Apatani face

Tradition has it that Apatani women were the most beautiful in the region. As a consequence, the neighboring tribe invaded the lands and kidnapped their women. To stop it happening, the elders of the Apatani tribe opted for a drastic measure. Tattoo and pierce the face of women until they reach deformation. The goal was to make them less attractive. The tattoo consisted of marking a line from the forehead to the tip of the nose and 5 vertical lines on the chin. Next, they pierced the nose with bamboo sticks and put plugs called “dalat” until the skin was dilated. The tribes signed the peace but the tradition did not allow it to be carried out until the government banned the practice in the 70s. The current grandmothers and their daughters will be the last generation, fortunately, of this dark habit. The last tattooed Apatan women are currently in their 50s.