The reason behind nose plugs and face tattoo among the women of Apatani tribe of Arunachal

India is a country where each state has its own beliefs, practices/customs and rituals. These traditional rituals and practices usually carry some meaning or logic attached to them.

The traditional practice of nose plug and face tattoos, among the women of the Apatani tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, also had a hidden reason behind them.

There was once a time when every woman had to wear these bizarre accessories, but since the middle of the 20th century, the custom began to die. According to the Apatani, the practice of nose plug was a way of protecting the women of the tribe. It is believed that the women of Apatani tribe are most beautiful among the Arunachal tribes, so the women of the particular tribe were kidnapped by the neighboring villagers.

To make themselves look unattractive to the other tribes, these women began to wear black nose plugs and tattooing their faces with a horizontal line from the forehead to the tip of the nose, and five lines on their chins. With time this practice became a tradition or practice of the Apatani tribal women.

But the tradition of the Apatani nose plug hasn’t been practiced by any woman born after 1970, and as time passes, this custom will probably soon be forgotten.

The dying practice of nose plug and face tattoo still draws the attention of the tourists to the village.

The traditional practice of tattoo is quite popular in north eastern states of India, but the meaning behind these tattoos differs from tribe to tribe.

Stay tuned for reading more.

-The Roving Feet