Si-Donyi Festival

Last updated

Si-Donyi Hilo is the major festival celebrated among the Tagin tribe of Arunachal Pradesh in North-eastern India. It is celebrated majorly in district headquarter Daporijo, in adjoining town Dumporijo and in Taliha, Siyum areas, also in state capital Itanagar, while in other places also it's being celebrated by Tagin community present there. The festival was first conceptualised in the year 1975 by Late Tatar Uli, who was the main pioneer in inception of Si-Donyi uyu. The other members who bore the responsibilities were Late Tadak Dulom and Popak Bage. The festival was celebrated in the same year under their guidance, and since then, the festival Si-donyi uyu has been celebrated by the Tagin tribe. The first priest who led the ritual was Dubi Nogam. Further the name Si-Donyi was suggested by Shri. Bingsa Kodak.

Contents

Recent developments of the Si-Donyi Festival is that Word 'Hilo' is added to the existed name of the Festival i.e Si-Donyi Hilo. That leading wide controversy among the Tagin tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. Some people of the tribe are opposing the naming Modified version of the Festival. They believe that when Hilo is chanted, individual family/ or clan sacrifice Mithun(Buffalo)to king of the Evil Spirit. And they believe that Si(Earth) and Donyi(Sun) are the Goddess and God of the people and so both Si-Donyi and Hillo have huge different with each other. So they celebrate Si-Donyi is the form of Festival since year 1975. They also strongly emotionally attach with the original founder members of the Festival and believe that history of the Festival may dilute due to renaming. On the other hand TSC (Tagin Cultural Society) and some members of Organizing committee of 2024 Si-Donyi Festival thought that suffixing Hilo word is necessary for the Si-Donyi Festival i.e Si-Donyi Hilo Festival. They believe that Hilo is local language of Festival. Also some of they believed that Hilo means Chief (above all).

Controversial is still going on and first group is planning to celebrate the Festival by name of the existing one separately 2024 Si-Donyi onward.

Duration

It is celebrated from the 4 to 6 January every year. During the festival god Si (Atu Si-male spiritual form of earth) and goddess Donyi (Ayu Donyi-female spiritual form of Sun) is being venerated in their spiritual form.

Rituals

Nibu or the local priest presides over the festival by chanting UI (a form of verbal prayers) to the deities, Si and Donyi in particular. For the prosperity of entire community, to stop malevolent spirits from creating destruction towards the people of community and to ask permission for quality crops and health.

Sehtu A platform constructed of bamboos and wood, decorated with required leaves and bamboo stuffs (Nyûgé). The entire hyms and chanting and ghayal sacrifice is done around here.

Another key component is dancing; dances such as Chungne, Konyi Bokar, Riabu, and Takar Ghene are performed by the groups of men and women in their traditional attires and ornaments. While older male perform Hoyi Penam which is a specially performed to welcome the spirits.

While essentially Etțě, a paste made of rice beer and rice powder is smeared on peoples' faces in celebration.

The Mithun gayal is sacrificed for the deities marking the end of festival, while celebration continues for weeks. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Etymology

It is celebrated to venerate the Si (the Earth) and the Donyi (the Sun), the chief deities among the Donyi-Poloism followed by the Tagin. [1] The male spirit form of the Si god and the female spirit form of the Donyi goddess are worshipped.

Related Research Articles

Lhoba is any of a diverse amalgamation of Sino-Tibetan-speaking tribespeople living in and around Pemako, a region in southeastern Tibet including Mainling, Medog and Zayü counties of Nyingchi and Lhünzê County of Shannan, Tibet.

The Aka, also known as Hrusso, are an ethnic group of Indian state Arunachal Pradesh. They are found in various areas of Arunachal Pradesh including the Thrizino Bhalukpong, Buragaon, Jamiri, Palizi, Khuppi area in West Kameng. Their language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donyi-Polo</span> Indigenous religion of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Donyi-Polo is the designation given to the indigenous religion, of animistic and shamanic type, of the Tani and other Tibeto-Burman peoples of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in Northeast India. The name "Donyi-Polo" means "Sun-Moon", and was chosen for the religion in the process of its revitalisation and institutionalisation started in the 1970s in response to inroads made by Christianity and the possibility of absorption into Hinduism.

Daporijo is a census town in the Upper Subansiri district, Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in the Northeast of India.

The tribes of Jharkhand consist of 32 scheduled tribes inhabiting the Jharkhand state in India. In 1872, only 18 tribes were counted among the schedule tribes from which Banjara, Bhatudi, Chik Baraik and Mahli were marked as semi-Hindu aboriginal and Kora as proletariat Hindu. In the 1931 census, including the above four semi-Hindu aboriginal and Kora, a proletariat Hindu, the number was raised to 26 from 18 by adding four more in the annexure. They were Birajia, Godait, Karmali and Paharia, but Kisan was excluded from the list. In 1941 census, Baga, Bedia and Lohra included again taking Kisan in the annexure and number came to 30 which prevailed till June 2003. Kanwar and Kol were added on 8 June 2003 in the annexure and the number of Schedule Tribes came to 32.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharad Purnima</span> Hindu lunar harvest festival

Sharad Purnima is a religious festival celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Ashvin, marking the end of the monsoon season. The full moon night is celebrated in different ways in various cultural regions across Indian subcontinent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miju Mishmi tribe</span>

In Northeastern India, the Miju Mishmi, also known as Kaman or Kammaan, are one of the three tribes of the Mishmi people of Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh. Members of this tribe are located in Anjaw and Lohit district. The Miju clans claim to have come from the Kachin country of Burma. They speak languages of the Midzu branch of Tibeto-Burman.

The Tutsa people, also known as the Tutsa Naga, are a Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group inhabiting the western parts of Changlang and Khimiyong circles and the eastern part of Tirap districts of the Northeast Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Ethnically, the Tutsa are closely related to the Tangsa and were classified as members of the Tangsa in all census records until 1981. As of 2001 their population stood at 25,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tagin people</span> Tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, India

The Tagins are one of the major tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, India, a member of the larger designation of Tani Tribes. The Tagins refers to a tribe of Northeast India Region. The Tagins are members of the larger designation of Abotani. The Tagins are generally adherents of Donyi Poloism religion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hill Miri people</span> Native tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, northeast India

Hill Miri (exonym) are a native tribe of Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India. They are spread in Upper Subansiri and Kamle districts. They speak a Tibeto-Burman language, but the exact origin of their language is disputed.

Murung is the Festival of Prosperity, celebrated by the Apatanis of Lower Subansiri district in Arunachal Pradesh, India. Though an individual festival, whole villages and indeed the whole of the Apatani people get involved in the festival. It is celebrated in the Month of January or Murung piilo. Besides it the Apatanis also celebrate Myoko in the month of march and the Dree Festival from 4 to 7 July every year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Village deities of South India</span>

The village deities of Southern India are the numerous spirits and other beings venerated as part of the Dravidian folk tradition in villages throughout South India. These deities, mainly goddesses, are intimately associated with the well-being of the village, and can have either benevolent or violent tendencies. These deities are presently in various stages of syncretism or assimilation with mainstream Hindu traditions.

Mara or Mra refers to a tribe in Arunachal Pradesh. The Mara (Mra) inhabit in Limeking in Upper Subansiri, just south of Taksing which is inhabited by the Nga. Like other Tagins, the Mara subscribe to the Donyi Polo faith but have come under considerable Tibetan Buddhist influence as a result of centuries of interactions with the Tibetans in the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mechuka</span> Town in Arunachal Pradesh, India

Mechukha or Menchukha is a town, assembly constituency and subdivision, situated 6,000 feet (1,829 m) above sea level in the Mechukha Valley of Yargep Chu/ Siyom River in Shi Yomi district of Arunachal Pradesh state of India. Before the 1950s, Mechuka valley was known as Pachakshiri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mopin</span>

The 'Mopin' or 'Moopin' Festival is an agricultural festival celebrated by the Galo tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, India in particular of the Galo group of tribes which resides in East Siang and West Siang districts. It is a celebration of the harvesting season held in the Galo months of "Lumi" and "Luki", corresponding to March–April and the new year for the Galo tribe. The Galo tribe follow an animist religion called Donyi-Polo.

Nyokum is a festival celebrated by the Nyishi tribe of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The Word Nyokum has been derived from the combination of two words - Nyok means land (earth) and Kum means collectiveness or togetherness. Therefore, the Nyokum festival may very well be interpreted as inviting all the Gods and Goddesses of the universe, with the Nyokum Goddess as the principal deity, to a particular venue at a particular time. The festival is commonly celebrated by the people from all class and walk of life for better productivity, prosperity and happiness of all human beings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mising people</span> Indigenous community in north-east India

The Mising people are a Sino-Tibetan indigenous ethnic group inhabiting mostly in the Northeast Indian states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. They are part of the greater Tani group of people of India and Tibet Autonomous Region.

Here is a list of glossary of Culture of India in alphabetical order:

Marriage Practices of Galo Tribe or Traditional Galo Tribe Wedding/Marriage Practices are part of the cultural fabric of Arunachal Pradesh, India. In Galo dialect, it is called as NYIDA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Circassian paganism</span> Ethnic religion of the Circassian people

Circassian paganism, also called Khabzeism or Khabzism, is the ethnic religion of the Circassians. It is based on worshipping the supreme god Theshkhue (Тхьэшхуэ) and other minor deities under his rule, to each of whom is attributed an element, action or item of veneration and control. The religion also strongly focuses on the perfection of the soul, developing spiritual maturity and honour until a practitioner may enter the heavens, in union with their ancestors.

References

  1. 1 2 Pakba, Tagia (5 January 2017). "'Si-Donyi' – the festival of Arunachal Pradesh". The Arunachal Times. The Arunachal Times Publications Pvt. Ltd. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  2. ↑ "'Si Donyi Festival: Tagin Tribe - Arunachal Pradesh". Greener Pastures. First Choice. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "Si-Donyi Festival to be Celebrated from January 4". Eclectic NorthEast. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  4. ↑ "Si-Donyi Festival". India's North East. Rongjeng Technologies Pvt. Ltd. 10 April 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  5. ↑ "Si-Donyi Celebrated with Fervor in Arunachal". Northeast Today. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2017.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.