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ZIRO VALLEY
View of a misty morning at Ziro Valley. Image Source: Shutterstock
Ziro Valley, located in the Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, is a picturesque landscape surrounded by lush green hills and dense forests. The valley features around 32 square kilometres of cultivable land within a plateau that stretches over 1,058 square kilometres, marked by gentle hillocks and mountain tracts ranging from 1,525 to 2,900 metres above sea level. Nestled in the lower ranges of the Eastern Himalayas, the valley is the homeland of the Apatani tribe and forms a part of the larger Apatani Cultural Landscape.
An open field at Ziro Valley. Image source: Uddipan Sarma.
The Apatani Cultural Landscape was reportedly added to the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2014, recognising the unique and sustainable way of life of the Apatanis. Central to Apatani society is the Bulyañ, a traditional village council that oversees, guides, and maintains legal authority over activities that impact the entire community. Their approach is to appeal to people's sense of morality rather than instill fear of the law, emphasising the prevention of unlawful actions over punitive measures. The Apatanis' deep sense of brotherhood and respect for man-nature relationships are fundamental to preserving their cultural traditions.
What makes the Apatani Cultural Landscape so unique is the community's efficient use of limited land resources, which has evolved over centuries. The relatively flat land in the valley is diligently used for wet rice cultivation, along with the unique practice of rearing fish within the rice fields. This practice is further enhanced by growing millet (Eleusine coracana) on the elevated partition bunds between rice plots. The agro-ecosystems are enriched by nutrients washed down from the surrounding hill slopes. Nutrient loss from crop harvesting is compensated by recycling crop residues and using organic waste from the villages. This farming method ensures soil fertility, establishing the Apatanis’ commitment to sustainable resource management. Inhabitants of Ziro Valley have specified areas for human settlement, wet rice cultivation, dry cultivation, community burial grounds, pine and bamboo gardens, private plantations, and community forests.
Yellow paddy fields against verdant hills form Ziro’s scenery. Image source: Uddipan Sarma.
Paddy fields in Ziro Valley. Image Source: Shutterstock
An Apatani woman going to the field. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
The availability of water, essential for wet rice cultivation, is directly linked to the effective conservation of the surrounding forests. These forests act as critical watersheds, nourishing the streams that flow into the fields. Strict customary laws regulating the use of forest resources and hunting practices play a vital role in preserving these watersheds that sustain Ziro Valley. This careful stewardship, rooted in the community’s deep respect for nature, ensures the continued vitality of the valley's agricultural practices.
As a living cultural landscape, the Apatani civilisation has demonstrated resilience in preserving its core values despite external influences over the past few decades. The introduction of animals or machines for farming, common elsewhere, has not diminished the tribe’s commitment to manual farming. They still use bamboo and wooden agricultural implements, supplemented by some metal tools, and opt for traditional practices that do not resort to chemical fertilisers. The need for locally produced food grains in customary practices and religious rituals has ensured the continuation of traditional wet rice cultivation.
The landscape of Ziro is dotted with kiwi plantations. Image source: Wikimedia Commons.
The symbiotic relationship that people share with nature has helped nurture specific customs and traditions. Traditional festivals like Muruñ, Myoko, Yapuñ, and Dree are essentially celebrations of the natural world. The traditional relationships with fellow tribesmen from other villages (biiniiñ ajiñ) and neighbouring tribes (manyañ) are also held in high regard, with many viewing these bonds as enduring and sacred. In a world where societal cohesion is frequently jeopardised by rising individualism, the Apatanis' deep reverence for these connections has profound universal implications.
Ziro Music Festival. Image Source: Youtube
In recent years, the valley has also played host to and been the namesake for the famous Ziro Music Festival. Usually held in September, this festival in the land of the Apatanis is acclaimed for its eco-friendly measures. The festival enforces a zero single-use plastic policy and promotes a leave-no-waste approach, highlighting its commitment to environmental sustainability.
Thus, the distinctive lifestyle embraced by the Apatanis has shaped Ziro Valley into a living cultural landscape where humans and nature have coexisted harmoniously and interdependently, even as times have changed. This enduring coexistence, enriched by indigenous knowledge, continues to sustain the vibrant heritage of the Ziro Valley.
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