Fermented Bamboo Shoots-HIKHU,HIYI and HIRIN

           Traditional tanii cuisines and delicacies would be unpalatable without use of fermented bamboo shoots. As varieties of bamboo species are found in the vicinity of Apatani plateau and neighborhood, bamboo shoots are widely use in raw or in form of fermented.Bamboo shoots are harvested seasonally (mostly during Apr-Jun), thus the best way to preserve seasonal& perishable bamboo shoots are done by fermenting processes.

         In tanii cuisines and delicacies, the fermented bamboo shoots are available in three popular forms- namely HIKHU (finely chopped and wet), HIYI (dried HIKHU) and HIRIN (wholesome). Well preserved fermented bamboo shoots can be use throughout the year until next harvesting is done. It is only possible due to natural fermentation processes, there is no rocket science involved,moreover no preservative agent is required. Following steps are involved in fermentation of bamboo shoots:

Fresh Bamboo shoots

Wet  finely chopped fermented bamboo shoot (HIKHU)

Fermented Whole Bamboo shoot (HIRIN)

Dry fermented bamboo shoot (HIYI)

DOs and DON'Ts in fermentation process:

DOs:

• Select fresh bamboo shoots only
• Wash properly to remove all dirt
• Chop using hygienic chopper
• Add green chilies before storing (optional)
• Select airtight glass/plastic jars with lids
• Store in dry place

DON'Ts:

• Don't open the lids of jar frequently during fermentation process
• Don't allow direct exposure to the heat and sunlight
• Don't add salt during fermentation, this may result in dehydration and the process would be effected
• Don't use wet spoon/hand during checking, this may spoil entire fermentation process
• Don't keep fermenting/fermented bamboo shoot along the fermenting rice beer, strong sour-acidic taste HIKHU/HIRIN/HIYI  may be affected  and spoiled later 

 NOTE: 

1. In olden days, hikhu/hirin/hiyi were stored in the containers made of bamboo tube and those were tight capped using special type of wild leaves available in the vicinity. 
2. Entire fermentation process was done organically.
3. Strong pungent smell of fermented bamboo shoot may put many people  off  :)
4. Apatani bamboo (Phylostachhys Bambusoides) are never used for making  HIKHU/HIRIN/HIYI , reason may be- its economical importance in our daily life. 
5. The  packaged fermented bamboo shoots are available in market.

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

A list of animal/birds/insect/nature sounds

This morning when our dogs namely Pogo (German shepherd) and poly (Dachshund) were barking at the postman, something struck my mind. Starting with the barking of dogs, I could recall certain way of typically tanii words to describe sounds that are found in our surrounding.When I started with this topic, i took it very lightly and simply thought that I could complete with great easebut, I swear it wasn't that easy! For instant,I failed to recall certain sound like of Taru (mosquito) and patii (tiger). Following are the sounds in tanii:-

Sl. No.	Animal/Bird/Insect	Sound	Verb	Usage
1	Aki (Dog)	Kaau / kai (cry)	Pi	Byago si aki kaau-kaau la pila do/pido
2	Alyi (Pig)	Uye	gyu	Nekang si alyi uye-uye gyula do
3	Ami (Cat)	Meao	Be	Ami atu(puppy) si meao-meao la bela do
4	Kubu(Rat)	Chui	adu
5	Ngyii (fish)	Suyin /shok	chi	Kiiley si ngyii shok-shok dado chila da
6	Pachu/paro (Chicks- cheep &Chickens -cluck	Piyo /Peyo	pi	Pachu atu si piyo pikang la da
7	Paro Ronii (Hen)	Piida	adu	Inka paro si piida –piida la adu hasu dobye pe ha?
8	Patii (Tiger)
9	Paro Rofpo (Cock)	Cock	Kho	Lengo si Paro rofpo ako khola da/khodo
10	Piita(birds)	Chi-cha	adu	Aro konchi lyiku ho piita atan si chi-cha adu du.
11	Sii (Cow)/ Sibu (Mithun)	Ooma	gyu	Bije si siibu ako ooma la adu la do.
12	Siibi (Monkey)	Keyun	ben	Sanii ayo si siibi atan si keyun-keyun la bendo.
13	Siibin(Goat)	Mehen-mehen	adu	Ude byakan si siibin ako mehen-mehen adudo!
14	Tabu (Snake)	Rushu	lyi	Sansu ho tabu sohe rushu-rushu dado lyine
15	Tami (Fly)	Tshe	go	Yoh pater mi tami tshe-tshe dado gokiir biido (‘
				‘go’as because fly makes sounds only while flying)
16	Taru (Mosquito)		go
17	Tayang (wasp)	Yang	go	Apu arun ho tayang pyare yang-yang gola da
18	Tatii (Frog)	cro	Kho	Aji is tatii cro-cro khodo
Sounds of Nature
19	Alyi (Wind)	Hooyin/bhoor	He	Myoko uyi aku la padu alyi bhoor-bhoor hedo
20	Dolya (Lightning)	Byok (not exactly sound,its about lightning)	Byo	Yapung genkiile Dolya byok-byok byodo
21	Miido (Rain)	Byor	Hu	Ago si miido byor-byor dado hula do
22	Yapung Geniin (Thundering)	Durun	Gen	Yapun durun-durun genkiile, iinga si khegiido!
23	Yamu (Fire)	Bhook/ Byok	Ya/ti	More si yamu bhook-bhook yala do
24	Yasi-tuniin(flooding at river)	Dulu (not sure about the sound)	tu	Kiiley si dulu-dulu yasi tula doye
	chambiyo (Flash Flood)	Dulu	ha	Siyo ayo so dulu-dulu dado chambiyo harne
25	Myobyu huniin (Earthquake)	Riifpii	Hu	Myobyu huli ho tanii ude hii riifpii-riifpi la adu du (here riifpii is for that sound produced by tanii ude during earthquake and it indicates that it is being generated by the action of earthquake)

one can refer to this link for more sounds made by animal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_sounds

To conclude this article, I would like to request all tanii readers to contibute more sounds in tanii and also to correct my mistakes, if any.