CHAKHESANG

The Chakhesang tribe, residing predominantly in Nagaland's Phek district, are renowned for their rich cultural heritage and exceptional craftsmanship. Traditional Chakhesang houses are built from wood and adorned with intricate carvings that reflect their cultural identity. These carvings also feature prominently on village gates. The motifs on the wooden carvings of houses and village gates often draw inspiration from nature, folklore, and tribal symbols, highlighting the Chakhesang’s deep connection to their environment and cultural narratives. One of the most notable expressions of this craft is found in the traditional houses of those who host the prestigious "Feast of Merit." These homes are richly decorated with symbolic carvings that represent the host’s social status and generosity.

Ornaments is a craft that holds significant cultural importance among the Chakhesang people. Their ornament is colourful, aesthetic and imbued with meaning. They symbolize values, social status and identity. The artisans craft these pieces using locally sourced materials such as beads, bones, feathers, cotton yarn, found objects and metal like brass. The meticulous craftsmanship involved in ornamnet-making shows the tribe's artistic sensibilities and their ingenious ways of using materials.

Bamboo basketry is another hallmark of Chakhesang craftsmanship, with artisans weaving a variety of baskets and containers for daily use and ceremonial purposes. These objects are woven utilizing techniques passed down through generations to create functional items such as storage baskets, sieves, and traditional head gears. The baskets are often characterized by their durability and intricate patterns, showcasing the practical nature of their design. Traditional houses are found to be lined with large granary baskets. One can also find many baskets suspended from a shelf above the hearth fire in the kitchen.

The Chakhesang tribe's expertise in wood carving, jewellery making, and bamboo basketry showcases a rich cultural identity and harmonious relationship with their natural surroundings. These crafts are integral to their daily life and ceremonial practices, embodying the tribe's artistic heritage and resilience in preserving traditional skills amidst a rapidly changing world.

Wood Carving

Chakhesang artisans are adept at wood carving. Through their wood carving traditions, the Chakhesang people have been preserving their heritage, blending artistry with function and celebrating their cultural identity. This skill is reflected in the traditional houses of Chakhesang built in honour of the host of Feast of Merit. These feasts not only strengthen community bonds but also grant the host the privilege of adorning their homes with unique and symbolic carvings, reflecting their contribution to the collective well-being. The houses are made out of logs, boards and bamboo as building materials. The columns and walls are highly decorative and used as an accessory to maintain a traditional look.  

Among the various motifs carved into the homes of feast-givers, the Mithun's head is particularly notable. It represents wealth and generosity, recognizing the host as someone who has provided abundantly for the community. Similarly, the carving of a pig’s head signifies the offering of pigs during these feasts, a traditional and vital contribution to the festivities.

One of the interesting motif is the carving of a woman’s breast, symbolizing nourishment and abundance. Much like a mother provides sustenance for her child, this carving signifies that the household is a place of plenty, where food, wine, and resources are always available. It highlights the generosity of the household, marking it as a beacon of hospitality and provision.

The house horn, another iconic feature placed atop the home, embodies strength and the homeowner's capability to provide for the community. It is a mark of respect and power, signalling the homeowner's earned status as a leader.

For those who have not hosted feasts, displaying these symbols is strictly forbidden, as it is considered shameful and thought to invite misfortune. This tradition reinforces the Chakhesang belief that true social status is not measured by wealth alone but by one’s generosity and dedication to cultural values.

Other than the use of wood in architecture, many utilitarian objects like large barrels used for storing wine or rice beer are also carved from wood. Long wooden tables were used for pounding rice and furniture like stools and chairs are also seen inside a traditional house of Chakhesang.

Ornaments

Ornaments holds deep cultural significance among the Chakhesang people, serving as a vibrant expression of their values, social status, and identity. Known for its colourful and aesthetic appeal, Chakhesang ornaments are rich in symbolic meaning. Artisans craft these intricate pieces using locally sourced materials such as beads, bones, feathers, cotton yarn, found objects, and metals like brass. The ornaments of Chakhesang are varied and can be categorized as men ornaments and women ornaments. The skill and precision involved in ornament-making reflect the tribe's artistic sensibilities and their resourceful approach to utilizing available materials creatively.

Many interesting ornaments are made and worn by the Chakhesang men. Phepa/Phekheru/Phida are ankle leggings made of cane and yellow orchid stems worn by the warriors. Pheso/Phikho are black dyed cane strings placed on top of the cane leggings. Khodatipa/Ruhatsu, is a necklace made with intricately woven cane and yellow orchid stem. Bepa/Bakha are wristlets of palm leaf and yarns. Boar tusk and elephant tusks are used to make neck collars like Munyikuti and armlets like Baothukha. The headgears of the men are made of bamboo, yarns or bear hair with an attached hornbill feather. Pilo/Ruluo is a bamboo headgear with woven yarns of red, yellow and green. Their noteworthy ornaments also include woven kilts with cowrie shells called Tusunie, Turha, a woven sash with decoration of feather and pleated leaves, Zhe or Dao (Machette) and Zeche, a dao holder attached with a belt. Other than this the men adorn themselves with bright beaded necklaces made of carnelian beads and glass beads.

The ornaments of Chakhesang women are also very diverse. The women adorn themselves with layered beaded necklaces and belts. Khuno/Kechekha/Chakho are ladies belts made of small multilayered beads. Thuvuma Piphu are feathered headdress worn by young women. Lapri/Nuri is a big round brass earring worn by married women. The women also wear conch shell neckalces and Bathsu/Tekhou/Tusu is a conch shell necklace for rich men’s children worn on the back. In this tribe, the women also wear a lot of metal accessories like brass bangles of different shapes like the Thuwi, Thuka, Thoudie and Thoubi and aluminium armlets called Zhithu/Nozhi.   

Source : Chakhesang Naga - Attires & Ornaments (2nd ed.). (n.d.). Chakhesang Women Welfare Society.

Bamboo Basketry

The Chakhesang Nagas are celebrated for their rich crafting traditions, which are deeply interwoven with their cultural identity. Among these, the use of bamboo and cane to create woven products stands out as a mark of their craftsmanship. Bamboo is abundantly available in their region and forms the foundation of their craftwork that plays an integral role in their everyday activities. With access to plentiful bamboo and cane from their surroundings, the Chakhesangs are naturally skilled in the craft of basketry. Artisans skillfully transform this into intricately woven and durable household items, collected and crafted entirely by hand.

The most impressive of these objects are the huge granary baskets woven with great care to store grains. These baskets are seen in a line in the traditional houses of the ‘Feast of Merit’ holder, as they are made with the purpose of holding the abundant grains with which the festival is hosted. Even in the kitchen many storage baskets, basket bags and bamboo shelves are seen some of which are hung over the hearth fire. These objects are not only functional but also serve as a testament to the artisans’ precision and expertise. Each item is thoughtfully designed for a specific purpose. Through their bamboo craft, the Chakhesang Nagas demonstrate an enduring legacy of resourcefulness, artistry, and cultural pride.

The Chakhesang tribe is renowned for its vibrant creativity, vividly reflected in their attire and ornaments. Every pattern, motif, line, and color in their garments tells a meaningful story, passed down faithfully through generations. Their mastery of cotton cultivation, spinning, dyeing, and weaving predates the advent of Christianity, with nettle fibers and deccan jute also being integral to their textiles.

Chakhesang women, celebrated for their weaving prowess, traditionally used the loin loom to craft handwoven shawls and garments, each piece unique in concept and execution. While their ancestors adorned themselves in colorful attire during festivals, everyday clothing was more subdued, made from practical materials like nettle and jute for tasks like harvesting or carrying goods. These garments balanced utility with artistry, embodying the Chakhesangs' cultural depth.

 Exclusive designs with mostly geometric motifs and colours are woven for men and women, rich and the ordinary, leaders and warriors, and so on. It is fascinating to see how they represent their status, power, and role in the community through their shawls and scarves. Chakhesang weaving has been granted Geographical Indication (GI) status, which legally protects the unique craft and its association with the Chakhesang region.

Traditional designs are categorized into horizontal bands, intricate woven patterns, needlework, and hemmed edges. These patterns not only added aesthetic value but also signified honor and recognition, with special shawls reserved for warriors and the affluent as symbols of achievement.

Weaving was once a universal skill among Chakhesang women, taught from a young age with toy looms made from ginger lily fibers. However, as modernity reshaped interests, traditional arts, particularly weaving, faced decline. Today, a few dedicated women are reviving this legacy by adapting traditional patterns for contemporary designs, preserving the tribe's rich cultural heritage while ensuring its relevance in the modern world.

Shawl of the Feast of Merit : THÜPIKHU/THSÜKETSÜRA

In the Chakhesang community, hosting grand feasts of merit was a revered tradition symbolizing prosperity, generosity, and social honour. These feasts, involving abundant food, rice beer, and elaborate rituals, were open to the entire village and sometimes neighbouring villages. Hosting such events required immense preparation and years of saving, reflecting the host family's hard work and commitment.

The highest honour for completing these feasts was the entitlement to wear special shawls, such as the Thüpikhü and Rüzakhü, which were badges of merit. These shawls, adorned with intricate motifs like elephants, stars, and geometric patterns, symbolized accomplishments, blessings, and prosperity. The shawls were not hereditary; each generation had to earn the right to wear them through their deeds.

Traditionally, only families with three or four daughters could weave the Thüpikhü shawl, adhering to strict taboos. The entire process had to be completed within a single day, emphasizing the shawl's exclusivity. Women’s versions featured motifs of conches, brass bangles, and other feminine symbols, paired with matching wrap-around skirts.

The Motifs and Meanings

The shawl represents the highest honour, symbolizing prosperity and generosity. Originally, it was the couple who had performed all the designated feasts of merit that were bestowed with this honour. The patterns and colours on the shawl, such as white, green, and red, indicate the various accomplishments the wearer has achieved. Each motif on the shawl carries its significance:

• Elephant: The elephant motif signifies strength and abundance. It also symbolizes prosperity, as elephants require less food compared to their size and strength. This pattern represents powerful virtues and an abundance of meat.

• Mithun: The mithun, a traditionally reared animal, is highly valued above other species during feasts. The affluent families hosting a 'Feast of Merit' for the village, consider the mithun the most preferred animal. The skulls of mithuns are often preserved and used to decorate the homes of the rich. The motif of the mithun on a shawl symbolizes wealth and prosperity.

• Animal Head: Those who have performed the 'Feast of Merit', were given the privilege of decorating the entrance of their homes with a carved wooden head of a mithun or buffalo. They are also entitled to adorn their homes with Horns on top. This motif richly symbolizes the honour associated with performing this traditional rite and is thus depicted on the shawl.

• Star: The star motif represents brightness, much like a star in the sky. It symbolizes happiness and contentment and reflects the idea that the stars shine for everyone and flowers bloom for all , everyone is equal in the true spirit of humanity.

• Peacock : The shawl also features a peacock motif to signify beauty, suggesting that all who are entitled to wear it would be as beautiful as this magnificent bird.

• Flower : The flower symbolizes happiness and contentment shared among all people partaking in the feast regardless of being rich or poor.

• Butterfly : Representing good spirits, the butterfly is a symbol taken for its elegance, smartness, light and swift movements.

• Sun/Moon : The sun and moon symbolize eternity.

• Pleats : The parallel pleats in between the shawl depict the milestone achieved after the toils and sweats.

Source : Chakhesang Naga - Attires & Ornaments (2nd ed.). (n.d.). Chakhesang Women Welfare Society.