Apatani people

The Apatani or Tanii people are a tribe of around 26,000 who live in the Arunachal Pradesh State of India in the Ziro Valley. As you can tell from the photos, the women have an interesting facial modification tradition that is still being done to present day.

The nose plugs, or “yaping hurlo” in their own language, are utilized as a way to ward off potential invaders, because who wants a woman with huge round plugs stuck inside of her nostrils? Before the 1970s the Apatanis also tattooed their faces, with the women having two different tattoos from the forehead to the nose and one more on the chin. The men also had tattoos on their chins.

However, since the 1950s the tribe has become much more modern in the way they live, with notable cultural exceptions.