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Solanki, G.S.; Chutia, P.
Ethno zoological and socio-cultural aspects of Monpas of Arunachal Pradesh
2004  Journal of Human Ecology (15): 251-254

Arunachal Pradesh is a tribal state inhabited by 26 major tribes and 105 sub-tribes. Monpa is one of the major tribe inhabiting mainly in Tawang and West Kameng Districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Monpas has unique socio-cultural entity and claim themselves Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Tibet in origin. In-spite of their ritual concepts in Buddhist culture use of animals as food and therapeutic use is not uncommon. Present communication deals with the diversity of use pattern of wild fauna as food item, therapeutic and medicinal purpose and in socio-cultural practices. Meat of tiger is used as delicious food. Bones are dried, powdered and applied as paste for curing rheumatic and other body pain. Meat is used as food as well as medicine for typhoid, malaria and rheumatic pain. There are three types of hats, one is locally called "Yangcha"and made-up of monkey hair and skin. Female folk use it only during cultural practices. It is round in shape, central part is made up of woolen cloth encircled by a stripe of fur of monkey. The other type is locally called "over chamo", made up of skin of jungle cat. It is very beautiful and aesthetic, used only by male during their cultural rituals. The rest one is also made up of fur of jungle cat. It is also beautiful and aesthetic used by male during special occasions but the shape is different. It is also rounded but encircled by corrugated strip of fur of cat skin.

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