PONGTU FESTIVAL OF THE TUTSA'S 

* The Tutsa tribe which is concentrated in the two districts of Changlang and Tirap of Arunachal Pradesh has a unique and colourful cultural identity which can be witnessed through its different festivals, The word "PONGTU" is composed of two words i.e., "PONG" which means 'WIND' and 'TU' means 'RETREATING'. The Pongtu festival of the Tutsa's is basically celebrated before the harvesting of  millet rice and also to welcome the New Year and to drive out the old. Tutsa's observes numbers of festivals throughout the year to mark different important occasions.Some of the mainfestivals of the Tutsa's are HAKHO-PHAK (beginning of agricuktural season), CHAROK (marks the beginning of the burning of organic matter from the jhoom field to add to the fertility of the soil), JATAN ( before cutting of the jungle for new jhoom field), CHAWIN (sowing of seeds in the cleared jhoom plot), CHAMVI KUH (harvesting season) RONG HON (harvesting of all major jhoom crops) KUTOM/ KUNGOI (festival solely dedicated to the maternal uncle and his niece and nephew since among the Tutsa's , maternal uncle is considered as guardian and protector in the emergencies). Among all these festivals, PONGTU KUH isthe main and major festival where all the tutsa's gather to celebrate and foster brotherhood and solidarity.