Apatani Myoko Festival (21st – 22nd March 2026)

The Myoko Festival is the most significant celebration for the Apatani people, who inhabit the enchanting Ziro Valley in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Held between March and April, according to the traditional tribal lunar calendar, this ancestral ritual rotates among the different villages of the valley, creating a continuous cycle of social bonds and family alliances. The heart of the festival falls around March 21st and 22nd, which are the key days of prayer, purification, and communal celebration.
Myoko symbolizes fertility, prosperity, and the protection of the community. Families perform elaborate propitiatory rituals led by shamans (local priests) to invoke abundance, good health, and a fruitful harvest. At the center of the ceremony is the sacrificial offering of a pig, whose bones and entrails are interpreted as auspices for the village’s future.
During the festival, homes are thoroughly cleaned and decorated with pine leaves, bamboo, and sacred symbols; relatives and guests are welcomed with great honor, and large communal feasts are shared, accompanied by generous servings of traditional millet beer (apong). Women adorn themselves with silver jewelry and colorful beads, while men dress in ceremonial attire and take part in ritual dances and tribal chants that evoke the mythical origins of the Apatani people.
Beyond its spiritual depth, Myoko is also an intense social event, where community ties are strengthened and generations come together. The festival is one of the most authentic opportunities to experience the tribal culture of Northeast India, still deeply rooted in the rhythms of nature and oral traditions.