Adi community of Arunachal Pradesh celebrates ‘Solung Etor’ festival

A CORRESPONDENT

PASIGHAT: The Adi community celebrated the ‘Solung Etor’ festival at Bilat village under Bilat circle of East Siang District on Wednesday. Lok Sabha candidate from NPP Mongol Yomso was the chief guest on the occasion.

Traditional rituals, including cultural items from village girls, were performed during the programmes in which Yomso appealed to the villagers, especially the youths, to preserve their rich traditions and cultures also in the days to come.

Throwing light on the festival, one of senior Adi members of Pasighat town, Kaling Borang said that the ‘Solung Etor’ festival of the Adi community is celebrated with great pomp in all the Adi-inhabited districts across the State. The celebration started early in the morning with the sacrifice of animals like pigs and Mithuns; and rituals were performed.

He said that the festival will last for a few more days and will end after the conduct of traditional rituals called “Mopun” on the concluding day. “The Solung Etor festival is celebrated on May 15 every year and is related to community fencing of the agricultural lands,” he said, adding that in the olden days Mithuns were kept on large areas in the jungle surrounded by fencing for protection of the crops.

“Etor means ‘fencing’ in Adi, and the festival is celebrated to commence the annual agricultural cycle of the community. The community members come together to construct new fences to protect the agricultural fields for the season so that the cattle and other animals do not damage the crops,” he added.

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