Tagin people


The Tagin are one of the major tribes of Arunachal Pradesh, a member of the larger designation of Tani Tribes.Tagins are known for their warm hospitality and are considered very friendly in nature and also pure hearted.

Location

Tagins are the dominant tribe in Upper Subansiri district and are also found in adjoining districts especially in West Siang, in Arunachal Pradesh. They are also found in some areas of Tibet adjacent to Arunachal Pradesh India. Since China took away some of the Arunchal area after the 1962 Sino-Indian War. Therefore, there are Tagins present in Tibet which are included under Lhoba people along with adi people, mishmi people and Nyishi people.

Population

According to 2011 census there are 68,534 tagin people in India. And a few thousand in Tibet is expected.There are many families in Tagin clan such as the following: Tamin Remin, Leyu, Reri, Natam-Gyadu, Nah, Gyama, Tache-Tagia, Tasi, Topo, Heche, Tani-Tator, Cherom-Chera, Buning, Kodak-Konia, Nalo, Pombu, Bagang, Aiyeng, Paji, Gumsing,Kojum abu and many more.
Language
Tagin people speak their own local dialect which is Tagin. Although there are tonal variations among them but these variations causes no hurdle in understanding each other.

Religion

Originally the traditional Donyi-Poloism as a religion was being followed all around. Which follows the cult of animism and ritualistic nature worshiping in the form of spiritual deities where particular kind of animals or bird are sacrificed at the altar to please the spirits, more likely not anger them and keep them in their kind form. Priest or Nyibu shaman who are born with their powers are the ones who communicate and negotiate between the other world. They are the in between messenger from this world to other world. The Nah people of Tagin community follows Mahayana form of Buddhism.
Recent years have seen mass conversions among members of the local community into Christianity, which has intensified Western influx in the culture, with more and more of the people embracing Western culture. This has led them to leave their tradition and culture, even the dialect.

Festivals

The most important festival of the Tagins is the Si-Donyi Festival, which involves the veneration of the earth and the sun. Si-Donyi is celebrated from 3 to 6 January every year. It is celebrated as a new year where the nyibu presides over and performs all the rituals with chanting of Uuyu Benam. And sacrifice of Mithun for peace and prosperity in the community as a whole.

Important Organisation Of Tagin Tribe

TCS AND Tagin Welfare Society are the main parental organisation of the tribe.There is also a youth/student organisations that is, All Tagin Students Union and All Tagin Youth Organisation. This TWS or TCS also has many joint or sub groups, and have been helping in Shaping the future of the state.