Manipuri in Myanmar
- Part 7-

By: Mutua Bahadur *

The design of achiek can be divided into two. They are - i) a rainbow-like design; ii) the rainbow-like design is placed upside down next to one another and the middle is connected

by a hook. The connecting middle design has its origin in hook (khoi-mayek). Khoi-mayek design was used on clothes from an early period to till date in Manipur. The use of khoi-mayek along the borders of phanek (sarong) started during the reign of king Yanglou Keiphaba (969-984). This design has been in use in jewellery also for a long time. Many ethnic groups of Myanmar use tessellated geometric forms.

After putting achiek horizontally, designs of different flowers -like orchids, roses and jasmines etc are put on the upper and the lower parts of achiek. Achiek was used during the reign of king Mindon along with designs of flower vase, orchids and flowers etc. Manipuri-Kates had been weaving for around 230 years. Due to changes in society and its life style, there had been changes and additions to achiek. There have been changes with new designs added to the upper; lower, left and right sides of achiek.

However, designs used along

the boarders of sarong (phanek) and other products produced by Manipuri-Kates are no longer in use.

When Manipuri women went to Myanmar they took along with them the idea of textile, philosophy of beauty, and other internal concepts. They are reflected on achiek. The smallest area of achiek is 2 cm and the biggest is about 11 cm.

Achiek was developed by placing it next to others in a repeated fashion. In achiek, layers, using colour and different spaces, are found based on odd numbers. This tradition still continues. The first and the following odds numbers stand for life and the even numbers stand for death. This use of odd numbers is believed to confer long life and well

being. Because of this tradition, even bananas having odd numbers are offered to god / deity. Thakkan (canopy) and sekpin (storied decoration) arc used as parts of rituals, and they have odd numbers like 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 so on. Even a yangkok (shallow and circular winnowing basket) is to have odd numbered fastenings by paya (split bamboo).

In time of using colour by Manipuri-Katc weavers, there is a tradition of using colour schemes. Even though there are few

changes here and there. The tradition is still kept in use by Manipuri-Kate weavers. For instance if red is to be used, yellow will come naturally next to it.

Achiek production and technique

There are two types of achiek as found upto the present. The first one uses a warp having 8,533 yarn and has an area of 1.12 metres in breadth in which from 100 to 300 small boat like pangatems will be used manually by two women weavers sitting in pairs.

Another has about 5,783 warp yarn (mixed with silk yarn) with the breadth having 1.17 metres will be woven with designs along the warp. However, the pangatem (shuttle) will automatically start its action when the sley {mayang) is touched by the hand. The first process of achiek production can be divided into two. They are - i) the weft threads used

for the design are connected manually; ii) an extra weft is used in addition to the ones used for creating the design. The second technique can not produce achiek in good number. It is the underside of the achiek produced manually which is shown while in use. While weaving it, a cloth covers it in order to provide protection from dust and other particles. The upper and the lower look of achiek is similar. The achiek woven with the use extra weft technique can not produce the lower design.

The warp should be stretched with an inclination of 14° from the weaver's waist. However, it should be stretched at 10° inclination to waist for weaving for plain cloths. Generally, only female weavers produce handcrafted achiek and male weavers use mechanical looms to roll out achiek and other plain cloths.

Tools and implements

The small pangatem (shuttle) used for inserting designs is of three kinds having different sizes. The smallest shuttle has a length of 9.5 cm and a breadth of 1.4 cm; the thickness is 0.8 cm. The spool used in small pangatem has 3.5 cm in length, 1.5 cm in diameter and weighs 5 gm. A small bamboo pipe is used for the spool.

The bigger shuttle has 14 cm in length, 2 cm in breadth and 1.5 cm in thickness. Spool used for a bigger pangatem is 5.5 cm in length and weighs 10 gm. The third and biggest pangatem is 22 cm in length, 3 cm.in breadth and 1.4 cm in thickness.

The spool used in the third pangatem is 7.5 cm in length and weighs 20 gm. The smallest and the bigger pangatems are used for hand-manipulated designs. The biggest pangatem is used for the main weft shuttles used for fly-operated weaving and is different from the ones discussed here.

Fly shuttle, yekje, in Myanmarese language is made from wood. On the average it has 1.83 m in length and 1.52 m in breadth and 1.67 m in height. Loom used for weaving plain cloths is of wood. It has 4 m in length, 1.52 m in breadth and 2.55 m in height.

A kind of implement named shaa (swift) in Myanmarese language made of wood and bamboo is used for the hank. An implement known as kyakho having an iron wheel will hold the thread from the swift on a reel. Another implement called yalou khou is used for the bobbins. The thread coming from the yalou khou will be turned into bobbins by using yekho.(spinning wheel).

Treasure

The Manipuri-Kates and Paonas are the repository of many forms of treasure. They include their distinct way of life, books used by them different implements and equipments used for their livelihood, business and rituals etc.

See a gallery photo of Manipur and Myanmar here.

To be continued ....

Mutua Bahadur

* Mutua Bahadur contributes to e-pao.net regularly. This article was webcasted on May 07, 2011.