Apatani: The black salt makers

Key Takeaways

• The Apatani community takes pride in their century old indigenous knowledge of making salt.
• The salt is called 'Tapyo' derived from the extracts of a wild grass that grows in the forest.
• They collect and process the grass to make the Tapyo which is then consumed with food and drinks.
• Their local beer 'Apong' made with both rice and millet tastes very good with Tapyo.

Due to the geographical isolation of the Apatanis - living in the interior of dense forests and unconnected by any means of communication - the villagers tried to evolve a self-sufficient economy where they met their requirements from the surrounding natural resources. One of these is their indigenous salt making knowledge which makes them unique.It's hard to trace the history of this black salt-making process as there are very little written records but it probably dates back more than 100 years. Called 'Tapyo' by the communities, it's prepared using available herbaceous species around the villages. Use of Tapyo is one of the food habits which makes the Apatani distinct from the other tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh. Their local beer 'Apong' made with both rice and millet tastes very good with Tapyo, which adds a tartness to the drink, balancing out the sweetness.

Black Salt Making

Black Salt Making

Black Salt Making