Adi people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Adi (also Abor) is a major collective tribe living in the Himalayan hills of Arunachal Pradesh (in northeastern India), and they are found in the temperate and sub-tropical regions within the districts of West Siang, East Siang, Upper Siang, Upper Subansiri and Dibang Valley. The older term Abor is a deprecated exonym from Assamese meaning 'those who cannot be controlled'. Some of them are found in Southern Tibet, around areas near the Indian border.
Of Proto-Austronesian and Tibetan stock, they speak a language belonging to the Tibeto-Burman family. However, their traditions believed them to be the lost descendants of the Tatars and Abo-Teni.
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[edit] Tribes and organisation
They live in over 50 hill villages, traditionally each keeping to itself (many never leave it), under an elected chief styled gam who moderates the village council, which acts even as traditional court. They are divided into several tribes and sub-tribes, which include:
- Aieng
- Ashing
- Bomo-Jambo
- Boris
- Bokar
- Gallong
- Galo
- Karko
- Milang
- Mimat
- Minyong
- Padam
- Pangi
- Pasi
- Ramo
- Shimong
- Tangam
[edit] Culture
Owing to cultural isolation and economic insignificance, the Adi culture was spared major disturbance. However, since the late 20th century, the people themselves are gradually opting for modernisation, e.g. roads connecting them to the outer world, metal roofs, etc.
Dormitories play an important role among the Adi tribe, and certain rules are observed. For example, a male can visit the dormitory of a female, although he is not allowed to stay overnight. At times, guardians will have to be around to guide the youngsters.
The dress of the Adi consists of one multi-purpose cloth, known as the galae, easily worn by both sexes, tied around the loins, hanging down in loose strips. Helmets made from cane, bear and deer skin are sometimes worn by the men, depending on the region.
While the older women wear yellow necklaces and spiral earrings, unmarried girls wear a beyop, an ornament that consists of five to six brass plates fixed under their petticoats. Tattooing is popular among the older women.
The traditional measure of a family's wealth is the possession of gaur (known as "Tadok" and often referred as "Mithun"), a native ox which is not milked or put to work but given supplementary care while grazing in the woods until slaughter.
Adi celebrate their prime festival, Solung, between June and July for nine days. It is a harvest festival performed after the sowing of seeds and transplantation, to seek for future bumper crops. Ponung songs and dances are performed during the festival. At the last day of Solung, throne and indigenous weaponry are displayed along the passage of the houses, a belief that they would protect people from evil spirits.
[edit] Festivals and Dances
The Adi celebrate a number of festivals, in particular Solung, between June and July for nine days. It is a harvest festival performed after the sowing of seeds and transplantation, to seek for future bumper crops. Ponung songs and dances are performed during the festival. At the last day of Solung, throne and indigenous weaponry are displayed along the passage of the houses, a belief that they would protect people from evil spirits.
Adis dances varies from the slow, rustic and beautifully enchanting style Ponung to the exhaliriating, exuberant thumps of Delong. These dances have led to certain forms of dancing which jointly narrate a story, the Tapu War Dance. In the Tapu War Dance, the dancers vigorously re-enact the actions of war, its gory details and the triumphant cries of the warriors. Yakjong is another kind of dance whereby the dancers carry sticks with designs inflicted by removing the barks in certain patterns and then put into the fire for some time, which creates the marked black designs.
| Name of festival | Dates |
|---|---|
| Aran | March 7 |
| Solung Etor | May 15 |
| Solung | September 1 |
| Yakjong |
[edit] Lifestyle
The Adi practice wet rice cultivation and have a considerable agricultural economy. Rice and wheat serve as the staple foods for the Adi. Trapping and hunting, increasingly with firearms, are practiced to supplement the diet; the favorite prey is the abundant rat, prepared in various ways, including raw pieces in a cake.
[edit] Religion
The majority of Adi traditionally followed the animist Donyi-Polo religion, which involves the worship of the sun, the moon, and the ancestral god Abo-Teni; the shaman, called miri, can be a female. Other deities traditionally worshipped by the Adi include Kine Nane, Doying Bote, Gumin Soyin and Pedong Nane. Each deity is associated with certain tasks and act as protector and guardian of various topics related to nature which revolves around their daily life. This included the food crops, home, rain, etc.
Donyi-Polo is losing influence with the younger generations; a growing number have converted to Christianity, in part out of dissatisfaction with traditional healing. Adi in Tibet, in particular the Bokars, have adopted Tibetan Buddhism to a certain extent, as a result of Tibetan influence.
Efforts are now underway to give a properly organized form to the traditional beliefs and values of the Arunachal Pradesh state, and to protect and preserve the local religions.
[edit] External links
[edit] Sources and references
- Danggen, Bani. (2003). The kebang: A unique indigenous political institution of the Adis. Delhi: Himalayan Publishers. ISBN 81-89393-51-X.
- Hamilton, A. (1983 [1912]). In Abor jungles of north-east India. Delhi: Mittal Publications.
- Mibang, Tamo; & Chaudhuri, S. K. (Eds.) (2004). Understanding tribal religion. New Delhi: Mittal. ISBN 81-7099-945-6.
- Mibang, Tamo; & Chaudhuri, S. K. (Eds.) (2004). Folk culture and oral literature from north-east India. New Delhi: Mittal. ISBN 81-7099-911-1.
- Lego, N. N. (1992). British relations with the Adis, 1825-1947. New Delhi: Omsons Publications. ISBN 81-7117-097-8.
- BBC TV program Tribe, episode on the Adi; explorer Bruce Parry lived among them for a month as an honorary tribesman, 'adopted' by a village gam.
[edit] Language
- Danggen, Bani. (2003). A book of conversation: A help book for English to Adi conversation. Itanagar: Himalayan Publishers. ISBN 81-86393-50-1.
- Mibang, Tamo; & Abraham, P. T. (2001). An introduction to Adi language. Itanagar, Arunachal Pradeh: Himalayan Publishers. ISBN 81-86393-35-8.
| Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh | |
| Major Tribes | |
| Adi - Mishmi | |
| Standard Tribes | |
| Aka - Apa Tani - Ashing - Bori - Chikum Dui - Chugpa - Deori - Digaru - Gallong - Hill Miri - Khamba - Khampti - Khamyang - Khowa - Lhoba - Lishipa - Lisu - Padam - Palibo - Phake - Memba - Monpa - Miji - Mikir - Minyong - Miju - Mishing - Nishi - Nocte - Nga - Ran - Sherdukpen - Singpho - Sulung - Takpa - Tangsa - Tutsa - Wancho - Zekhring |
