MANAGEMENT OF HABITAT: CHANGE AND CONTINUITY IN THE APATANI VALLEY MS. MEHJABEEN RAHMAN* *Research Scholar, School of Business Sciences, University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya, India ABSTRACT Every society has its own heritage of science & technology stored in its traditional wisdom, although they might appear to be nothing more than mere magic and superstition, far removed from science; they form the basis of the later development in the field of science & technology. Traditional aspect of science and technology are still relevant and useful to the modern society. A living example of this is the Apatani Community of Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, North-East India. The culture and the way of living of the Apatanis has a symbiotic relation with nature so much so that even their habitats are divided according to the utility and manage them in consonant with nature. The Apatanis practice Wet Rice Cultivation instead of Jhum Cultivation (Shifting Cultivation), so the mountains surrounding the valley have not been deprived of the beautiful forests. Taking the sustainability of their fields a step further, the tribe also harvests fish in the wet fields alongside rice. Astonishingly, increasing their food production even further, the Apatanis cultivate within their field a unique type of salt called 'Tapyo' which is not only an alternate to sodium chloride but also helps in goiter prevention. Being the believers of Donyi-Polo (Sun & Moon), the Apatanis neither harvest the forest products extensively beyond their basic requirements nor do they forget to re-plant the sapling in the forest. They set up community nursery which is well stocked with large number of saplings collected from the nearby forests. It is an age old tradition that after cutting down one tree from the forest, at least 4-5 saplings are to be planted in place of the cut tree. The unique and elaborate agricultural techniques, forest management system and conservation techniques led UNESCO to propose Ziro for a World Heritage site.the paper explores the role and tradition of the Apatani Tribe and their belief in Donyi-Polo in the management of the habitat in resonance with the nature. KEYWORDS: Sustainability, Symbiotic-Relation, Forest-Management, Wet-Cultivation, Community-Nursery 119
INTRODUCTION "Innovations that are guided by smallholder farmers, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and environment will be necessary to ensure food security in the future". - Bill Gates The heritage of science & technology of a society is stored in its traditional wisdom, although they might appear to be nothing more than mere magic and superstition, far removed from science; they form the basis of the later development in the field of science & technology. Traditional aspect of science and technology are still relevant and useful to the modern society. Indigenous people, over the ages have developed innumerable technologies and art forms. They have devised ways to farm deserts without irrigation and produce abundance from the rain forest without destroying the delicate balance that maintains the ecosystem, they have explored the medicinal properties of plants and they have acquired an understanding of the basic ecology of flora and fauna. Human impact on nature has reached such a high proportion that the world is today witnessing an extraordinary rate of species loss. In 1988, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) listed 4,589 threatened animals. By the year 2050 at least 60,000 plants species will become extinct or threatened. There are many records in the form of written or unwritten traditional lore that, traditional societies have a good concept of ecosystem management. Indigenous people have logic of life, which is different from that of the modern man. It is because of this logic that indigenous people are where they have been for ages and not because of their backwardness or primitiveness. Sacred groves, sacred ponds, sacred patches of grasslands, sacred animals and others are examples of traditions of conservation backed by religious sanctions. The preservation of biological resources by such traditions is of immense significance. Certain species of plants and animals have been preserved on account of sacred qualities attributed to them. Common examples are the trees like Neem, Mango and Wood-apple etc. Throughout the world it is an established fact that the areas which are rich in cultural diversity are also rich in biodiversity. North- Eastern part of India is also a region rich in cultural diversity. People of North Eastern India preserved the nature and natural resources of this part of the country as a part of their traditional culture. Various ethnic groups of people of North Eastern India has practiced a large number of traditional systems of environment 120
management. A living example of this is the Apatani Community of Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, North-East India. In the heart of Lower Subansiri of Arunachal Pradesh lies a kidney-shaped valley inhabited by a tribe popularly known as APATANI. Ziro, the district head-quarter of Lower Subansiri is also located in this valley. This fascinating piece of land comprising of about 32 Sq.Km. of cultivable areas and 1058 Sq. Km. areas of the valley undulated by small hillocks at an elevation of 1525 metre above sea level to tall mountains ranging from 1830 to 2900 metre in altitude. The valley enjoys a temperate climate. The hills belong to Gond age and main rocks are Schist and Dolomite which are overlaid with deep layer of sandy loam soil covered with a thick layer of decomposed humus The culture and the way of living of the Apatanis has a symbiotic relation with nature so much so that even their habitats are divided according to the utility and manage them in consonant with nature. The Apatanis have different belief system, myths, legends, totem and taboos. Plants and animals worshiped as totems symbolize the kinship ties of human and nature. Totems are sacred to specific clan and are accorded full protection. The Apatanis consist of more than 200 clans and each clan has their own sacred totem which they worship and protect. The Apatanis are followers of Donyi- Poloism whose principle dictates that the Universe is sustained by cyclical action of creation, sustenance and transformation. An element or entity is created, sustained and transformed to some other element or entity; since eternity every thing in this universe is under this cycle of action. The Apatanis believe a culture, whose traditions, practices and way of living is in consonant with these three eternal principals, nourishes the balancing of the Universe 1 st & 2nd Principle -Management of Habitats nourishes the creation and sustenance The culture of the Apatani Community and their way of living has a symbiotic relation with the nature. Their habitats are divided according to the utility and manage them in-consonant with nature. Their elaborate agriculture technique of Apatani with primitive equipment whose production output in proportion to the quantum of energy input is much more than that of Japan and America, who cultivate with latest modern technologies. Elaborate irrigation system, water harvesting and distribution technique. Unique and efficient forest management is very old tradition evolved based on the faith and philosophy of Donyi-Poloism. 121
3 rd Principle - Sacrifice as a symbiotic act of transformation When an elder die, they say, Mho tiirang darne ku means; he has transformed in other form. Hence they do not consider the death as an end but transformation. The Sacrifice with the consent of god through omen is transformation. They neither slaughter fowls and animals without reason and consent of God nor do they sacrifice wild animal. They look upon slaughtering as an antagonistic act and against Donyi-Polo, the sacrificing as symbiotic act in-conformity of 3 rd universal principal of transformation. It benefits both one who sacrifices and other who is being scarified. The former is blessed and the later is granted emancipation as soul of sacrificed fowls and animals is sent to the abode of their care taker God. Apatanis has a very pluralistic outlook, believes in various deities and oral tradition expresses that all living being are brothers. And they look upon this world as gift of almighty and everything on this earth, living or non living is owned by various deities assigned as caretaker by the almighty. They respect and fear them. Therefore, they don t extract the forest products rapaciously and with covetous attitude. Neither the believer of Donyi-Polo does harvest the forest products extensively beyond their basic requirement and never forget to replant sapling in the grove, which is a symbiotic act. SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURE: The Apatanis are best known for their farming and irrigation. Not an inch is untended in the 5000 odd acres in the valley where rice is cultivated is untended as all family members work on it. Even little children! It is difficult to find a flourishing weed. There is great family bonding and team work at play. The rainfall in this region is about 1,758mm and 75% of it falls between May and September. The monsoon is followed by dry winter with March and April as the driest months of the year. The agriculture of the Apatanis resembles terrace cultivation with the difference that, the cultivation is done in valleys with a slight slope. Hundreds of years ago, the Apatanis had discovered how to use gravity to irrigate the entire plateau much before the Israelis did the same. The Apatanis have evolved a very scientific system of irrigation. The striking features are the partially flooded rice fields, and the intricate design of the contour dams dividing the plots. 122
The land was developed in such a way that each field had enough stagnant water. Perennial streams raised in the wooded mountains around the valley were fully tapped and channelized into streams to flow from the higher terraces to lower ones. The plots are divided by 0.6m high earthen dams supported by bamboo frames. All holdings have an inlet facing the waterhead and an outlet on the opposite side. The inlet for the low lying plots acts as the outlet for the higher level plots. A deeper conduit channel connects the inlet points with the outlet points. When a plot is to be filled with water, the outlet is blocked. By opening or blocking ducts, any field could be flooded or drained. Such ingenuity came from traditional wisdom of the community and this kind of system not only required a great deal of skill and planning, but more importantly, a high degree of understanding and cooperation between all the farmers. It is an accepted fact that everyone has a right to water. Disputes are rare. If one arises, it is immediately resolved by village elders. The Apatanis realize that their strength and prosperity lies in this kind of cooperation and unity. The crop cultivated in this region is predominantly rice and land preparation for it begins in February, with the surface application of rice husk from the previous year s harvest. Two varieties of rice are grown by the Apatanis- the early maturing variety (grown in plots further from the village habitat) & the late ripening variety (grown in plots close to homesteads). When the irrigation channels pass by the village, human, pig and poultry refuse flows into them which acts as fertilizer. Narrow bunds separating one field from another are utilized by growing Millet on it. Astonishingly, increasing their food production even further, the Apatanis cultivate within their field a unique type of salt called 'Tapyo' which is not only an alternate to sodium chloride but also helps in goiter prevention. Seeing the Apatani enterprise, government officials in 1965 introduced them to a new idea: Pisiculture. The idea was to breed fish in the rice fields during the months when it had stagnant water. Common carp, an exotic and fast breeding species was put into the fields helping farmers multiply their earnings. Today, most Apatani farmers are engaged in pisiculture. Such optimum utilization of land cannot be found anywhere even in the most developed agricultural pockets of India. 123
MANAGEMENT OF FOREST & PLANTATION Biije (Bamboo Grove): Bamboo plantation is fenced every year with bamboo itself. Traditional knowledge recommended the cutting of 3 year old bamboo culm from the plantation every year to ensure proper growth of new culms. An established plantation will regenerate on its own and can be continuously exploited for a number of years Sadii, Sasung, Myabi (Forest Land): The Sadii is generally known as the pine grove. The Apatani collect seedlings of pine trees from open hilly slope or in landslide area as large number of seedling is found in these areas. It is an age old tradition that after harvesting one pine tree, one should at least plant 4-5 seedling in harvested area for future use. This ensures proper management and continues supply of the material. Sasung or Myabi is a forest land where different trees are grown. The Apatanis set up community nursery which is well stocked with large number of saplings collected from the nearby forests. Being the believers of Donyi-Polo, the Apatanis neither harvest the forest products extensively beyond their basic requirements nor do they forget to re-plant the sapling in the forest. With decades of hard work, discipline and ingenuity, the Apatanis have carved out a special place for themselves. They have evolved their economy designed to make full use of their resources. Undoubtedly, this was really creditable for a tribe with an archaic culture. The most striking feature of the Apatanis is how they have allowed the winds of change to blow into the valley and at the same time have not allowed westernization and modernization to dilute their customs, traditions and culture. Almost all Apatani children go to school as the value of education is being recognized. More than 75 per cent of the students in schools at Ziro are Apatanis. Even literacy has not diluted their traditions or given it a modern idiom. The unique and elaborate agricultural techniques, forest management system and conservation techniques led UNESCO to propose Ziro for a World Heritage site. Reference 1. Arvil, R., Man and Environment, London, (1978). 2. Baishya, D., Traditional Science and Material Culture of Early Assam, Guwahati, (2009). 3. Barooah, J., Customary Laws of the Apatanis of Arunachal Pradesh, Guwahati, (2007). 4. De Silva, L., The Hills Where in My Soul Delights, New Delhi, (1991). 5. Gangopadhya, R., Some Materials for the study of Agriculture and Agriculturists in Ancient India, New Delhi, (1932). 6. Major, J., The Ecosystem Concept in Natural Resource Management, Academic Press, New York, (1969). 124
7. Prasad, R. N., Application of Research Findings for Management of Land and Water Resources in Eastern Himalayan Region, New Delhi, (1987). 8. Raghavan, D, Agriculture in Ancient India, New Delhi, (1964). 9. Raichoudhury, S. P., Agricultural Practices in Ancient India, New Delhi, (1953). 10. Ray, J. C., Life in Ancient India, Calcutta, (1948). 11. Reid, W. and Miller, K., Keeping Options alive: the Scientific Basis for Conserving Biodiversity, WRI, Washington, (1989). 125