Nagaland - Chakhesang shawl
- Nidhi Shegokar
- Aug 28, 2023
- 2 min read
In the craft of Naga shawl weaving, a strong connection exists between the process and the cultural rituals and beliefs of the Nagaland people. Nagaland, situated in the northeastern region of India, comprises 16 distinct tribes. The Nagas are Indo-Tibetan individuals who likely migrated into India. Historically, they were known as head-hunters, adorning themselves with trophies like enemy heads. For acts of "valour," they received adornments such as shawls, hornbill feathers, cowries, and necklaces.
The Naga shawls, often referred to as warrior shawls, are adorned with motifs like spears, representing their warrior heritage. These shawls predominantly feature bright red and black colours, occasionally accompanied by yellow and hints of blue. The red symbolises the enemy's blood, while blue, derived from specially cultivated plants, was believed to possess protective qualities against adversaries through magical means.
In India, weaving is typically associated with men due to its physically demanding nature and extended hours spent at the loom. However, in Nagaland, weaving was primarily carried out by women. Weaving is an integral part of Chakhesang livelihood and culture. In Chakhesang villages, the sight of women weaving outside their homes is common. Each Naga woman acquired the skill of weaving cloth for her family and herself.
The process involved using a simple back strap loom, with the warp anchored to a household wall and the loom fastened to the weaver's lower back. The hilly terrain has led them to prefer portable and space-efficient loin looms or body tension looms. These looms, crafted from varying lengths and thicknesses of sticks, can be conveniently set up, dismantled, and stored. Nettle, a key material, is sourced from the wild. Naga shawls boast intricate designs woven into the fabric using bamboo sticks or even porcupine quills, utilising either warp or weft threads in various colours. Due to the loom's structure, the designs inherently adopt linear and geometric patterns. At times, the shawls were created in three separate pieces, which were subsequently joined together.
Weaving is a meticulous endeavour, with each piece demanding around ten hours of work from a skilled weaver. The Chakhesang Naga shawl has secured a Geographical Indication Tag, the third from Nagaland after Naga King Chilli and Naga Tree Tomato.