Dree Festival
apatanis inhabit tranquil pine clad valley called ziro core lower subansiri district arunachal pradesh famous unique practice wet rice cultivation also known sustainable agricultural practice agricultural cycle govern everyday life agricultural festival dree highlight cycle beginning human wandered around foraging food anii donii abba liibo began cultivation fertile land iipyo supuñ thus anii donii first human start settled life abba liibo first start cultivation first batch spade – turú dipe first batch machete – tiigyó ilyo bush vegetation cleared large tract land invoking wind north south leaving burnt next soil prepared sowing plot agriculture ready paddy seed available search seed begun process anii donii abba lwbo reached murtú lembyañ obtained seed pyapiñ pyare variety paddy along seed cucumber corn murtú yariñ something still lacking search continued anẁ̀ donw abba liibo looked stomach wild rat full grass herb wild boar full salyó sankhe however stomach dilyañ kubu – field rat found seed empu elañ variety paddy trailed field rat help dog finally located source seed place called hirii lyandiñ paddy seed found stuck high branch hirii tanguñ tree along tayú tagyá – variety bee thus empú elañ obtained hirii anii variety paddy – pyapiñ pyare obtained murtu well empu elañ obtained hirii originally obtained hintii anii anii donii abba liibo set sow seed iipyo supuñ rain storm came disturb overcame equipped basket taser rain guard tarpì anii donii abba lwbo constantly disturbed cultivation work life made miserable demon named pyokuñ pembò pyoyi tadù demon finally eliminated great effort struggle far stomach pyokuñ pembò pyoyi tadù emerged swarm insect pest rice eating bird attacked crop field led poor harvest subsequent hunger famine order counter menace insect pest disease alleviate impending hunger famine series ritual observed month dree achí kharii dulu talañ myama pwkha first priest assisted committee called dree pontañ committee consisted huli gorì hula gora – village committee huní mitur huna mikiñ learned wise village elder kharii khatii high priest gwtú gwra general public collected voluntary donation every household meet requirement dree ritual pyodu au dree yarii believed force cause scarcity food bring hunger suffering humanity damage caused crop insect pest together hunger brought pyodu au dree yarii lead famine thus dree ritual observed ward force june–july corresponding dree pwlo apatanis taboo period follows celebration victory evil force take place dree festival came celebrated dree ritual tamù metii meder mepiñ tamù propitiated ward insect pest metii propitiated ward epidemic ailment human being purification ritual meder performed cleanse agricultural field unfavorable element series ritual concluded mepiñ performed seek blessing healthy crop wellbeing mankind modern dree danyi also propitiated fertility soil abundance aquatic life rice field healthy cattle prosperity human being olden day village performed dree rite separately respective village different date per convenience village level organizing committee year senior student apatani society led shri lod kojee organised dree centrally common ground siilañ ditiñ first time since celebration taboo period take place centrally fun gaiety competition iisañ high jump giibii – traditional wrestling youth organised lady engaged damiñda folk dance competition elder exhibit knowledge ayú bwsi competition mode celebration changed time original ritual started ancestor iipyó supuñ meticulously followed day objective festival remains – healthy crop bumper harvest overall prosperity mankind dree festival five main deity appeased tamù metii meder mepiñ danyi tamu propitiated ward insect pest metii propitiated ward epidemic ailment human being meder purification ritual performed cleanse agricultural field unfavorable element mepiñ performed seek blessing healthy crop wellbeing mankind danyi – danyi also propitiated fertility soil abundance aquatic life rice field healthy cattle prosperity human being earlier danyi performed dree ritual first time introduced sacrifice mithun donated late millo kacho later part april attending mopin festival pasighat town student shri lod kojee friend studying jawaharlal nehru college pasighat course informal chat felt need festival centrally organised apatanis apatani society half dozen pujas festival performed individually collectively throughout year single puja festival performed central location fixed date participated entire community like bihu assamese community diwali hindu solung mopin adi galo community accordingly possibility modification pujas festival apatani centralised place uniformly fixed date discussed due mythological rigidity modification pujas festival possible long hard persuasion dree selected modified celebration centralised location without affecting traditional identity earlier village choice date commencement dree per modified programme date centralised celebration fixed july every year therefore village level traditional ritual performance take place eve general celebration ie july following day priest representative village valley participate centrally installed festival altar general dree ground since dree festival centrally celebrated entire people apatani july every year nenchalya near old ziro middle part may summer vacation j n college pasighat already started leaving home student ziro divided amongst two group one group would go ziro collect contribution donation kind like mithun goat fowl egg rice necessary material celebration second group led shri lod kojee proceed shillong approaching nefa administration financial assistance shillong apprised proposal shri jikom riba special social cultural officer north east frontier agency administration led shri pn luthra adviser governor assam granted sum r rupee one thousand financial help towards proposed dree festival celebration also consented grace occasion chief guest one sunny day early part june public meeting convened old ziro chaired late r nag deputy commissioner subansiri district gaon bura public leader senior student valley attended meeting meeting crucial one regarding selection dree venue decision could arrive easily afternoon people reru tajang kalung village proposed dree venue lajbogyaplace near bulla school people hari village suggested dree venue byaraplace near hari school people hong village demanded dree venue hanokoplace near hong school people mudang tage michi bamin village suggested let venue biirii place hong school mudangtage village people dutta hija village suggested venue nenchanglya near hija school finally decision taken dree venue selected place fulfills following condition venue must centrally located valley must easy access conveyance must good play ground sufficient area construction shed huge gathering condition agreed decided representative visit spot physically next day ascertain place fulfils abovementioned condition next day reported nenchanglya near hija school fulfills condition finally selected central dree ground olden day dree observed different day according convenience concerned dree goras pontangs organising committee village level could called festival true sense rather ritual performed apatanis however dree biisi traditional folk song amongst girl game sport like wrestling high jump etc amongst boy took place village level though large scale today biggest festival apatani valley celebrated place well ever apatanis live july evening dree priest traditionally inaugurates dree festival respected village next day july dree officially solemnized celebrated common ground traditional gaiety inaugurated chief guest unfurling dree flag followed dree anthem sung group artiste everybody present served dree taku cucumber dree rice millet beer followed community feast add colour celebration pridances daminda folk dance displayed modern dancesong literary competition game sport competition high light day taboo period woman folk visit home elderly relative present wine token love respect strengthen relationship dree modification shri lod kojee published souvenir central dree committee ziro year silver jubilee dree festival celebration observed dree agricultural community festival apatanis importance shri tage dibo article published arunachal time july rising faith apatanis shri mihin kaning article published echo arunachal december dree festival