Akangjungla
In every Naga community, the craft of weaving has been more than just about creating a piece of shawl or a mekhala. Weaving has always been about affirming and maintaining one’s indigenous identify and womanhood in all aspects.
In the recent past, with the endeavour of few very dedicated advocates, weaving with the use of traditional loin loom has been brought to the forefront and it still remains an integral part of women of Nagaland and core part of Naga culture. It is rightfully credited for weavers to be called as ‘first working women’ in traditional societies.
The general practice of weaving which involves the use of the traditional loin loom is mostly passed down to generations among women or girls through experience and guidance which they acquire while assisting their mothers or other family members. Weavers in the Naga environment mostly inherit the skill of weaving from their aunt, mother or grandmother. What starts as part of assistance gradually leads many weavers in Nagaland into commercial weaving and they progressively takes order for shops. This scenario is true mostly to women who are contented with the profession as a weaver.
Today there is a visible decline of indigenous weavers in Nagaland. Besides younger generation losing interest, among other reasons, the prevalent challenge to carry on loin loom textile weaving and to preserve the traditional weaving skills would be building the main strengths of loin loom textiles such as natural fibres and dye/colour, hand-spun yarn/thread and weaving intricate designs without taking the help of any modern machines.
Despite the apprehension that the long-established loin loom and weaving skill is slowly becoming extinct, there are weavers in Nagaland who take contentment in not only creating beautiful elaborate designs but also benefit economically from the products they create and are determined to pass on this art to the next generation.
There is an impeccable exquisiteness about the weavers sitting on the loom with a back strap supporting the yarns wthey display unique and great craftsmanship as they weaves narrow piece of clothes for making different products. With this supremacy, the craft of loin loom weaving has survived many generations, and hopefully, it will continue to navigate and make possible for the Naga weavers find its niche in the industry of textile.
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