Art & Crafts of Arunachal Pradesh

Cane and Bamboo Work

Cane and bamboo industry of Arunachal Pradesh has a high-profile Cane & Bamboo work industry. Cane and Bamboo form the core of the domestic requirements. Hats varying in shapes and sizes, diverse sorts of baskets, cane vessels, an elaborate range of cane belts- woven or plains, intricately woven cane and fibre brassier, carved bamboo mugs, a wide range comprising necklaces and other ornaments form the category of products deserving special citation. However, the technique which is employed for basketry remains the same throughout. Twill and hexagon (open and closed) are the elementary techniques that are employed in making baskets.

Arunachal basketry is beautiful in terms of its fine texture as well as the unusual shapes. There is a homogeneous relationship between the shape, the topography and the region's climatic condition. Angularity and curvaceousness are the features that increases the functions of the baskets.

Carpet Making

The Monpas specialize in Carpet making. Dragon, floral and geometric are the designs in which beautiful multi-hued carpets are woven.

Unique choice of colours merged with intelligent combination of all of them render a peerless position to the carpets. The carpets have sweeped into the trading sphere from domestic use and continue to provide employment to many. With rapid increase in demand, there has occurred urgency for large-scale production.

Ornaments

Arunachal Pradesh is also known for its exquisite craft making. Apart from this, diverse coloured and sized beads, birds’ wings with feathers blue in colour, beetles’ green wings are other decorative items. The Akas specialize in making bamboo bangles. Ear ornament also embellished with designs of pocker work are also their specialties.

The tribes are fond of beaded ornaments. The Wanchos and the Noctes weave the beads into spectacular patterns unlike the rest who just hang he beaded strings around their necks. The Wancho girls excel in bead work. They display a superb blend of design and colour for which one of the Wancho girls received the President’s award in 1985 for master craftswoman. Glass beads, cane, bamboo, wild seeds and reed are employed to make the ear ornaments. The people of this region are fascinated by the coloured glass ornaments.

The Mishmis are renowned for their silver ornaments. The women folk of the Idu Mishmi wear necklaces of silver fillet accompanied by lockets and earring. The Khamtis and Sherdukpens were, at one point of time, also known for their silver work. Nose plugs adorn the Apatani women and these are made of cane making them stand out among the others.

Other Crafts

Paper makings, carpentry, pottery, ivory work and smithy work are some of the other crafts that are predominantly present in the region. The paper tree made by the Monpas are used for writing down religious hymns and prayers. The requirements (that of equipments and tools) of the universally present smithy work are fulfilled by the people. The blacksmiths of this region excel in gun making as well to an extent. The Adis carved a niche for themselves in casting brass. In present times, the Nishing smiths have still preserved the tradition of making brass ornaments, sacred bells and dishes. The women folk of the Wanchos, the Apatanis, the Nishings and the Noctes practice Pottery.

Hunting is the leisure time activity that these people resort to for supplementing their food. Spears, arrows and bows and daos are the weapons that facilitate this activity. They poison the arrow tips and carry them in quivers made out of bamboo tubes. Guns and cross bows too are used and hunting is done in the indigenous ways of trapping animals and snaring.

Fishing is yet another subsidiary occupation. Fishing is facilitated by various small and big traps. These traps may either be valved or without valves. Hand woven hand nets and cast nets are the diverse sorts of fishing nets.

Weaving

Weaving is the primary occupation of the women of this region. Their particularity about colours has led them to combine beautiful and vivid colours together. Black, green, yellow, scarlet, madder and dark blue are the colours they are mostly fond of. From natural dyes, they have switched on to the synthetic ones dominant in the market. They generally make the designs on the geometrical patterns which earlier used to be a conventional line-band arrangement which has changed over the years to systematization of lozenges and diamonds. Internal repetition along with other decorations enhances these designs often.

Sherdukpen shawls, Adi skirts, Adi jackets, Mishmi shawls, Apatani scarves and jackets, Adi bags, jackets and blouses, Wancho loin cloths and bags are the most famous woven products to be found here. The weaving centers run by the Government use fly shuttles but the conventional loin looms have not vanished altogether and survive in the genuine textiles which have been manufactured by these.

Wood Carving in Arunachal Pradesh

Wood carving is the traditional work of the tribes-Khamtis, the Wanchos and the Monpas. The Monpas make beautiful dishes, fruit bowls and cups and make resplendent masks to be worn in ceremonial pantomimes and dances.

The Membas and the Khambas belonging to the West Siang too carve wooden masks. The Khamptis excel in making beautiful images of religious deities, figures of great dancers, toys and other such objects. The Wanchos of Tirap specialize in making beautiful wood carvings. The Wancho area, as a matter of fact, is considered to be the hub of wood carving. Wancho wood carving, in the ancient times, was associated chiefly with head hunting. All their wood carvings were dominated by the human head. In the recent years, however, it has accumulated other subjects too. A minute speculation over this craft would reveal its free standing, deep rooted proportion, despite its attention on the head.