Api Tani Woman

[Manfred M]

Reworking some images from a trip we were on just over three years ago.

This is an Api Tani woman, who lives in the Ziro Valley, in Arunachel Pradesh State, in the very north-eastern part of India, right along the border with China (Tibet). The Api Tani women tatooed their faces and had nose plugs. The practice has been discouraged by the Indian government, so most of these women are in their 50's or older. When they are gone, this practice will have died out with them.

[Tronhard]

Not only is that an engaging portrait, but a significant historical image.

[rpcrowe]

Great portrait...

However, although nose plugs may have died away in that locale of India, ear plugs are going strong in some of our "CIVILIZED" societies.

[Shadowman]

Nice portrait.

[george013]

Reworking some images from a trip we were on just over three years ago.

This is an Api Tani woman, who lives in the Ziro Valley, in Arunachel Pradesh State, in the very north-eastern part of India, right along the border with China (Tibet). The Api Tani women tatooed their faces and had nose plugs. The practice has been discouraged by the Indian government, so most of these women are in their 50's or older. When they are gone, this practice will have died out with them.

Good image. She looks extremely strong and proud.
I wonder how they function this way: breathing and smelling.

George

[DanK]

I agree with the earlier comments, and I had the same question as George.

[RBSinTo]

Manfred,
Excellent shot. Interesting and enlightening as well.
Did you take any that show her in her surroundings?
As for George's question, I suspect that the plugs are put in the sides of the nose (where women today put studs) starting off with small ones which are replaced over time with progressively larger ones, and the nostrils are actually below.
These people are undoubtedly hardworking and used to physical labour, and plugging up their nostrils so that they were forced to breathe through their mouths would probably be difficult for them.
Robert

[Manfred M]

Did you take any that show her in her surroundings?

Not a lot, but we did take some outside of her house and a few interior shots. The woman had been recently widowed and was known to our guide; the last time he visited, her husband was still alive. We did give her a small cash gift for letting us see the inside of her house and for letting us take pictures of her.

Arunachal Pradesh State is a restricted area and special permits are required to visit it, even for Indians from other states. A guide and driver are mandatory for visitors and they have to be arranged through a local tour operator. Our "tour group" was just me and my wife.


#1 - Small village in the Hiro Valley. Construction materials are primarily bamboo poles and mats. Thatch used to be used for roofs but due to the fire hazard, the Indian government has encouraged corrugated steel sheets to be used instead. That rusty material is not particularly picturesque.





#2 - Our "model" on the back porch of her house.





#3 - Interior shot of the house. The bright area is the door to the porch where we photographed the woman.





#4 - Another view of the interior of the house. The ladder is quite typical for this part of the world and leads to the storage area in the "attic". The wooden and sand filled fire box is where the cooking fire is. This is how people cook in bamboo houses without burning the place down (too often).