BAMBOO FOLKLORE

<strong>NORTH EAST INDIA STUDIES PROGRAMME SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES-I JAWAHARLAL NEHRU UNIVERSITY (NEISP SEMINAR SERIES 2016)</strong> TOPIC : <strong>BAMBOO FOLKLORE</strong> SPEAKER : <strong>Dr. S. Simon John</strong> Associate Professor &amp; amp; Director Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh Rajiv Gandhi University <strong>Abstract : </strong>Bamboo plays a significant role in the everyday life and culture among the indigenous communities of North East India, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh. It is used as food, as a material to build their traditional houses, baskets, bridge, fencing, fishing traps, hunting and agricultural tools. Several myths, narratives, customs, beliefs, and practices are found to be closely associated with bamboo. The ritual altars made of bamboo during the religious festivals and life cycle ceremonies play a significant symbolic role in their culture and it is orally transmitted from generation to generation. This working paper is an attempt to understand the traditional cultural expressions and the socio-cultural- symbolic significance of bamboo among a few indigenous communities in Arunachal Pradesh. Date: <strong>18th July (Monday), 2016</strong>