The next day, the bride brings in rice powder and holy water which are the essential ingredients for the wedding ceremony. The village elder who oversees the wedding ceremony brings in some chickens which are then sacrificed as part of the wedding rituals. In all, some 70 to 80 chickens are sacrificed. The blood of the chickens is sprinkled in the doorways of the granary followed by the principal household. This is believed to bring good luck to the newlyweds.


Sacrifices like this are a major part of any marriage in Arunachal. Small structures are created out of bamboo, eggshells and chicken feathers in honor of the marriage. They are hung in front of houses and along village paths to bring good fortune to the newlyweds and their families.

The Apatani practice an animist religion called Donyi-Polo believing in the sun and the moon. When they make sacrifices they often times read the entrails of the once alive animal to know their fortunes. Nothing is wasted and all parts are either consumed or used in a variety of ways.

The ritual sacrifice of a pig also occurs to celebrate a marriage. It is cooked over a fire, in advance of the final day. Chunks of the pig's meat are first laid out to dry, and then cut and roasted directly over the open fire. While other parts are boiled, no spices or oil are used in the cooking, apart from salt and the natural fat of the pork. Pork is thus obviously the central part of any feast, and is accompanied by bamboo and boiled rice. Pork forms an integral part of the Apatani diet, and the older the pork the better, as many families preserve vintage pork, not only for future consumption but as a sort of currency for gifting at important festivals such as Myoko in spring.


While the men are tending to the meal you can find the women inside having... a bit of a party. Young and old are each given a bottle of whiskey which is tied with a string and worn around the neck as a pendant. After all, a wedding is a cause for celebration, with singing and dancing. However, there are some dances that only the women are allowed to partake in.


Next comes the big afternoon feast that will mark the end of the wedding. The meal consists of the traditional rice and pork. And, of course, what is a Apatani wedding without their specialty rice beer called Apong.

After the wedding, a garbage-collector comes to buy all the used bottles of alcohol, to recycle them. It's a simple job but a necessity as village folk take pride in keeping their village clean.

END WEDDING----



The Apatani people are easily distinguished from the other tribes in the region. The women are fairly recognizable by their facial tattoos and nose-plugs made of cane. The tattoo on the chin is meant to mimic a beard. The practice is believed to have started to make the Apatani women less attractive to invading men from tribes from across the border, as they were once known as the most beautiful of all the Arunachal tribes. As it appears, this tradition wi