Yazali: The age-old tradition of Manyañ, as termed by Apatanis and Manayang, termed by Nyishis, was revived at the Takam Passa village here on Friday.
The Manyañ/Manyang system is a social bonding between Apatanis and Nyishis that dates back to time immemorial, with reciprocity of barter system, friendship, and allegiance of help and protection to each other.
The reunion was sparked by a trek planned to look for a stone reportedly installed by an Apatani man at Takam Passa.
The trek turned into a joyous reunion of the Dassar Taba clan of Nyishi and the Nada clan of Hija Apatani village.
An elderly man Taba Begi, son of Taba Tekhi, probably in his late 80s, informed that while he was a child, four men from Nada clan of Hija village who were their Manyangs came to visit his father Taba Tekhi, son of Dassar Taba, at Takam Passa with goodies and exchanged mithun as a gift.
The Taba clan had gifted a black-coloured mithun (Gayal) and Nada clan had gifted a white-coloured one whose horns were almost the same size measuring 5 inches.
Taba Dol, an active social worker who organised the trek, informed that they had heard a story from their elders that Nada Chobing, Nada Tomu (Tamu), Nada Roja (Ruja), Nada Tajum (Taking) had come to visit them with four porters each with gifts.
Before leaving, they had installed a monolith of friendship (Dapo Pogyañ) measuring almost 70 cms with their promise that Tabas were Manyangs of Nadas and if anyone threatened Tabas, it would be deemed that Nadas were challenged, and the latter would stand in support of Tabas no matter what.
Taba Nyiya, an elder briefed that from Takam Passa, the Nadas also visited other sons of Taba Dassar, namely Taba Tacho at Kebi village and Taba Jobi at Chullyu village. From Chullyu village, they proceeded to Ziro through the Pitapool area.
Nada Rika, the grandson of Nada Chobing, who was emotional and expressed gratitude towards the organisers and village people, invited the Taba clan to Hija village when an appropriate programme is planned.
Dani Sulu, son of Dani Kunya, the first Agency Council Member representing undivided Subansiri who happens to be the uncle of Nadas, appreciated the reunion and expressed that the trek and the meet were only the first of many more meetings and programmes. Both the Taba and Nada clans promised to preserve the sacred Dapo Pogyañ area as heritage.
Nani Bath, a professor of political science at Rajiv Gandhi University, who also witnessed the reunion, expressed that the revival of the Manyañ/Manyang system has helped to strengthen the bond between the Apatanis and Nyishis and has opened up the possibility for more such reunions in the future.
“It has also highlighted the need to preserve the cultural heritage and traditions of the region,” he said.
The reunion of two clans was also witnessed by senior advocate Tatup Tana Tara and Dera Natung Government College assistant professor Nending Ommo and others.
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