Religious and practices

Nyokum is the festival celebrated by the Nyishi people, which commemorates their ancestors.

Most Nyishis have been converted to Christianity by Christian missionaries in the 1970s, particularly in the Papum Pare region and Christianity is the major religion among the Nyishis. Some still follow the ancient indigenous Donyi Poloism.

Nyishi Young Man with his "Biopa" (Cap) on his head.

Nyishi's House

Nyishi Kid

Nyishi Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh:

The Nyishi community is the largest ethnic group in Arunachal Pradesh in north-eastern India.
In Nyishi, their traditional language, Nyi refers to "a man" and the word shi denotes "a being", which combined together refers to a human being.

They are spread across eight districts of Arunachal Pradesh: Kra Daadi, Kurung Kumey, East Kameng, West Kameng, Papum Pare, parts of Lower Subansiri, Kamle and Pakke Kesang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
 The most populous being the Akang and Leil community of Papum Pare districts. They also live in the Sonitpur and North Lakhimpur districts of Assam.

Nyishi, the most populous tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, closely followed by the tribes of the Adi according to 2001 census. The Nyishi language belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family, however, the origin is disputed.

Polygyny is prevalent among the Nyishi. It signifies one's social status and economical stability and also proves handy during hard times like clan wars or social huntings and various other social activities. This practice, however is diminishing especially with the modernization and also with the spread of Christianity. They trace their descent patrilineally and are divided into several clans.

Nyishi Tribe Attire of Man and Woman

Nyishi Tribe Attire of Man and Woman:

Traditionally, Nyishi plaited their hair and tie it neatly at the forehead with local made thread. A brass skewer passes horizontally through the tied hair. Cane rings were worn around the waist, arms and legs. Men wore a cane helmet surmounted with the beak of the great Indian hornbill. The usage of actual hornbill beaks is discouraged these days due to tough wildlife protection laws since the great Indian hornbill is a protected species and generally due to growing awareness among the people as well. Nowadays It is being supplemented by beaks made of cane or other materials and the entire headgear/cane helmet itself is readily available in the market for purchase. Additional decorations varied depending upon the status of the person and were symbols of manly valor.

The clothing of the men consists of sleeveless shirts made from thick cotton cloth, striped gaily with blue and red together with a mantle of cotton or wool fastened around the throat and shoulders. Strings made of beads in varying sizes and colours are also worn, mainly for decoration purposes and to show the wearer's status. They also carry a Machete called dao (oyó, chiighee in Nyishi) (short sword) and a knife (Yochi) in a bamboo sheath that are mostly covered with animal furs. Their armament consists of spear with iron-head, a large sword (oyo), and a bow and arrows which are tipped with poison (um-yu). During war both the chest and back are covered with shields made from sabbe buffalo hide, and over it they wear a black cloak made of indigenous fibre.

The Nyishi women generally wear a sleeveless mantle of striped or plain cloth, its upper part tucked tightly over the breast and enveloping the body from the armpits to the centre of the calves. A ribbon is tied at the waist. A girdle consisting of metal disks, beads and cane garters is worn at the waist. Their hair is parted in the middle, plaited and tied into a chignon just above the nape. Their ornaments include multicolored bead necklaces, brass chains, metal bells, huge brass or silver earrings and heavy bracelets of various metals.