrifice is observed. The grand celebration exhibits cultural events and sports event.
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The Longte festival celebration is mostly celebrated by the Nyishi community residing in the northern part of the geographical region. It is also called the bloodless festival as there is no ritual of animal sacrifices, The main attraction is the making of local bamboo and wood fence around the farmland to prevent entering of animals into the cultivated lands. A special area is made where Mithun (Bos Frontalis) owner sticks up their stick as per the number of Mithuns the own. The cultural and sports events are also followed.
Attire
Traditionally, Nyishi plaited their hair and tie it neatly at the forehead with locally-made thread. A brass skewer passes horizontally through the tied hair. Cane rings were worn around the waist, arms and legs. Men wore a cane helmet surmounted with the beak of the great Indian hornbill. The usage of actual hornbill beaks is discouraged these days due to tough wildlife protection laws since the great Indian hornbill is a protected species and generally due to growing awareness among the people as well. Nowadays It is being supplemented by beaks made of cane or other materials and the entire headgear/cane helmet itself is readily available in the market for purchase. Additional decorations varied depending upon the status of the person and were symbols of manly valor.
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The clothing of the men consists of two types of sleeveless shirts (letum) and with black and white stripe (pomo) made from thick cotton cloth, striped gaily with blue and red together with a mantle of cotton or wool fastened around the throat and shoulders. Strings made of beads in varying sizes and colours are also worn, mainly for decoration purposes and to show the wearer's status. They also carry a machete or dao (uryu) in Nyishi) (short sword) and a knife (chighi) in a bamboo sheath that are mostly covered with animal furs. Their armament consists of a spear with an iron head, a large sword (uryu), and a bow and arrows which are tipped with poison (um-yu). During war both the chest and back are covered with shields made from sabbe buffalo hide, and over it they wear a black cloak made of indigenous fibre.
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The Nyishi women generally wear a sleeveless mantle of striped or plain cloth, its upper part tucked tightly over the breast and enveloping the body from the armpits to the centre of the calves addition with different colour tops worn underneath among which red (jwle / jwlang) is generally used . A ribbon is tied at the waist. A girdle consisting of metal disks, beads, and cane garters is worn at the waist. Their hair is parted in the middle, plaited and tied into a chignon just above the nape. Their ornaments include multicolored bead necklaces, brass chains, metal bells, huge brass or silver earrings and heavy bracelets of various metals.
Group dance In Nyishi Dress - Toru
Shri Taba Rama(left) & Shri Taba Tedir (right)
Religion
According to 2011 Census, Nyishi follows Christian (31%), Hinduism (29%), and many still follows the indigenous Donyi Polo. Donyi means the Sun and Polo means the Moon which are revered as the Ayu Donyi (Great Mother Sun) and Atu Polu (Great Father Moon). They believe that in nature, every existence has spirits (Uyu) and they pray to those spirits. The Priest is called Nyubh, they are well versed in the ways of establishing connection and contract with the spirits and works as negotiator/translator on the process of pleasing the spirits.
As per the history of the Nyishi, the idea of institutionalized religion did not exist as there were no other form of worships/gods than the spirits of nature to name a religion. After the coming in contact with the British India, the idea religion was known. The spread of Christianity and Hinduism led to the need for preservation of indigenous way of worshipping nature and thus the notion of Donyi Polo was born.
The establishment of Donyi Polo Yelam Kebang on 31st December 1986 is considered as an important day and thus 31st December is celebrated as Donyi-Polo Day.