In relation to your study on the material cultural of the Nagas. On the topic weapons. Then draw items and write a short description about it?
Answers
Answer:
Nagaland is an important part of the colourful culture of India. The forests of Nagaland are rich in bamboo and cane. Thus, naturally they are expert basket makers. Basketry among the Nagas is highly developed. However, the craft is restricted to men. All Naga men know how to weave mats of split bamboo, which is the chief material besides wood for constructing walls and floors of houses. Very important is the production of finely woven mats for drying paddy.
Split bamboo is the usual material used for both mats and baskets. There are various stages involved in the preparation of baskets and other cane goods. It begins in the collection of raw materials from the forest, making splints of necessary sizes, weaving of the basket and finally giving the finishing touches. They now prepare different kinds of armchairs, sofas, tables and cradles for babies. Apart from baskets, the Nagas make mats, shields and different kinds of hats from bamboo. They make attractive chungas or drinking cups; mugs made of bamboo with poker work. They are sometimes designed with painted stylized floral patterns or with human figures done in relief, greatly enhancing the shape and the texture of the articles. In Nagaland, the bamboo pipe is popular. In general, it has been rightly said that Nagas start life “ in a cradle of bamboo and ends in a coffin of bamboo”. “ With a grove of bamboo I am always a rich man”- once remarked aptly by an old man of Khari village. He said, “ I construct my house with bamboo, use bamboo utensils and equipments in the bamboo house, burn dried bamboo as fuel, use bamboo torches and eat bamboo pickles”. This statement illustrated how deep is his attachment to this plant. The most important species of bamboo found in Nagaland are Dendroclamus Homiltonii, from which the best type of splints for basket work are extracted, Bambusa bamboo, best suited for house construction, Melocana Bamboo Soides, suitable for making floor and walls of a Naga house and Bambusa tulda and Teinostachyum.
Cane
Different kind of hats made of fine bamboo splits, Nagaland
Cane Basket ornamented with carved wooden figure and heads, Nagaland
Cane being profuse is largely utilized for works in craft. For coarse baskets, cane is employed. Picturesque cane crafts comprising bowls, mugs and containers with multi-coloured engravings on them are made by all tribes. Other varieties such as fillets as part of ornamentation have elaborately worked out design. Cane helmets and hat frames are many. Among the Nagas, a cane-rain proof hat is also made. Men of some tribes weave very attractive neck-bands, armlets and leggings from fine strips of cane dyed red and stems of the yellow orchid in combination with cowries. Mats woven of cane strings with fine texture have decorative value. Cane furniture is also quite popular. Necklace and armlets are also made from cane. Cane ornaments such as head bands, bangles, leg-guards, etc. constitute other models of workmanship. A typical haversack in a cane frame, sewn over it by a thick cloth and with decorations of shells and beads is also seen.
Bamboo Basket
Konyak Basket, Nagaland
The story of the first use of baskets is lost in the remote past. The Ao folk tale about the origin and development of this craft runs as: Once, there lived a magician, who was known by the name Changkichanglangba. In his life time he used to perform miracles. When he was alive, he used to tell the people that if they open his grave on the sixth day after his death, they would discover there something new. On the sixth day, after his death, when the grave was opened out, all the designs and patterns of basketry work were found here. The people copied it and started practicing it.
Baskets of very fine designs are in wide range with different shapes and sizes, used for different purposes, such as containers for crops and other house-hold goods and packages for carrying luggages and merchandise. Baskets range from rough little receptacle made in a few minutes into which an alive chicken is rammed for a journey, to the carefully woven baskets in which rice is carried from the fields. Japa, a package with lid, hexagonal in form is popularly used all over the state for travelling. There are other kinds of baskets bearing symbolic expression and having numerous engravings.