Unying Araan festival of Adis celebrated in Arunachal with great pomp and gaiety  

 

PASIGHAT The Unying Araan festival of Adis which is celebrated beginning from the 7th day of March every year was celebrated with great pomp and gaiety across the villages and towns of Adi inhabited districts of Arunachal Pradesh today.

 

 

The Araan festival also marks the beginning of New Year and the arrival of spring season, the season of joyousness and youthfulness where male elders perform ‘Bari’ songs and ‘Yakjong’ dance in villages by boys and girls through which stories of the origin of the festival are narrated, besides praying for the wellbeing of people both materially and spiritually.

 

 

In this festival, it is customary for all male members of a family to go on a hunting spree (open season) and stay in the jungles for one week.

 

 

When they return home they come back with various kills such as deers, birds, squirrels, fish, etc.

 

 

The children perform “Yakjong” (house to house) wearing colorful traditional attire and bless the house where they perform.

 

ALSO READ: Brahmins from Lower Assam cannot be CM, a myth? Sonowal says ‘do not raise such questions’

 

The hunted birds, rodents, squirrels are prepared as gift “Aaman” for children and they carry and play with it during the day.

 

 

The festivity brings brotherhood among the villagers as meats and rice beer ‘Aapong’ are shared. ‘Aapongs’ are gifted to uncles (maternal) and in return uncles gifts back hunted animals like rodent,  birds and other meats to children of sisters and relatives during the festival.

 

 

Another interesting part of the festivity is that men folk’ returning from hunting spree inquires each other about who and which groups hunted the maximum number of animals and later they invite each other in their houses to offer feast.

 

 

Remarkably, every Adi living across Adi inhabited districts of Arunachal Pradesh including those staying far away in the towns and cities celebrates Unying Araan festival with traditional ‘Bari’ songs sung by male elders and ‘Yakjong’ dance performed by youths (boys and girls) in the villages.

 

 

This festival lasts for around 10 days and through these traditional performances, the Adis narrate stories of the origin of the festival. Villagers also pray for the well-being of the tribesmen and women.