{ Nyishi Tribesman standing in the grounds of Welly Namlo, one of the longest longhouses in the region }
Given that Nyishis are the largest tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, it may come as a surprise that they aren’t the most visible when it comes to tourism. Adi, Apatani and to an extent Monpa people are probably the first names that come to mind when we think tribes of Arunachal but rarely Nyishis. To be honest, until I read about the successful Hornbill conservation program that turned the Nyishi people from prolific hunters to caring protectors in a brilliant twist of game, I’d never heard of them.
With a population of over 300000, Nyishis are the most populous tribe in the state. They were fierce hillmen whose reputation as formidable hunter-warriors of yore has stayed on even till today. I guess that’s also the origin of today’s commonly held belief that Nyishis are rude and scary to outsiders. I could see the worry and fear in my driver’s face when he thought he had run over a chicken (he didn’t!) during our journey into Nyishi heartland. He went on to say he’d have outright rejected the trip had he known we were going to Seppa. Later during my stay, I spoke to a Nyishi man who explained travellers don’t venture this far and most people have had few encounters with outsiders making them very wary of strangers roaming their lands. Hence the cold stares and suspicious glances but once you break the ice, I found they were warm and welcoming, the caveat being we had ample local assistance though.
With a population of over 300000, Nyishis are the most populous tribe in the state. They were fierce hillmen whose reputation as formidable hunter-warriors of yore has stayed on even till today. I guess that’s also the origin of today’s commonly held belief that Nyishis are rude and scary to outsiders. I could see the worry and fear in my driver’s face when he thought he had run over a chicken (he didn’t!) during our journey into Nyishi heartland. He went on to say he’d have outright rejected the trip had he known we were going to Seppa. Later during my stay, I spoke to a Nyishi man who explained travellers don’t venture this far and most people have had few encounters with outsiders making them very wary of strangers roaming their lands. Hence the cold stares and suspicious glances but once you break the ice, I found they were warm and welcoming, the caveat being we had ample local assistance though.
