Siinyan- siillo TANII miyu lu

Siinyan- siillo TANII miyu lu-

Tiipey-paniin mi palyu kobii doku

Yapin-huniin mi hulyu kobii doku

Ahhu-yaari mi giifpa biido ku

Denge-renii mi relyu biido ku

Kente-pulye mi,kente-abhi mi giilyu biido ku

Piidin-khotu mi, adin-akhii mi giilyu biido ku

Siinyan- siillo TANII miyu lu-

Muku-sudu mi talyu biido ku

Dui-Yaachchu mi chulyu biido ku

Dekin-piichan mi khiilyu biido ku

Pyayo-paku mi diilyu biidu ku

O-dijje mi hilyu biidu ku

Aping-chiba mi balyu biido ku

Siinyan- siillo TANII miyu lu-

Gangu- benii mi belyu biita du

Elu benii mi belyu biita du

Biisi- siinin mi silyu biitadu

Ayu- yuniin mi yulyu biita du

Miji-baari mi helyu tabii du

Nitin-hormin mi helyu biita du

Siinyan- siillo TANII miyu lu-

Tiipey-yaping giifpa jalo

Ahhu-yaari mi giilyu jalo

Kente-pulye/abhi mi giilyu jalo

Muku-sudu,dui-yaachu mi opa kujalo

Dekin-piichan,pyayo-paku,O-dije, aping-chiba mi buku majalo

Ngunu TANII ka aya henju-miiju mi helyu-miilyu masa!

Ngunu Tanii ka biisi-ayu, miji-baari, nitin-hormin mi alyu masa!

English Translation for non-TANII readers:

In oden days, Tanii people were known for their Tiipey(Tatoo among both men and women), Yaping-Hullo (Nose pluck, only women) and Piidin (Head gear among men folk). Tanii folks of those days were very simple and same was their dressing. Men folk used to wear Ahhu & yaari (Yaari is a loin cloth covered with supporting layer of Ahhu) and women used to wear Kente abhi and tarii (hand woven clothes, generally thickly woven of cotton). In those days, Tanii children used to have typical hair style known as denge renii. It seems that parents used to shave their children heads with sharpened Yabin (i.e. bamboo piece). Once Tanii children attained their adolescents, their hairstyle had to be changed...boys used to get piidin and girls used tie bunny with help of akhii (comb made of bamboo). At same time, they used to get tattooed and nose pluck.

It has been recorded that Apatani peoples were good craftsmen. They used to make their own clay pot (Dekin Piichan) and also used to carve serving plates out of wooden log (i.e. Pyayo Paka) or bamboo. Whenever tanii folks need to travel, they used to pack their food in small bamboo bag like carrier made of split cane (i.e. chiba) and used Dije (special bamboo container) to carry ‘O’ (local rice wine or water).Tanii folks were fond of using tobacco in their daily life, thus they also used to make smoking pipe (muku-sudu (made of bamboo) for men folk) and tobacco carrier (dui-yaachu for women).

Siinyan-siillo Tanii miyu (Modern Taniis) has left certain practices such as tiipey paniin, yapping huniin and putting piidin. We can hardly find modern tanii using dekin piichan, pyayo- paka, chiba or dije for cooking or serving or for packing; those are replaced with modern cookery items available in nearby market. Neither can we see tanii folk using muku–sudu or dui- yaachu, it has been replaced by factory made cigarettes and tobacco sachets. This way modernization has done some good to TANII like abolishing of tattooing and piercing of nose, otherwise with those practices we could never imagined to pace with developments happening in our surroundings. We have to adopt certain changes for our growth but, we should never neglect to preserve our tradition & culture. LOST OF CULTURE IS LOST OF IDENTITY. Therefore, Siinyan-siillo Tanii miyu should try to preserve Ngunu TANII ka aya henju-miiju mi helyu-miilyu masa! Ngunu Tanii ka biisi-ayu, miji-baari, nitin-hormin mi alyu masa!

Source of pictures:

http://www.flickriver.com/

http://friends-of-ziro.blogspot.in/2009_12_01_archive.html

Tanii Aju-The Heritages Photos Archives of Apatanis authored by-Gyati Kobin

www.gettyimages.com

www.soas.ac.uk/

Fotos from FB friends