Oriah Festival Arunachal Pradesh

The festival of Oijale/Oriah is celebrated by the tribe of Wanchos who inhabit the Patkai Hills region in Longding District. Oijale us held either in the month of March or April and is main festival of Wancho Tribe. It is a 6-12 days festival that involves prayers, music and dance.

During the festival, villagers exchange bamboo tubes of rice beer as a symbol of greeting and good will. Pigs, buffaloes and mithuns are sacrificed and feasts are prepared. Both men and women wear traditional costumes and participate in singing and dances, which take place around a ‘Jangban,’ which is a long ceremonial pole planted during the festival.