HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, Aug 1: Phaliam Wangcha, the revered pongwen (supreme queen) of eight Nocte villages in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap district, passed away at the age of 114 at Dadam village on July 28.
Her demise marks the end of an era for the Nocte community, with villagers from Hunkan, Moktowa, Chinkoi, Lahu, Bera, Kuthin, Kapu, Bordumsa, and Dadam mourning the loss of their spiritual and cultural matriarch.
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On Friday, traditional honours were observed in accordance with Nocte royal customs.
Community members performed ceremonial war dances, gun salutes, and rituals commemorating her life and legacy.
As per tradition, her funeral rites—scheduled for Saturday—are a collective responsibility of all eight villages under her symbolic reign.
Phaliam Wangcha held the status of pongwen, or queen of queens, performing sacred rituals that affirmed her spiritual and political authority.
Among the most symbolic was the Thom-siat ceremony, in which she was carried by villagers on a ceremonial log drum.
Local folklore holds that a tigress became her spirit animal, representing her strength and revered status.
“She was not just a queen; she was the living embodiment of our traditions. Her wisdom guided us, and her rituals protected our villages. Losing her is like losing a part of our history,” said an elder from Dadam village.
Throughout her life, Wangcha hosted several feasts of merit, a central tradition among the Nocte that signifies generosity, leadership, and spiritual potency.
These events further cemented her position as a unifying force across village boundaries.
Beyond ritual leadership, she played a key role as a custodian of Nocte heritage, preserving traditional knowledge including oral histories, religious rites, and indigenous medicinal practices.
She was also instrumental in mediating disputes, and her judgments were widely respected, even among neighbouring communities.
“As we prepare for her final journey, we do so with the unity and dignity she taught us. Her spirit will remain with us—just as the tigress once did,” said a local resident.
The royal funeral will be conducted with full traditional honours.
Drummers, dancers, and hunters from the eight villages will accompany her in a farewell befitting a figure who embodied the collective cultural identity of the Nocte people.
