Abotani
Encyclopedia
Abotani is considered the primal ancestor of the Tani group of people in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh
- Apatani
, Nyishi, Adi
, Galo
, Tagin, Hill Miri
,ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mishing_People]Mising]. They follow the Donyi Polo belief system and they consider Abotani as the one who firstly introduced the technique of rice cultivation.
The following story is told orally through priests (Miri) among the Adi people
:
In older time Abotani (Abo "father", tani "human") has wandered in forest for want of food. Once he went to Takar-Taji's place (Tatar-Taji) marriage ceremony where a gaur
(Mithun) was sacrificed. Due to a trick of Abotani, Takar-Taji could sacrifice only one gaur, which was meagre for distribution to the guest. Abotani's dog (Kiipu) and the deer (Duumpoo) shared a packet of rotten soya seeds (staple food in olden days, as the use of rice millet and maize was unknown in those days). This led to quarrel between Kiipu and Duumpoo. Duumpoo the deer kicked the soya seed packet and ran away. Angry, Kiipu the dog chased the deer. Abotani had to follow both them. After many days Duumpu the deer landed in the world of Digo Ane ("Keeper of Land"; digo "land", ane "mother") where people were scattering the rice powder set on sun for drying. Duumpoo the deer was caught by these people; Kiipu the dog followed and was caught; Abotani followed them and was also caught by the peoples of Digo Ane. The three were imprisoned. After many days Abotani played a trick: he put a dead mole rat in his armpit and acted as if he were dying. This worried the Digo Ane people, lest the act may anger the Takar-Taji people, and they freed Abotani and granted him the gift of rice, millet and maize seed.
Many other legends between the Tani people speak about Abotani's stories: a woman in the Digo Ane region told him how to cultivate the rice seeds (http://wakling.com/abotani-and-the-quest-for-rice); Abotani had a lot of success in his rice cultivation thanks to his wise wife Aio Diiliang Diibiu (http://arunachalipr.gov.in/StateFestival_Dree.htm); however, he divorced from her to marry another woman, and this brought disgrace to his wealth because the new wife was too much after leisures (http://arunachaldiary.blogspot.com/2008/05/myoko-celebration-of-apatanis-photo.html); when Abotani realized this, he left also the second wife and continued the cultivation on his own, but still he had to ask for the help of his sister to be saved from the danger of falling from the top of a high tree where he had climbed (http://arunachalipr.gov.in/StateFestival_Dree.htm). Events in the legendary life of Abotani and in his quest for rice are part of the traditions of the Tani people and are celebrated in different periods of the year (following the rice cultivation season). Abotani is a symbol of the struggle of humankind for food and prosperity though in difficult situations, and of the need for harmony between man and woman to bring wealth to the family.
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
- Apatani
Apatani
The Apatani, or Tanii, are a tribal group of people living in the Ziro valley in the Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh India. However more Apatanis live outside this valley, making the total population approximately 26,000 all over the state...
, Nyishi, Adi
Adi people
The Adi, or Bangni-Bokar Lhoba people is a major collective tribe living in the Himalayan hills of Arunachal Pradesh, and they are found in the temperate and sub-tropical regions within the districts of East Siang, Upper Siang, West Siang and Dibang Valley. The older term Abor is a deprecated...
, Galo
Galo
The Galos constitute a tribe inhabiting the West Siang, southwestern side of East Siang, southeastern side of Upper Subansiri, as well as in some small pockets in Itanagar and Lower Dibang Valley, Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India...
, Tagin, Hill Miri
Hill Miri
The Hill Miri are a people of Arunachal Pradesh, India. They are mainly settled in and around Daporijo. In 1998 they were officially consolidated with their more populous neighbors, the Nishi due to their tiny population. The consolidation is still a matter of disagreement among many Hill Miris....
,ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mishing_People]Mising]. They follow the Donyi Polo belief system and they consider Abotani as the one who firstly introduced the technique of rice cultivation.
The following story is told orally through priests (Miri) among the Adi people
Adi people
The Adi, or Bangni-Bokar Lhoba people is a major collective tribe living in the Himalayan hills of Arunachal Pradesh, and they are found in the temperate and sub-tropical regions within the districts of East Siang, Upper Siang, West Siang and Dibang Valley. The older term Abor is a deprecated...
:
In older time Abotani (Abo "father", tani "human") has wandered in forest for want of food. Once he went to Takar-Taji's place (Tatar-Taji) marriage ceremony where a gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
(Mithun) was sacrificed. Due to a trick of Abotani, Takar-Taji could sacrifice only one gaur, which was meagre for distribution to the guest. Abotani's dog (Kiipu) and the deer (Duumpoo) shared a packet of rotten soya seeds (staple food in olden days, as the use of rice millet and maize was unknown in those days). This led to quarrel between Kiipu and Duumpoo. Duumpoo the deer kicked the soya seed packet and ran away. Angry, Kiipu the dog chased the deer. Abotani had to follow both them. After many days Duumpu the deer landed in the world of Digo Ane ("Keeper of Land"; digo "land", ane "mother") where people were scattering the rice powder set on sun for drying. Duumpoo the deer was caught by these people; Kiipu the dog followed and was caught; Abotani followed them and was also caught by the peoples of Digo Ane. The three were imprisoned. After many days Abotani played a trick: he put a dead mole rat in his armpit and acted as if he were dying. This worried the Digo Ane people, lest the act may anger the Takar-Taji people, and they freed Abotani and granted him the gift of rice, millet and maize seed.
Many other legends between the Tani people speak about Abotani's stories: a woman in the Digo Ane region told him how to cultivate the rice seeds (http://wakling.com/abotani-and-the-quest-for-rice); Abotani had a lot of success in his rice cultivation thanks to his wise wife Aio Diiliang Diibiu (http://arunachalipr.gov.in/StateFestival_Dree.htm); however, he divorced from her to marry another woman, and this brought disgrace to his wealth because the new wife was too much after leisures (http://arunachaldiary.blogspot.com/2008/05/myoko-celebration-of-apatanis-photo.html); when Abotani realized this, he left also the second wife and continued the cultivation on his own, but still he had to ask for the help of his sister to be saved from the danger of falling from the top of a high tree where he had climbed (http://arunachalipr.gov.in/StateFestival_Dree.htm). Events in the legendary life of Abotani and in his quest for rice are part of the traditions of the Tani people and are celebrated in different periods of the year (following the rice cultivation season). Abotani is a symbol of the struggle of humankind for food and prosperity though in difficult situations, and of the need for harmony between man and woman to bring wealth to the family.