Learning Apatani language : an easy way to memorize nouns

I don’t speak Apatani, nor do I belong to the Apatani community. But I have recently become interested in the NE language issue as a social anthropologist. Being a stranger to ‘Tanii agun’, I am in a perfect position to apprehend the difficulties of this language as soon as I try learn a couple of sentences… Incidentally I have found that the word structure itself (what is called ‘morphology’ by linguists) can help beginers in the learning process. I hope this post will be useful to others too.

In Tanii, most nouns have 2 syllables : a-ki (dog), ya-ru (ear), etc. The second syllable is considered as the root of the word, and the first syllable as a prefix. In Tanii each root is necessarily preceded by a prefix.

prefix	root
a	ki	dog
ta	bu	snake
men	dii	buffalo
ya	ru	ear

A most interesting feature of Tanii prefixes is that they tend to function as classifiers. It means that a same prefix will apply to words which belong to the same ‘family’

Example :

The most common prefix for four-legged animals (quadrupeds) is SII-.

siibi	monkey
siibin	goat
siibo	bull
siichu	stag, antelope
siidin	small deer
siigun	sheep
siire	boar
siirin	otter
siiti	elephant
siitin	bear
siimyo, siiso, siiyin	3 wild cat species

It does not mean that ALL names of quadrupeds use the prefix SII-. There are in fact many ‘exceptions’ such as ami (cat), patii (tiger), hoggya (clouded leopard) etc. But as a rule a majority of them will do so.

Similarly, the most common prefix for birds is PA-

paje	duck
pakan	swan, goose
paku	pigeon, dove
pamu/pamii	hawk
pari	sparrow
parii	jungle fowl
parsin	jungle fowl (diff. species)
paro	chicken

The ‘exceptions’ are : puha (crow), miichie (kite), pesu (hornbill), etc.

The most common prefix for fishes is NGI- or NGII- (from ngiiyi/ngihi : fish), with very few exceptions

ngilyan	Schizothorax sp.
ngipapi	weed fish (Dorikona)
ngiira	unidentified species
ngiime	unidentified species

A most common prefix for small terrestrial animals such as insects, molluscs, worms, etc. is TA-

tagya	wasp
takhe	tick, flea
takhii	head lice
tami	housefly
tanogogo	snail
tape	leech
tapin	maggot
tarji	centipede
ta:ru	ant
taru:	mosquito
ta:ti	cockroach
tatii	frog

Exceptions : poper (butterfly), gonchi (dragonfly), kowa/kuha (grasshopper), nyanyi (honey bee), rimi (spider), dorgi (earthworm)...

A common prefix for trees, parts of trees, or pruducts obtained from trees is SAN- or SEN- (from sanii = tree), which becomes SAM-/SEM- before m, b, or p letters

sembo	Prunus nepalensis
semmo	Indian wild pear (Pyrus pashia)
sanji	Rhododendron arboreum, a rhododendron species
samper	a wild tree species whose fruit is used as spice
sampe	a tree species of ritual importance during Myoko
sankhii	a tree species whose leaves are used as natural dye
sanko bacho	a tree species
sambii	branch of a tree
sampo	log
santa	plank
sanye	timber

The prefix for words which depict parts of the arm or hand is LA- (from ala = hand)

lapo	upper arm
ladu	elbow
lasin	forearm
langa	wrist
lapu	fist
lachi	finger
lanii	thumb
lahi/layin	finger nail
lapyo	hand palm
lapin	knuckle

Similarly, the prefix for words depicting parts of the leg or foot is LII- (from ali = leg)

liiban	knee
liige	back of the knee
liipya	shin
liinga	ankle
liipyo	foot
liidu	heel
liipyo	sole
liichi	toe
liinii	big toe
liihin/liiyin	toe nail

Note that there is a correspondence between terms of upper and lower members. Thus :

langa (wrist) corresponds to liinga (ankle)

lachi (finger) <=> liichi (toe)

lanii (thumb) <=> liinii (big toe)

lahin/layin (finger nail) <=> liihin/liiyin (toe nail)

lapyo (palm) <=> liipyo (sole)

It means that by knowing the words related to the hand and arms, corresponding terms for leg and foot can be easily deduced.

Most prefixes are of this type, i.e. they give us some clue to understand the meaning of the word to which they are attached. The only prefix which gives no information, hence called ‘neutral prefix’, is A-. It is however a widespread one. It applies in particular to kinship terms (aba, ama, ate, ata, abang, anu, aku, ato, ayo, etc..) or words related to body parts (anying, alyo, ami, amu, aha, etc.), but not only. That is the reason why, in a Tanii dictionary, words whose first letter is A are the most numerous.

I have found that this peculiar feature of Tanii language helps to memorize a great deal of words. We can first get familiarized with the various families, then learn the exceptions. Knowing the most common prefixes also help to grasp the meaning of an unknown word when heard for the first time. But in order to avoid confusion it implies that, once identified, prefixes must be written in various words always using the same spelling.

P. Bouchery, University of Poitiers, France

Babo in Tanii (Apatani) culture

‘Babo’, or tall T-shaped wooden poles with thatch flags on the top towering above the roofs of houses, are a unique feature of Tanii villages. They play a prominent role every year during the time of Myoko festival when they are set up in front of the lapan and become the seat of various rituals. A few decades ago at this occasion men used to perform daring aerial acrobatics using the long cane rope (boha) tied to the tops of the masts. Young men in particular tried to demonstrate their skills by doing saumersaults over the rope. This activity was not without danger however, and for that reason the tradition has gradually fallen into decay. It seems that it has not been played on Ziro plateau since the 70’s or early 80’s. But the rituals associated with them continue to be performed every year during Myoko.

Two types of babo are erected :

• a smaller one, santin babo, is set up by households for every male child and attached to the house front porch (byago), the number of poles varying from house to house according to the number of sons. The household head and male members of the family go to the forest and get straight tree trunks which are later decorated. Lacking the required solidity, these are not made for acrobatic activities.

A Tanii village lane along which santing babo can be
seen adjoining almost every house front verandah (byago)

• a bigger type, akha babo, is erected on a clan basis and set up in front of almost every lapan. This mast is a solid wooden structure that may reach up to 15-20 meters high. The tree trunks are cut and dragged from the forests by a collective effort of male members of the clan. They are ceremonially pitched on the eve of the festival after having been decorated

The babo structure, i.e. the tree trunk holding the decorations which are attached to it, incorporates a fixed number of elements that are not only essential to its functioning but are also of symbolic or ritual importance :

· babo taper : 4 elongated planks of 5-6 meters long arranged so as to form a narrow twin-armed platform. They are first shaved with a dao and tied together in pairs with cane strips, then the two wooden arms are inserted horizontally into what will become the top of the mast. A space is left between the upper (ayo taper) and the lower structure (akan taper) for wrapping the cane rope on which acrobatics are performed.

· lako : a wooden stick inserted into each tip of the ayo taper and akan taper and joining them.

· lata : a long stick measuring approximately 2 meters tied horizontally at some distance from the top of babo.

· cholo : a wooden plank made in the shape of a machete (ilyo) on which designs are added by the use of charcoal, tied on the upper end of babo to what is seen as its ‘back side’. A decoration consisting of a bunch of bamboo sheaves or tassels hangs from the broader end.

· babo rinyo : basically a cane framework or rug-sized screen-like banners made of loops of cane (today sometimes replaced by some tissue or synthetic net) which is tied to and hangs from each tip of akan taper, in a manner that it sways rythmically in strong wind or when acrobatic performers apply a tensile load to the mast.

· rinyo pata : the lower part of of babo rinyo, a wooden plank of about 60 cm long attached to the loops of cane This element is usually decorated with geometrical motifs painted with black soots or charcoal.

· rinyo jompu (or rinyo some as called at Hari) : fine bamboo sheaves tied uniformly between the two pata, with one tip hanging down from the lower one. Altogether it makes up a kind of decorated panel.

· abyun-nanii : large wooden boards cut from the biggest trees of the forest which are manhandled to the village. Once packed tightly and stuck at the base of babo by means of wooden hammers, they serve as chocks to maintain the babo firmly into the ground. The wooden boards are fastened together with ropes (tiipii).

· boa (or boha): a cane rope wrapped around the mast between ayo and akan taper, first used to hoist the mast and then left hanging loosely from its top, on which acrobatics are performed. This rope is made out of a special type of cane called taser yaso (Calamus acanthospathus), in the same way mithun ropes are plaited. The lower end which is attached to a pole (botu) secures tightly to the ground at such a distance that the rope forms an angle of approximately 45-60° with the babo pole.

Erecting a babo

Due to its size and weight, the erection of an akha babo is a collective work involving the participation of 20 to 30 male members of the clan. It is interesting to note that the procedure has remained almost exactly the same since Prof. C. von Fürer-Haimendorf first shot it at Hong in 1944. The original video can be seen from this link.

The structure comprising the pole, taper and lata is erected first, then the other elements are added by someone escalating the mast. A dozen of long ropes are first tied to the taper structure and pole. Clan members act in three separate groups of about 10 people each : one group gets the mast hauled into position by pulling the ropes while a second one, holding bamboo poles, tries to lift the top of the structure. As the mast is being erected a third group sustains the base of the main pole and guides it into a hole that has been dig purposely. By means of wooden mallets the boards are hammered into position around the base of the mast to get it firmly tied into the ground.

Erecting a babo, Hong, March 2007 (Courtesy Ph. Ramirez, CNRS)

A man then scales the mast. Climbing is facilitated by the use of a rope which has been previously wrapped around it (see photo below). Having reached the lata stick and standing on it he can release most of the ropes from taper, leaving only the rope centrally attached to the mast (which will be used to performed acrobatics) plus one or two others at close distance from the mast. Then he climbs down the uppermost part of the mast and swings down the rest of the way on one of the remaining ropes

Securing boa around the mast, Hong, March 2007 (Courtesy Ph. Ramirez, CNRS)

In a very same manner the two banners (rinyo) are carried aloft and hanged at each tip of the taper structure. In Haimendorf's video a man then climbs up the uppermost part of the mast carrying cholo on his back and fix it to the end of the pole. In the 2007 scene, cholo is attached to the mast prior to its erection.

Action

It is still unclear whether the proper name for this activity is boa be (boa = rope; be = to jump), boa behii (behii = to dive or saumersault) or boa beniin (beniin = jumping). Traditionally the strength and elasticity of the long rope were first tested by a few people who hanged from it and sprang onto it. The acrobatics performed were actually a kind of bobbling act using the tensile strength of boa, and the action basically consisted in pulling the rope down and letting it spring up. For the public performance two or three persons usually pulled on and handled the rope, impulsing an up and down movement, after what the rope was released and the jumper got himself propelled high up into the air. While swinging in the air he did somersaults on the elastic rope before an appreciative audience observing from below or from the various byago, as on the picture below. In those days where boa behii/benii was still popular during Myoko festival kids of both sexes often tried to participate to the game as they could by tiying small swing towards the lower end of the rope.

Apatani man performing boha behii/benii at Hari, 1954 (photograph by Verrier Elwin)

A scene showing the bobbling action from Haimendorf's silent film collection :

Ngunu Lemba

This is my favourite Apatani song.I am sharing this video from the ASA award function 2005.Every tanii should listen to such a good song.As song says Ngunu Lemba.....this song is about the beauty of Ziro and necessity to preserve its natural beauty, let's save our hometown...Ngunu Lemba, ngunumi ka oho buko Ziro mi.





I have tried my best to write down the lyric of the song,it goes like this...

NGUNU LEMBA (our village)
Ngunu lemba, ngiimi oho buko ano aya ne…ano kapyo ne..
Yolyan liipa ho kibo pinii hii, paro liigo ho rohfo khonii hii
Aro konchi ho piita adu nii alyin kamo ho hiime khenii hii
Piilo huto ho nyimun-yapa ka gangu benii hii, elu benii hii
Ano tapyo ne.......ano tapyo ne...........
Ngunu lemba, ngiimi oho buko ano aya ne…ano kapyo ne...


Lapan-babo, siigan-siilin diibii-rungo hii gantii-yaso
Ali-aho, sadi-sapa hii lutii giira hii sulu-narun hii
Senyi-apu hii, pudu-apu hii, piita-apu hii ,takun-apu hii, sembo-apu hii
Bagan-rinyo hii ano kapyo ne...ano kapyo ne......


Myoko-kaji, murun-chanta, dree-taku mi
Mema-aping halyin-tashin entii-apin mi
Diiran sankha mi, bachin armin sembo armin mi,
Jojuru mi chido hemudo ......
Ngunu lemba ngiimi oho buko ano aya ne…ano kapyo ne..

Siilo kiikoda ngo leyu sigya mi, sii sukun mi,
Ude doko mi nesu doko mi biije hagya mi more dalin mi
Anu-barmi mi ate- ata mi ari-apii mii diinii banii mi
Biinii-nyanii mi baro-manya mi kachin kenku ma
Ngunu lemba ngiimi oho buko ano aya ne…ano kapyo ne...

Tanii Song

Lyric of the song

Biisi ronge mi sika nando,
myoli hokii myobya tapa dopa;
ayu penge mi yuka nando,
panii hokii manii ho tapa dopa;
popi harbii ho miji jig dopa,
sarmin lapyo ho migun gongii dopa;
miji tapyu si ho jido koda
miji tapyu si ho jido koda

Gonchi gontii mi halu gra lanker pa,
Bari tako si gedo koda piimi lanker tupe lanker pa;
jilo yayu no piimii tako mi gehetoran pe ho ngiimi no,
ami lanii aban pyochi noh biisii ayu mi luko rampe;
dolyan chanja tanii barmii no ato charo noh hulii palii la
miji bari mi luko rampe biisi ayu gonge mi lula dopa
miji tapyu si ho jido koda
miji tapyu si ho jido koda
gehetoran pe ho ngiimi no
luko rampe ho ngiimi no

Photo collection from olden days

These are a collection of Tanii photos from olden days (taken in 1954), digitally stored at the Anthropological Archives of the Smithsonian Institution and available at this link :

I thought it would be worth displaying them in my blog, as these pictures are rarely seen nowadays. they have been taken by foreign anthropologist Verrier Elwin in our grandparents' time. Looking at these photos, it's hard today to imagine how their life was.

This is a view of ‘taper panii’ (imprisoned man) with heavy wooden stock. During those days, when anybody was found guilty of some wrong-doing (for eg. a theft), he/she was inflicted a public sanction by having ‘taper’ (wooden log) put around his/her leg.

Tanii woman fetching drinking water in bamboo container (olden practice). I’m a bit confused with the name of this bamboo container...it must be called ‘yassi dije’ or ‘sulu

Photo of ‘boa benii during the ritual called ‘babo achanii’ in the month of myoko. The ‘babo’ is this long wooden post standing in the centre of the picture .‘Boa benii’ is the kind of acrobatics performed by Tanii men around this mast during this ritual to mark their skill, but this is not without danger, one has to risk his/her life.

Apatani women sitting at ‘simbya’ (verandah of Tanii house). This photo shows the typical dressing of ladies in olden days with nose plucks and tattoos. They are wearing ‘kente aabi’ (a skirt-like hand woven lady wear) surrounded by bunch of ‘tasang’ (beads), and are wrapped in a ‘kente pulye‘ (hand woven shawl).

Picture of a Tanii couple. The woman is carrying a ‘yatii’ (a local version of umbrella) made of splitted cane or bamboo covered by leaves of a special tree. The man is carrying elyo (a kind of sword) and a loin belt of cane matted hanging from the waist like a tail, ‘ahu-yari‘, which was a traditional outfit of grown-up males.

I am thankful the person who has captured such a memorable photos of Tanii of olden days. These scenes can not be seen in the present generation. Nobody prefers to carry water in bamboo container, it’s an obsolete practice.....it has been replaced by the use of plastic buckets or metal containers. ‘Yatii’ is replaced by modern umbrellas. ‘Ahu-yari’, ‘kente pulye’, ‘aabi’ etc. are no longer worn by Taniis.

This is another good video link that I have found from youtube-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrAfBgVyDds&feature=related

I wish if I could do something good for Taniis

People are recognised for their contributions to the people and society. Lately,I was thinking : Who am I and What can I do for the people (particularly for Apatanii brethens)???? I am not a great artist-I can't sing or dance, neither I'm a great painter to paint my feelings/imaginations...
Then I realised, I can do something for my people : I can post a couple of blogs, this is the best ever thing I can do while enjoying the internet facility of our institute. I dunno exactly what I wanted to blog, what are there in my tiny little head -I'm stil confused. But,I wish to do something for the people I belong to...that is Tanii and Ziro.

DREE:Tanii festival

Dree
As India is famous for festivals and celebrations,here comes another festival of Tanii.We celebrate Dree on 5th of July of every year.Basically,Dree is celebrated by the Apatani Brethens praying for bumper crop as well as peace and prosperity for entire mankind.On this happy occasion of Dree,I take this opportunity to wish one and all a haapy and prosperous Dree. Here goes our Dree Anthem......let's preserve our culture and tradition.

Dree Anthem
Ngunu tanii ka dree janda dukan kiine talyi,
dukan kiine talyi, dukan kiine talyi ya janda dukan kiine talyi ya...
Supun miilan ka henii hii alyi-oho mi aya dopa
Tachan tiyo mi pima yapa ke ngunu dree miidu nii
Niichi-niiti, tiini-diibo pa, hari-bula, diinii hija pa
dukan kiine talyi, dukan kiine talyi ya janda dukan kiine talyi ya....
Ayin hehin la Tanii butii hii ayapa dree miisa
Ayin dayin sa ngunu tanii ka hatii ganda....
Gantii yaso dodun kheko dopa ngunu dree miidu ya..
dukan kiine talyi, dukan kiine talyi ya janda dukan kiine talyi ya...
Danyi-piilo chikan pa janda doding dolo jaker he....
Ganda ahin mi aha puhe pa janda si hengi talyi ya..
dukan kiine talyi, dukan kiine talyi ya janda dukan kiine talyi ya