ITANAGAR, 5 Jul: The Apatani community across the state celebrated Dree festival with traditional pomp and fervor on Friday.
Attending the Golden Jubilee Capital Complex Dree Festival Celebration at Papu Nallah, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein commended the Apatani community for their contribution to the state’s development.
He cited the example of Robin Hibu, the first IPS officer and first DGP from Arunachal Pradesh, and many other officers of the community, who are serving the state in various capacities.
Mein urged the youths to be disciplined, hardworking and strive for perfection, and achieve professionalism in their chosen fields while staying connected to their roots.
On the occasion, the DCM inaugurated the Apatani Heritage – Souvenir Shopping Complex, and the Golden Jubilee Dree Heritage Gate. The new complex will serve as a platform for the local artisans to display their unique crafts, fostering sustainable livelihoods and cultural exchange.
He also released two books and a music album.
During the programme, Lifetime Achievement Awards were conferred on the individuals associated with the conceptualization and continuation of the Central Dree Festival.
Among the recipients were former director of arts & culture Lod Kojee, Retd IAS officer Hage Kojeen, Bamin Kano, Joram Lalin, Dr. Bengia Tolum and PG Tago. Late Gyati Challa, Nani Challa, and Tasso Grayu were awarded posthumously for their visionary efforts.
The event was attended among others by MLA Techi Kaso, Deputy Speaker Kardo Nyigyor, MLA Hage Appa, Itanagar municipal corporation mayor Tame Phassang.
At Ziro, agriculture minister Gabriel D. Wangsu said that time has now come for the people of Apatani plateau to introspect the sustainability of their society so craftily evolved and nurtured by their ingenious forefathers.
Wangsu said that the people of Arunachal Pradesh, including the Apatani are slowly and surely embracing modernity including imbibing modern culture, values and amenities.
“This has deeply affected the aged-old tribal culture system of our state and we are presently at the crossroads of transition,” the minister said.
Advocating maintaining originality of the tribal culture, values and ethos, the journalist turned politician Wangsu said that the “Dree festival should be an embodiment of upholding and preserving the rich cultural legacy of Apatani people.”
“The rich cultural system handed down by forefathers should not be diluted and compromised too much by the onslaught of modernity,” he said.
Calling for a unified Dree festival celebration at Ziro, the minister said that Apatani people need to introspect on this matter in the interest of unity and camaraderie of the people of the plateau.
“Dree should not be a compelling celebration but it ought to be a spontaneous and all-encompassing festival for the Apatani people,” the minister opined.
Yachuli MLA Toko Tatung said, “Ziro is the hub of tourism in the state whose marketing has not been done adequately.”
“The credit for coming up with tourist attractions of Siikhey and Seeh lakes, and the most recent India’s first Integrated Aqua Park at Tarin must be attributed to former minister Tage Taki,” Tatung said, adding that a ‘porter track’ needs to be developed to Talle Valley for the tourists to visit, camp and stay overnight at Ziro.
While appealing to save the dying wet rice paddy fields of Ziro, Tatung said that the government’s intervention is needed to arrest the declining paddy cultivation and abandoning of the paddy fields.
“Paddy cultivation with bare hands has become laborious and economically unviable for farmers of Ziro. Hence, govt. intervention or hand-holding is the need of the hour to save the paddy fields of Ziro which remains as the prime attraction for tourists,” the MLA said.
The Yachuli MLA also urged more ‘inter-marriages’ between the Apatanis and Nyishis to increase more assimilation and integration between the two neighbouring tribes. Tatung also urged the need to encourage and promote local products and entrepreneurship in the bamboo, cane and wood industries at the twin districts of Lower Subansiri and Keyi Panyor.
Former minister and CDFC Ziro chief patron Tage Taki appealed not to ‘politicize’ Dree celebration.
“The Dree festival celebration is a common platform for the people of Apatani community to showcase their hidden talents in the field of games and sports, literary and culture. It is also a platform for assimilation and integration of the people of the community. So politics should not be mixed up here,” Taki said.
CDFC Ziro chairman Nani Tani and general secretary Take Taki also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the Dree mythology.
Cultural items, prize distribution, mega Daminda dance and community feast were other attractions of the celebration. (DCM’s PR Cell/DIPRO)
