Arunachal Pradesh is also known as the “Land of Rising Sun.” This state of India is located in the northeastern part of India. The state shares its borders with countries North of China (Tibet), West of Bhutan, East of Myanmar, and Indian states of Assam and Nagaland. Since it shares a border with so many countries the traditional dress of Arunachal Pradesh is not the same for all. It is different from one tribe to another. Let’s explore these traditional dress of arunachal pradesh for men and women.
But before we dive in for dresses let’s know more about the state.
Land of Rising Sun: Arunachal Pradesh
The sun rises first in this state in India, thus, its name is Land of the Rising Sun. It is a place with vibrant colors and ethnic richness. This state is also home to major 26 tribes and 100 sub-tribes. The traditional dress of Arunachal Pradesh is still not affected by Western influence. People here are proud of their traditions, dresses, and culture and often showcase them. Some of the major tribes are Adi, Bori, Apatani, Bokar, Aka, Galo, Nyishi, and Tangsa.
Origins of Traditional Dresses in Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a tribal state that has several unique traditions for each of them. Though many clothes have ancestral roots there are some geographical differences. The traditional dress of Arunachal Pradesh is made of animal skin, goat hair, human hair, tree bark, and many other things. Some of them even use natural dyes made of flowers, leaves, and seeds to get different colors.
Traditional dress of Arunachal Pradesh by the Sherdukpen Tribe
Men’s Clothing
A Sherdukpan male wears sleeveless silk material. Its edges are attached to their shoulder and it’s long till the knee. To complete the look, they wear a skull cap on the head which is further decorated with yak’s hair.
Women’s Clothing
Women also wear dresses to the knee with a sleeveless and collarless style around the neck and shoulders. They also wear a waist cloth, along with an embroidered jacket with full sleeves. Their hair is often made in the form of a bun.
Traditional dress of Arunachal Pradesh by the Tangsa Tribe
Men’s Clothing
The men wore green color wrap around spun in colors like yellow, red, and white. Further, they pair a sleeveless shirt with an upper garment.
Women Clothing
These beauties wore a petticoat, woven with clear details by hand and looked amazing. They pair it with a linen blouse.
Traditional dress of Arunachal Pradesh by the Aptani Tribe
Men’s Clothing
Aptani men make a knot on the top of their forehead using their hair. This unique hairstyle is known as Piiding. The knot is created using a brass rod, known as Piiding Khotu. Men of this tribe also have Tattoos or Tiippe on their chins.
Women Clothing
Women of this tribe also have tattoos that consist of blue stripes. These strips are broad in shape and extend from the head to the nose tip. A total of five lines are drawn vertically under the lower lip on the chin. Their unique hairstyle is known as Dilling. They also add a brass skewer on their head horizontally.
Traditional dress of Arunachal Pradesh by the Miji Tribe
Miji tribe believes in keeping it simple. Due to this women in East and West Kameng wear simple outfits that look elegant on them. They also wear a long cloak and accessorize them with huge earrings and stunning neckpieces.
Traditional dress of Arunachal Pradesh by the Adi Tribe
This tribe stays in the sub-tropical region of Upper Siang, East and West Siang, Dibang Valley, and Upper Subansiri. The temperature is cool thus men and women wear jackets and woolen clothes. Deerskin, bearskin, and cane skin are often used to make their clothes.
Traditional dress of Monpas
They’re popular due to two reasons: One is they are a Buddhist community and second due to their skull cap; made by using fringes and laces. Women also pair sleeveless chemise with a long jacket. The chemise is tied using a long, narrow cloth to keep it in place.
Traditional dress of Arunachal Pradesh by Lower Kamla Valley
They have a very eye-catching traditional dress. Women tie their hair knots on their foreheads. The most unique accessory of these women is the Crinoline of cane rings. The upper body is covered by these rings. They’re a replacement for a blouse. However, with the advancement in the world, these are not worn by many women.
Understanding Meanings & Patterns of These Traditional Dresses
The rich and unconventional clothing styles of different tribes are inspired by geometric shapes and patterns. You can witness these patterns in the tribal dress of the Aptami, Adi, and Mishmi tribes. They prefer zig-zag lines and angular designs.
You can even witness the floral designs along with such patterns in their dresses. Simple vertical and horizontal stripes are also a very common pattern. The colors, patterns, and designs of these costumes all hold some meaning.
For example, the simple straight lines of the Adi and Aptami tribes symbolize their disciplined lifestyle. Mishmi tribes’ complex pattern on dresses symbolizes celebratory nature. Another example is the use of motifs in the form of pointed triangles of an arrow; used by the Tuensang tribe. They also use small red squares on sanctum cloth which depict the ferment used to make beer. Here the red color depicts the enemy’s blood, blue represents the sky, and black nights.
To Wrap Up
There are so many traditional dresses to cover as per the tribes residing in Arunachal Pradesh. The culture, tradition, dress, accessory, and overall lifestyle are different. The tribe people are simple and use whatever they have as per their needs. They are also very religious and have a good sense of preservation. The pride in wearing the traditional dress of Arunachal Pradesh is unmatched by other people’s pride. Stay tuned for the same content!
