POKA-A TRADITIONAL RICE WINE OF THE GALO TRIBE OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH, INDIA

Arunachal Pradesh, the unique territory previously known as the North East Frontier Agency, is a mountainous region extending between the Brahmaputra Valley, whose eastern part it encloses like a horseshoe, Tibet to the north, Burma to the east, and Bhutan to the west. It is the home to 110 ethnic groups (sub-tribes) of great cultural diversity, but in many respects there is an overall uniformity. The Galo population estimated at 80,597 (2001 census) makes them the one of the most populous tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. Poka, a traditional rice wine plays an important role in the socio-cultural life of the Galo tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. It is consumed during most of the festive occasions and celebrations. This paper reports the traditional way of preparation of the wine with ethnobotanical observation.