The Indian Tribe Where The Woman Must Have ‘Nose Plugs’ Fitted To Mark They Have Become Adults

It is believed that the strange practice was historically done to all adult Apatani women in a bid to deter tribal raiders.

Deep in the rural Indian province of Arunachal Pradesh, the plugging of an Apatani woman's nose is a right of passage carried out once they have had their first period, marking them out as an adult. The plugs and tattoos were designed to stop raiders stealing their women from their villages. Apatani tribesmen practice an animistic religion known as Donyi-Polo, where they pray to the Sun and the Moon. 
The practice of nose plugging and facial tattooing has not been carried out on an Apatani woman since 1970. Lodged in the sides of their noses, the black nose plugs stand out on the weathered faces of the Apatani women in Arunachal Pradesh, India.

These stunning photos are the work of Cezary Wyszynski, who was given unique access to photograph the women carrying out their daily lives. As their dark facial tattoos, the plugging of a Apatani woman's nose is a right of passage carried out once a woman has had their first period, marking them out as an adult. The Apatani tribe live in a small village in the Ziro valley, deep in rural Arunachal Pradesh. Also known as the Tani, the Apatani tribe's ritual of plugging the nose and tattooing the face of women is a dying tradition, which has not been practiced since 1970.

It is believed that the strange practice was historically done to all adult Apatani women in a bid to deter tribal raiders. Each time the tribe was attacked, their women would be kidnapped and never seen again. The Apatani leader decided that the most beautiful woman should have large circular nose plugs, known as yaping hurlo, placed into the sides of their nose.

The historic practice of nose plugging and tattooing the face has not been carried out on an Apatani woman since 1970. The women's face are a historic reminder of the tribe's difficult story of survival The nose plugs and tattoos were deliberately practiced on the women to make them look less appealing when tribal raiders attacked their village As well as the nose plugs, dark tattoos were etched on to the faces of the women. The tattooed lines were designed to go vertically down their face, from the top of their forehead to the bottom.