Dibang Valley Tour: Aruanchal’s Best Kept Secrets

The Mishmis are an indigenous tribe of the eastern Himalayas, primarily inhabiting the ‘Mishmi Hills’ of Arunachal Pradesh, with extensions into adjoining areas of Southern Tibet (China) and northern Myanmar. In present-day Arunachal, the ‘Mishmi Hills’ collectively refer to the vast mountainous frontier zone spanning the four districts of Lohit, Anjaw, Lower Dibang Valley and (Upper) Dibang Valley. 

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, these hills drew British attention as a strategic gateway to Tibet, bringing various expeditions and mapping surveys into their land. From colonial-era isolation and often strained ties with British officials, the Mishmis of Arunachal entered the post-independence era under NEFA administration, then Union Territory status of Arunachal Pradesh and finally to full statehood – gradually moving towards integration, education, and constitutional recognition as a Scheduled Tribe.

One of the 26 major tribes in the state, the Mishmis of Arunachal are traditionally divided into four sub-groups – Idu, Digaru, Miju, and Deng Mishmi. Among these four sub-tribes, the first three inhabit the lands within Indian territory, while the Deng (also known as Dengba, Darang, Geman) are settled across the border in Zayu County of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. Until the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Mishmi communities could move across the Tibetan borders. After the war, the ensuing border regime largely severed these trans-Himalayan ties, impacting social relations, trade-related activities and leaving the Deng Mishmis in Tibet effectively cut off from others.

The Mishmis of Arunachal view themselves as distinct from their Adi neighbors, the other major tribe in the region, that belongs to the Tani group. Tani is a broad cluster of tribes in Arunachal that includes the Adi, Galo, Mising, Nyishi and Tagin among others – all of whom trace their lineage to ‘Abotani’- their primal ancestor. The remarkable Apatani people of Ziro Valley also belong to the same group. In contrast to these Tani tribes’ shared ancestor, each Mishmi sub-tribe traces descent from a distinct ancestral figure of their own – the Idu look to Nani Initaya, the Miju to Amik Matai, and the Digaru to Jamalo or Jabmalu. These unique primal figures are central to their origin myths, rituals, and clan identities.

The Digaru (also known as Taraon Mishmi) and Miju (also known as Kaman Mishmi) are chiefly concentrated across the Lohit and Anjaw districts, while the Idu (also known as Chulikattas or Idu Lhoba) mainly live in the Dibang Valley of Arunachal. Culturally, the Idu are quite distinct from the other two Mishmi subgroups – a difference evident in everyday practices, social organization, and values. Except for a few tiny villages in nearby districts, the Upper and Lower Dibang Valley districts form the only Idu Mishmi homeland in the country. On this curated journey into the Dibang, our experiential travellers venture deep into Idu Mishmi territory to primarily encounter this particular section of the Mishmis. A landscape of deep gorges and thick jungles with beautiful terraced hamlets scattered along highland rivers – this isolated expanse is the cultural cradle of the Idu Mishmi tribe and forms the core corridor on this Dibang Valley tour.

The Idu Mishmis are of Mongoloid origin. They speak the Idu language, a tonal tongue and a distinctive dialect from the Tibeto-Burman language family. It is used mainly in Arunachal Pradesh’s Dibang Valley and parts of neighboring Tibet. While rich in oral tradition, the language is considered endangered today, with only a few thousand speakers. Efforts are on to preserve it for sustaining the cultural identity of the Idu people. They are popularly known as the ‘Chulikatta Mishmis’ for their distinctive cropped hairstyle – a label widely believed to have been given by people in the plains with whom the Idu people maintained long-standing trade relations. 

Bamboo is integral to Idu Mishmi life – it forms the framework of their raised, stilted huts and is the primary material for crafting most everyday tools, from baskets to mats, tools and headgear. They are renowned for fine craftsmanship and texitile weaving – especially intricate back-strap weaving in bold geometric patterns – alongside exquisite cane-bamboo work. Idu men and women are deeply artistic. The menfolk excel in bamboo-cane basketry while the Idu women are master weavers, and their shared aesthetic shines in the refined, intricate designs produced on handlooms. They also possess remarkable traditional knowledge of medicinal plants, one example being the use of Mishmi Teeta (Coptis teeta) a rare medicinal herb that has long been used for healing and trade purposes.

The small community is rooted in shamanic animism, believing in the presence of spirits living in the natural surroundings. Their spiritual ceremonies span from birth to death, guided by shamans called ‘Igu’ who serve as sacred mediators between humans and spirits, holding esteemed positions as the community’s spiritual leaders. Most Idu households are engaged in subsistence farming and seasonal hunting. They are skilled hunters, known for their expertise in tracking and taking down wild game in the dense forests of their homeland. Although hunting has declined over time due to wildlife regulations, the Idus still practice it as it has not just been a source of food, but also a way of life tied to rituals, cultural heritage, resourcefulness, and survival skills. Age-old taboos however forbid them from ever hunting Tigers, whom they see as their brothers. Ancestral songs and chants tell tales of Idu creation, a story bound to the life and spirit of the tiger. The Idu mythology has shaped many traditions and restrictions around the hunting of wildlife including Tigers and Hoolock Gibbons, thereby promoting an indirect mode of conservation of some specific animal species.

In matters of celebration, the Idus mark their cultural calendar with two festivals – Reh in February and Keh-Meh-Ha around September-October. Reh is their primary festival that involves ritual dances, feasting, ancestral worship and sacrificial offerings while the Keh-Meh-Ha (Keh means rice, Meh means new, and Haa means eating) is a jubilant harvest celebration. For centuries, the Idu people living amid these primeval forests of Dibang have preserved a distinct ethos – an innate simplicity, an eye for beauty, and a resilient cultural legacy – largely untouched by outside influences. At its heart, this storied community stands out as a truly fascinating tribe of Northeast India and experiential travel into their world offers vivid insights into their  deep-rooted culture, intriguing traditions and a way of life unlike any other.