Tribal hand woven fabrics of Manipur
- Part 12 -
By: Mutua Bahadur *
Moyon
The Moyon and the Monsang are of the same origin. Most of the cloths are jointly shared by both tribes except for a few cloths which are owned separately. A cloth owned exclusively by the Moyon is a shawl known as Kurkam Peen (Fig. 88). This cloth, characterized by stripes of red, black and white and extra weft designs in the border area, is used by menfolk.
But the cloth known by the Monsangs as Elerpiin pon is known as Wangjam piin by the Moyons. Like wise, Echang of Moyon is Tudilili of Moyon; Atrim of Monsang is Tingpi of Moyon; Ethii Enhii of Monsang Changkak of Moyon and Zor enhii of Monsang is Tengpi enhii of Moyon.
Paite
At least ten kinds of cloths are used by the Paite. The cloths are Puanlaisen (Fig. 96), Lianbuangthuam (Fig. 95), Gungal Puan (Fig. 92), Kheaupheau (Fig. 91), Malam (Fig. 93), Aksipak (Fig. 94), B.A. Puandum, Puandum (Fig. 89), Ngotekherh and Thangsuah Puan (Fig. 90), etc. Of these, there are cloths used solely by either male or women, common cloths used by both the sexes, daily wear, cloth for specific gatherings and a ward-cloth.
Puanlaisen is striped in white, red, black, green and yellow besides being decorated with red, blue and yellow extra weft in the border area. It is a ladies fanek worn at betrothal and festive occasions. The designs of the cloth are Talbo (arrowhead) and Thalka (spearhead). Lianbuangthuam is a newly produced variety of lady's skirt that has wide bands in red and white colours.
Upon the stripe, extra weft designs of red and blue give peculiarity to the cloth. Gungal Puan is a woman's skirt having stripes in green, red and black. Small extra weft designs occur here and there on the cloth. Kheaupheau and Malam are dark colour cloths designed with extra weft. Aksipak is a lady's fanek identifiable by white Aksipak (Aksi-star, pak-flower) pattern on blue background.
One of the man's cloths that has black, green, red and white stripes is B.A. Puandum. It contains Tangmaimu (cucumber patterns). It is awarded to meritorious persons and this honorific cloth was first produced in 1952 among the Paite. Puandum and Ngotekherh are cloth used by both man and woman. Ngotekherh is a black and white coloured cloth with no designs.
Bands of black, green, red, yellow and white along with rows of small extra weft designs on the white area constitute the appearance of Puandum. Thangsuah puan, a man's cloth with stripes in black, red, white, green and yellow, was used in the past only by the heroes.
See a gallery photo of Tribal hand woven fabrics of Manipur here.
To be continued ....
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* Mutua Bahadur contributes to e-pao.net regularly. This article was webcasted on January 13, 2013.
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