The first impression was, hey this is better designed site than the Nyishi.org but as I navigated through to the About us page, I found, it had the same lacunae as of Nyishi.org, i.e., page under construction. The rest of the pages are well laid out.

Where Nyishi.org is a community based site, ttt-ao.org is the site for particular clan of Galo community (correct me), which aims at encouraging the literary development and documentation besides promoting and fostering unity, belongingness, brotherhood and fraternity amongst the descendents of Tutem, Tuni and Tusi.

So, if you are descendents of Tutem, Tuni and Tusi, head on to this site for the activities of TTT-AO Welfare Society, and if you are not, still head on to this site if you want an insight into the Ori clan.

Now, I’m thinking why other communities of Arunachal is not following suit? Or are there other sites too that is eluding me.?

]]> http://www.arunachaldiary.com/2007/08/www-ttt-ao-org/feed/ 2 http://www.arunachaldiary.com/2007/06/can-tani-language-become-a-lingua-franca-of-tani-group/ http://www.arunachaldiary.com/2007/06/can-tani-language-become-a-lingua-franca-of-tani-group/#comments Fri, 22 Jun 2007 04:55:00 +0000 AG http://arunachaldiary.com/2007/06/22/can-tani-language-become-a-lingua-franca-of-tani-group/ Read more ...]]> But what is Tani Language? Do we really have a language called Tani Language? Is it the language spoken by the Apatani’s or the Nyishi’s or the Adi’s or any other tribe of Tani group? But then, don’t their languages differ not to be quite intelligible enough amongst themselves? So, when Tani Federation Forum (TTF) based at Guwahati called for making Tani Language as lingua franca of Tani group, I wondered which Tani Language they were referring to.

Unification bid by the Tanis

ITANAGAR, June 18: The Tanis of Arunachal Pradesh and Asom irrespective of their boundaries, religion and political identities have decided to unify and unite in their greater interest.

This was the unanimous decision taken at the first plenary session of Guwahati-based Tani Federation Forum (TFF) held at North Lakhimpur yesterday with the participation of representatives from both states. Former Arunachal Minister Tadar Taniang was the chief guest.

Though the tribe society was passing through a transition, the session opposed the imposition of Sanskrit language and called for its replacement by Tani language, which could serve as lingua-franca and integrate the entire tribe living in various part of the North East Region, according to TFF release.

-The Arunachal Times

Though, their call for unification of Tani groups is quite commendable yet I couldn’t understand their call for making Tani Language a lingua franca of Tani groups, when there is no common language amongst Tani group as Tani Language. Or do we have?

BTW, what is this TTF? Who are they? Why are they based at Guwahati when majority of Tani groups are settled at Arunachal Pradesh?

This has made me think, isn’t it easy to manipulate and play around with simple, though at sometimes complex, highly orthodox Arunachalee peoples’ mindset and their outlook? I wonder, it is; and if it is on the line of their faith and belief, the easier it is. This was evident from the attendance it garnered during the recently concluded “Donyi Polo Day” (or rather Indigenous Faiths Day as was earlier known) observation on 31^st last month at Donyi-Polo ground Hapoli.

What is Donyi-Polo and Donyi-Poloism?

Literally, Donyi means Sun and Polo means Moon. The descendants of mythical “Abotani”, which by and large follows animism, considers Donyi-Polo as one of their supreme powers among so many benevolent and malevolent supreme powers that governs their life. These supreme powers, in some way or the other, had some relation with the mythical Abotani as the folklore suggests. And since time immemorial, the descendants of Abotani had a ritual to erect altars of these supreme powers and make sacrifices in order to appease them, whenever these supreme or supernatural powers interfered with their lives. And this has been their religion.

But, in Indian perspective, animism is not recognized (I still remember the look on the face of interviewer when I said I don’t have any religion rather I’m an animist, in response to their question during my interview for a job – they were far from believing me, thinking either I was Buddhist or a Christian), and in order to have definite religious identity and to preserve the indigenous traditional faith, Donyi-Poloism was born and now it is recognized as a religion. And now, well, may be I guess I would say I follow Donyi-Poloism whenever I’m asked about my religion.

The Present Scenario

Going by what Donyi-Poloism stands for today, I may not say that I’m follower of Donyi-Poloism but would rather say that I’m an animist, if ever I’m asked about my religion. Why? Because it is totally devoid of the rituals that have been performed since time immemorial. Now, it has definite place of worship called “Medar Nello” or “Nyider Namlo” and has an idol too. So far, as I remember, the Apatanis or for that matter I presume even Adis or Nyishis (descendant of Abotani) had ever idol worshipped and in a designated place of worship called “Medar Nello” or “Nyider Namlo” as it is done today. Though as suggested above, only symbolic altars were erected whenever certain ceremonies or rituals had to be performed. Going by the way the rituals, that are performed now-a-days, in the so called place of worship vis-à-vis the rituals that are performed at temple, I wonder if it is akin to Hinduism or has influence of Hinduism. But then, with so many Hindu missionary leading the Medar Nallo, no wonder, if the rituals performed in the Medar Nello has Hinduism tone. And in some way or the other Donyi-Poloism has always been linked with Hinduism-Donyi with Surya Devta and Polo with Chandrama. But would someone tell those missionaries that Sun is feminine (Ayo Danyi) and Moon is masculine (Ato Piilo) unlike otherwise in Hinduism?

If Donyi-Poloism is akin to Hinduism, why people are thronging at Medar Nello?

As suggested in the previous para, the conversion to Christianity has been growing at a very rapid pace among Apatanis in these past few years and to put check on this conversion, Hindu missionary has simultaneously been trying to convert the population to Hinduism, albeit with little success. Those converted to Christianity, altogether not only stopped performing the earlier rituals but also started branding those practising the Traditional Rituals as the son of “Satan” as I’m told. This irked the highly orthodox Apatanis who performed the Traditional Rituals. And the Hindu Missionaries, which were working covertly on conversion, cleverly took advantage of this irked mindset by encouraging them to join Donyi-Poloism and to attend Medar Nello as it was their indigenous faith.

With their traditional ethos hurt and countering conversion of population to Christianity being the other motive, the people quite played into the hands of Hindu Missionaries and started attending the so called place of worship. After all, it had a Donyi-Polo tag, enough to let them believe that they are following their traditional form of faith and worship and not being almost converted to Hinduism.

Is Donyi-Poloism really an indigenous faith?

I would say no in the present context, but an alternate form of Hinduism. It has played into the hands of missionary and now has evolved into altogether different form of faith and practice with nothing indigenous about it.

Conclusion

With blatant rate of conversions- be it to Christianity or to Hinduism or to Donyi-Poloism (neo-Hinduism) and with the people who still orthodoxically follows the age old rituals and practice, I fear, in near future it may flare up communal tensions based on the religion and we would be witnessing riots due to the difference in opinions among them. Also, I fear, would we be able to retain our age old traditional custom, culture and faith for preservation of which, Donyi-Poloism was created?

What do you say?