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Christa Neuenhofer | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Arunachal Pradesh, India, Myoko Festival of Apatani Tribe tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Arunachal Pradesh, India, Myoko Festival of Apatani Tribe

One of the most impressive festivals of the Apatani in Arunachal is Myoko. It is celebrated in spring. In it age-old beliefs in the possibility of attaining and directing fertility to the fields and the people are interwoven with methods of strengthening family, clan and inter-village ties.
The most important day is the day of the great pig sacrifices. It is believed that on this day the gods and goddesses will bless the place. At 2 o’clock the pigs are brought to the sacrificial place. From 4 o’clock onwards the priest starts reciting prayers which last for many hours. With the sunrise the freshly married women appear in their festive attire and sprinkle rice flour and rice beer over the dozens of pigs lying on the ground. At the same time the assistant priest sacrifices chickens on an altar on the sacred ground. After the main Myoko priest has been chanting his prayers for several hours, selected pigs receive special rituals in which the priest’s assistant cuts open their bellies and rips their hearts out (when they are still alive). The other pigs are carried back to the houses where the priest will later sacrifice the pigs in the same way as described above.

You can find an in-depth coverage of our tour in German with further details and pictures at: http://www.neuenhofer.de/guenter/
Myoko Priest, Apatani tribe, Arunachal Pradesh
Myoko Priest, Apatani tribe, Arunachal Pradesh
Nago Hut. Apatani tribe
Nago Hut. Apatani tribe
Myoko Priest. Apatani tribe
Myoko Priest. Apatani tribe
Myoko Priest´s Attire. Apatani tribe
Myoko Priest´s Attire. Apatani tribe
Myoko Priest. Apatani tribe
Myoko Priest. Apatani tribe
Myoko Priest with pig. Apatani tribe
Myoko Priest with pig. Apatani tribe
Myoko Priest and pig. Apatani tribe
Myoko Priest and pig. Apatani tribe
Myoko priest cutting the heart out of a pig being still alive.
Myoko priest cutting the heart out of a pig being still alive.
Myoko. Priest wearing ahu, attire formerly worn by all male Apatani, but now practically extinct.
Myoko. Priest wearing "ahu", attire formerly worn by all male Apatani, but now practically extinct.
Apatani Ladies with Festival Necklaces
Apatani Ladies with Festival Necklaces
Apatani Lady
Apatani Lady
Myoko. Pigs are sprinkled with rice powder. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Pigs are sprinkled with rice powder. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Rice wine is poured over the pigs. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Rice wine is poured over the pigs. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Pigs to be sacrificed. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Pigs to be sacrificed. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Sacrificed pigs. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Sacrificed pigs. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Sacrifice of chickens and eggs. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Sacrifice of chickens and eggs. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Sacrifice of chicken. Apatani tribe
Myoko. Sacrifice of chicken. Apatani tribe