tribal dance
Ponung Dance , arunachal pradesh
The Ponung Dance is a harvest dance that is performed by the Adi tribe in Arunachal Pradesh. It is a prayer performed for a good harvest and prosperity. It is performed just before the harvesting of crops so that the blessings of the gods will be attained in the harvest. The Ponung Dance depicts the thankfulness and hope of the community for a good harvest, i.e., food for the next
The Adi tribe basically occupies the temperate and subtropical regions of Arunachal Pradesh, namely the Siang, East Siang, Upper Siang, West Siang, Lower Dibang Valley, Lohit, Shi Yomi, and Namsai districts. They are endowed with cultural wealth and lead a life based on agriculture, fishing, and activities concerning issuing products from the forest.
On the time of Ponung Dance, women wear their ethnic attire. They wrap themselves in a black shirt or blouse and in a long skirt with broad horizontal stripes. They also wear cone-shaped hats cloaked with a trailing cloth. The women adorn themselves in traditional jewelry such as long chains with small round sequences and other bright-colored neckpieces that give beauty to their
Miri, a male actor, stands in the center of the circle composed of women, singing while shaking a tired-looking instrument called "Yoksha" that has a distinct rattling sound. The rhythmic beats and mellow tunes induce spiritual feelings within the dance.
The Ponung Dance is a social performance that happens during harvest festivals in the first week of September. In this dance, women make a ring, holding hands or putting their hands on each other's shoulders while moving rhythmically to the songs of the Miri. Claudia states that performing this dance together strengthens their social bonds and enhances the cultural identity of the tribe.