Arunachal's Nyishi tribe celebrates agri-based Nyokum Yullo festival with enthusiasm across state

Arunachal Pradesh's Nyishi tribe celebrated the unique agriculture-based Nyokum Yullo Festival with great zeal and enthusiasm, marking an important cultural event in the state. 
 

The festival, which is centered around nature worship and agricultural prosperity, was celebrated widely across the state, with grand rituals and ceremonies taking place in Nyapin town, Kurung Kumey district.
 

Ojing Tasing, the Panchayat and Rural Development Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, attended the event as the chief guest, along with Ritum Tali, General Secretary of the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU), and IAS Vishakha Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Kurung Kumey district, who joined the celebrations as special guests.
 

In his address, Minister Tasing urged everyone to preserve nature and pray for abundant agriculture, stating, “Nyokum is our tradition, it represents our culture, and we should celebrate it in a grand manner. We pray for good harvests and blessings for all.”
 

Ritum Tali, in his speech, emphasised the significance of Nyokum in the Nyishi society. "Nyokum is a worship to nature, a welcome to the new year and the spring season. It is celebrated universally, as it has been for centuries. We pray for the well-being of humanity, all living beings, good health, and a prosperous harvest. The younger generation is now realising the importance of preserving tradition, and it’s heartening to see Nyokum being celebrated across the country, even by our natives in other states,” Tali said.
 

Deputy Commissioner Vishakha Yadav, speaking to India Today NE, wished everyone a happy Nyokum Yullo and highlighted that Nyapin is a crime-free town filled with loving people. "The recent Cabinet meeting held in Nyapin will boost the town's development,” she added. She also shared her initiative, Digi Kaksha, which has been implemented in Koloriang and Sangram towns in Kurung district to promote digital education.

Nyokum Yullo is one of the most significant festivals for the Nyishi tribe, symbolising the worship of Goddess Nyokum, the deity believed to protect the land and its harvest. The festival is a time for people to come together, celebrate, and seek blessings for prosperous crops, protection from natural disasters, and health. The rituals, which begin on February 23, run until February 27, and include sacrifices and prayers for fertility, prosperity, and protection from pests and calamities.
 

The term ‘Nyokum’ combines 'Nyok' (land) and 'Kum' (togetherness), while ‘Yullo’ refers to the rituals. The festival is not only an expression of gratitude to nature but also an effort to preserve the ancient traditions and the religion of Donyi Polo amidst the influence of modernity and other religions. The Nyishis believe in multiple deities and spirits residing in every element of nature, from mountains to rivers, crops to household items. They believe that prosperity, happiness, and serenity come only through blessings from the Almighty and harmony between humans, nature, and the divine.