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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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