From the archive record
An old Apatani man chews betel nut while being videographed at Ziro village. Hidden in the rain-forests of Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India lies the village of Ziro, home to the Apatanis. The Apatanis are a very interesting tribe. Unlike the other tribes, they are non-nomadic in nature. They practice permanent wetland cultivation in hilly terrain by slicing the hills, whereas other tribes practice cultivation in dry land by cutting down forests. Arguably, the most captivating members are the older women of the tribe, who wear facial tattoos and massive nose rings. The tradition, though non-existent now, dates back to pre-modern times, when the Apatani women were considered to be the most beautiful in all of Arunachal Pradesh. Men of other tribes would often steal the Apatani women, whi