GALO TRIBES ,ARUNACHAL PRADESH
1. LIVING IN West Siang, Lepa Rada, and Lower Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh.
2. Geography: - primarily hilly area, 80% forest cover
-encompassed by the Shivalik ranges
-The land is mostly mountainous with the Himalayan ranges running north
south.
-Due to the topographical diversity, the climate in Arunachal Pradesh ranges
from sub-tropical to temperate depending upon the altitude. The regions in the lower
belts of the state experience hot and humid climates, with a maximum temperature in the
foothills reaching up to 40 °C (during the summer). The average temperature in this
region in winter ranges from 15° to 21 °C while that during the monsoon season remains
between 22° and 30 °C.
-The average rainfall recorded in Arunachal Pradesh is 300 centimeters, varying
between 80 centimeters and 450 centimeters.
3. Galos live in harmony with nature and follow a religion called Donyi Polo in which their
deities are the Sun and the Moon.
4. Though some of the Galos have converted to Christianity, the majority of them adhere to
the Donyi Polo faith.
5. White flags with the sun emblazoned on them can be seen fluttering outside the houses of
the Galos who follow the religion of Donyi Polo.
6. The sound of the heavy rain was muffled by the thatched roof of the traditional Galo home.
The rain had ensured that the temperature plummeted, and it was bitingly cold. However,
inside the house, a blazing fire kept everyone warm.
7. This was a traditional Galo home in a village called Sago, high up in the hills.
8. A large square-shaped fireplace occupied centre stage in the house, and this is true of any
Galo home, whether it is a traditional one in the villages or a modern house in the town, like
that of Merken Doke.
9. The fireplace serves multiple functions. It comes in handy for making black tea, barbequing,
drying of fish and other items, and more importantly, serves as a centre of social interaction
between family and friends.
10. The position of seating is also pre-determined. Of the four sides, each side is meant to be
used by different people, the hosts are supposed to sit on one side while the guests on the
other, and so on.
11. It seemed as if the entire village had joined around the fireplace. The local rice wine called
Poka and Black Tea made the rounds accompanied with rice cakes as the people talked
about their culture and sang melodious local songs in unison.
12. The Galo tribe are nature lovers and they live in harmony with a symbiotic relation with the
forests.
13. Traditionally they were hunters as well as rice cultivators, but now, with the ban on hunting,
they no longer hunt. Hunting weapons and trophies today act as showpieces on the walls of
the Galo homes.
14. The Galos make use of the bounty of the forest in most of the day-to-day tasks. Leaves serve
as plates; bamboo stems make for glasses.
15. Houses are made of bamboo and thatched with leaves. There is no place for ugly plastic
bottles or monstrous concrete objects in the pristine Galo villages.
