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The 'Mopin' or 'Moopin' Festival is an agricultural festival celebrated by the Galo tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, India in particular of the Galo group of tribes that resides in East Siang and West Siang districts. It is a celebration of the harvesting season held in the Galo months of "Lumi" and "Luki", corresponding to March–April and the new year for the Galo tribe. The Galo tribe follows an animist religion called Donyi-Polo.
Officially the date of the Mopin Festival is fixed on April 5, but the commencement of the preparation for the celebration starts on 2 April and thus, after the main event (i.e. 5 April) it concludes on 7–8 April after the visit of Paddy field which is known as RIGA ALO. In villages, the celebration starts a month prior.
The Mopin Festival is believed to bring wealth and prosperity to all households and to the whole community. The rituals associated with celebrating the Mopin festival drive away evil shadows and bring blessings, peace, and prosperity to all mankind.
The main Goddess worshiped during the festival is called Mopin Ane. She is as important to the Galos and is believed to bring in fertility and prosperity.
Galo people dress up in their finest white traditional clothing for the festival. A local drink called Apung/Poka (an alcoholic beverage popular in the state prepared by fermentation of rice) is generally distributed among the participants in a bamboo cup and a variety of meals are served, made of rice which is known as Aamin which contains meat and bamboo shoot.
