Apa Tani: Encyclopedia II - Apa Tani - The Apatani today

Apa Tani - The Apatani today

You will be disappointed to meet an Apatani today if you went to Jiro expecting to see some tribals following a primitive culture - animistic beliefs, tattooing, long hair tied into a knot on men and animal sacrifices. They have given up most of their tribal ways and have incorporated ways of the modern world. Many of them are high-level Government employees, doctors and engineers. Of late, several teens have even been influenced by American culture, and are Baptists.

The last of the generation that still maintains some of the traditional practices consists of individuals of about 45-80 years of age. One can see syncretic traditional practices in the society today, but it won't be long before it's all lost. Children born to Apa Tani parents most of them are unable to speak Apa Tani. Still few of them speak their mother tongue. Instead, they use Hindi and English as the main form of communication.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "The Apatani today", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki