Walk the Apatani villages of Hong and Hari
Apatani villages are dense and orderly, with houses of bamboo and timber raised on stilts and set close together along straight lanes. Hong is among the largest, Hari among the most traditional in feel. In each, you see the lapang, a raised platform where clan elders meet and ceremonies take place, and babos, tall bamboo poles erected for festivals and rituals.
With an Apatani guide you walk slowly, stopping to meet families who welcome visitors. Inside a house, the hearth is the centre of life, with meat and fish smoked above it. Your guide explains the clan system, the role of Donyi-Polo, the indigenous faith of sun and moon, and the festivals of Myoko in March and Dree in July.
Some older women still wear the large wooden nose plugs and facial tattoos that were once a mark of Apatani womanhood; the practice stopped in the 1970s. Ask before taking any photograph, and accept a refusal gracefully. We finish with rice beer or tea and a simple meal in a family home.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
Who are the Apatani people?
The Apatani are an indigenous people of the Ziro valley in Arunachal Pradesh, known for their efficient wet rice and fish farming, their large organised villages and their sustainable management of forests. Many follow Donyi-Polo, their indigenous faith, and celebrate festivals such as Myoko and Dree.
Why did Apatani women have nose plugs and tattoos?
Older Apatani women wore large wooden nose plugs and facial tattoos as a traditional mark of identity and beauty. Explanations vary, including protection from raids by neighbouring tribes. The practice ended in the 1970s, and today only elderly women carry these marks.
Can I visit Apatani homes?
Yes, with a local guide who can introduce you to families. Many households welcome visitors respectfully. Remove shoes if asked, accept tea or rice beer graciously, and ask before photographing. A small gift or payment for hospitality is appropriate and your guide will advise.
Also in Ziro
More hours to plan around
