Folk Dances of Arunachal Pradesh

• The state of Arunachal Pradesh in north-eastern India is home to many tribes originated mainly from Tibeto-Burman family.
• Various tribal folk dance forms have emerged at times to celebrate the festivities and sometimes to elevate the spirit of goodness.
• The Folk Dances of Arunachal Pradesh  can be broadly classified into four distinct groups of dances typically enacted for a host of purposes.
• Festive Folk Dances of Arunachal Pradesh performances which are mainly festival orientated folk dances celebrated during special occasions.
• Ritualistic dance is Folk Dances of Arunachal Pradesh done with much exuberance during certain rituals.
• Recreational dances performed as part of recreational purposes
• These dances are not performed as part of any ritual or festival though they are part of certain occasions creating a happy and cheerful atmosphere.
• The Dance Drama or the Pantomimes which aim at depicting a mythical story entitled with a moral.
• Dance forms an important aspect of the socio-cultural heritage of the peole.
• They dance on important rituals, during festivals and also for recreation.
• The Folk Dances of Arunachal Pradesh of the people of Arunachal are group- where both men and women take part.
• There are however some dances such as igo dance of the Mishmi priests, war dance of the Adis, Noctes and Wanchos, ritualistic dance of the Buddhist tribes, which are male dances. Females are not allowed to participate in these dances.
• Some of the popular folk dances of the people are Aji Lamu(Monpa), Roppi(Nishing), Buiya(Nishing), Hurkani(Apatani), Popir(Adi), Pasi Kongki(Adi), Chalo(Nocte), Ponung (Adi), Rekham Pada (Nishing), Lion and Peacock dance (Monpa) and so on.
• Most dances are performed to the accompaniment of songs sung generally in chorus.
• Musical instruments like drums and Cymbals are played.

Mask-Folk Dances of Arunachal Pradesh

• Religious beliefs of some tribal communities especially in Arunachal Pradesh have been influenced in some respect by Hinduism and Buddhism.
• The Sherdukpens and the Monpas perform many kind of ritual masked dances of which Thutotdam is most fascinating.
• The dancers put on masks representing skulls and wear costumes designed as skeletons.
• The ritualistic dance depicts how the soul after death is received in the other world.
• At Torgyap Festival many such kinds of masked dances are performed which aim at driving away evil spirits and ensuring prosperity, good harvest and favourable weather throughout the year.

Arpos Folk Dances of Arunachal Pradesh

• The Monpas perform Arpos dance in which about twenty-five dancers, wearing helmets and carrying sword and shields like ancient warrior, depicts how the ancestors of the tribe conquered their enemies.
• The performance concludes with a dance number called Gallong Chham in which about ten dancers perform wearing very colourful costumes and sumptuous headgear.
• Of all the masked pantomimes that the Sherdukpens perform, the most fasicinating is the Yak dance.
• The dummy animal is formed by two men concealed behind a black cloth that forms its body.
• The head of the dummy Yak is made of wood. On its back sits the figure of a goddess. Three masked men dance around the dummy animal.
• They represent the legendary hero Apapek and two sons.
• Verrier Elwin in The Art of the North-East frontier of India reports,”The lamas of the Yang Sang Chu valley in northern Siang have masked dances which they perform every year at the week-long festival of Drubachuk to ensure prosperity, happiness and health.

Bardo Chham Folk Dances of Arunachal Pradesh

• Bardo Chham is a folk dance of Arunachal Pradesh and a crucial ritual among the ethno-various group of north-east people.
• Folk dances are performed during festivals and likewise as leisure routine.
• These primitive tribal communities living at the Himalayan skirt for centuries were able to retain their targeted tradition of thousand years.
• Their zests for existence and nature have enabled these rough working tribes of north east Himalayas choreograph some superb folk dances. One of the most widespread folks dance of Arunachal Pradesh incorporating the struggles of Adi tribe, Igu dance of Mishmi clergymen, ritualistic performances of Buddhist tribe.

Adi Tribal Folk Dances of Arunachal Pradesh

• Adi tribal dance from India’s north-east! This is being performed at the Brahmaputra Festival in Siang, Arunachal Pradesh, India.
• Dances form a vital element in the zest and joy of living of Arunachali tribal.
• They dance on important rituals, during festivals and also for recreational reasons.
• They vary from highly stylised religious dance dramas of the Buddhists to the martial steps and colourful performances.

Ponung Folk Dances of Arunachal Pradesh

• It is the famous folk dance of Adi tribal people.
• This is a dance performed by women alone.
• The purpose of this festival is to ask for a good harvest and welfare of the village community.
• This dance is performed on all-important & auspicious occasions.
• Among the Adis dance had evolved almost into an art form for entertainment and recreation.
• The ‘Phoning’ dance of Adis is performed by teams of young girls in perfect rhythmic unison.
• Similar group dance in colourful costumes are performed by Nishis and Tagins of Upper and Lower Subansiri Districts.
• Adi village has a rich cultural life. The tribal people are famous for their Ponung that is dancing with the accompaniment of songs.
• A group of girls dance in a circle holding each other by stretching their hands over each others shoulders while the leader-usually a man called the Miri – dances and sings in the centre-holding aloft and shaking a sword like musical instrument called ‘Yoksha’.
• First he sings a line and then it is repeated in chorus by the maidens rhythmically in circle at a low pace. On all important occasions ponung is arranged.

The Wancho Dance

• The Wancho tribes perform dances during appropriate occasions like festivals, ceremonies etc.
• Ozele festival of Wanchos is celebrated in February-March after the sowing of millet.
• It lasts for four days and was observed in Longkhau village.
• The dance is performed from about 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. inside the chief’s house.
• Among the male-folk, boys, youths and adults take part while among women, only girls and those young married women who have not joined the husband’s family, take part in the dance.
• The dancers, dressed in their fineries, stand in a circle surrounding a bonfire.
• The girls stand on one side of the circle holding each other’s hands.
• The male dancers hold a sword in the right hand and most of them place the left hand over the shoulder of the dancer to the left.
• The male dancers start singing when all take a short step with the right foot to the right, flex the knees with an accompanying forward swing of the sword and gently bring the left foot up to the heel of the right one.
• They repeat this sequence of movements.
• When the singing of the male-dancers, end, which is generally on the eighth or ninth step, all stamp their right foot twice on the ground.
• The female dancers take up the singing in reply.
• They stamp the right foot twice on the ground during their turn of singing, once generally in the fourth step and the next at the end of the singing which generally falls on the ninth step.
• Again the male dancers take up the singing and thus the dance continues.