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Apatani
The physical features of the Aptanis may be described as stout
and well built of short to medium height people. They possess the
characteristics of the Mongoloid people. There are two groups among
Apatanis and they are found to differ significantly in appearance.
Traditionally
there are seven large villages of Apatanis. The settlement and dwelling system
of the Apatanis are always of permanent nature. The houses are constructed
during the month of August to December with the help of clan members. The construction
of the house is begun after preparation of the rice beer, meat and rice. Then the
building materials are procured. Usually wood is used. The
height of a house rises about twelve feet from the floor and two feet from
the ground. Houses are closely situated and often their roofs touch each
other. The floor and walls are made of beaten bamboo tied with split cane. At
the time of construction of the house, the house owner offers delicious meat,
rice and rice beer to the people who help and the construction of the
house is completed with in two days. After finishing the construction of the
house, two minor rites are performed by offering a chicken and hen. These
rites are performed to appease the god of house so that the house should
last long and the inmates should live in prosperity with the blessing of gods.
Slave System
Slavery system has been in existence in the
Apatni society but
the Apatani have been very much generous towards their slaves. The
extravagant rich man purchases a number of slaves from neighbouring tribes
as well as own tribe for his security. He prefers to purchase them from his
own tribe so that they can't run away from him. Their masters provided them
with some distant agriculture plots as well as a house and granary sites and even
borne the cost of marriage ceremony, if they are faithful. But if their slaves were
unfaithful or notorious-they would sell them to other patrician master. The child
slaves were attached to their master's house till
they attained their maturity. Such faithful child-slaves were nurtured like own
children.
The Position of Men and Women
The society considers that man folk is higher in status than woman
folk. But practically, equal responsibility of duties is shared
by both in the field, home and the family affairs. Apatani woman carries out the
duties of gathering of both wild and kitchen garden vegetables, cooking,
fetching
of water, pounding of rice, cleaning of houses, washing of clothes and
utensils, nursing and looking after infants and children, preparation of rice
beer, ginning and spinning of cotton and other jobs associated with the house
hold. In the field, the Apatani woman carries out the tasks like gardening,
seedling, transplanting of paddy and millet, padding, weeding of fields and or the
activities. In a home managed family incomes internally controlled by a woman.
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