Author: Dr. Nilam Nandini Sarmah

Publisher: Codex International Publishers

Published: 2022-11-21

Total Pages: 60

ISBN-13: 9394799117

This book is part of my PhD research work which was submitted and awarded from Deccan College Post-Graduate & Research Institute (Deemed University), Pune, India in 2015. I have chosen to work on “Nishi” as I was always fascinated about the tribal cultures. As Northeast India is a homeland of many tribal communities with living traditions, Nishis were one of them. They were the largest tribal communities in Arunachal Pradesh as well as in Northeast India known for their brave attitudes. During British time in India, Nishis were the one who defeated the British to enter in their land. They killed many British officials, and the British feared them. Recollecting from the umpteen memories from my archive, some unsurpassable experiences must be mentioned here. It is known that Arunachal Pradesh is a state which is not easily accessible. To enter the state, one needs an ‘Inner Line Permit’ granted by the Arunachal Pradesh state authority and which is valid only for seven days. In this case, I had to return every week to Tezpur, Assam to renew my permission. It was very difficult for me to work for more than a month in this region for one field season. Despite the known facts regarding inner line permits the rich cultural and ethnographic data needed attention. Lush beauty and treasure are not easily accessible, so is the tribe. Nishis are always distinguished by their dress and head gear. Seeing the pictures of the tribe made me very curious to know more about them and understand their cultural heritage and traditions. Staying in the village with the Nishi people, collecting the wild plants in the hill forest, catching fish in the Kameng River are my lifetime memories. This book is a small token of gratitude towards all Nishi community and their cultural heritage.