''Naga shawls'' are traditional shawls with a distinctive pattern made by various Naga ethnic groups from

Nagaland Nagaland () is a landlocked state in the northeastern region of India. It is bordered by the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh to the north, Assam to the west, Manipur to the south and the Sagaing Region of Myanmar to the east. Its capital cit ...

and its neighbouring areas in

Northeast India , native_name_lang = mni , settlement_type = , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = , motto = , image_map = Northeast india.png , ...

. Naga shawls embody specific traditional connotations that symbolize status, identity, and achievement. Beyond being a piece of cloth, Naga shawls convey rich traditional narratives. These textiles serve as vehicles of communication, perpetually transmitted from one generation to the next, fostering cultural continuity within Naga society. Particularly noteworthy is their significance within the Naga community, which is devoid of script or written historical records. The Naga shawl or Chakhesang Shawls is registered under the

Geographical indications A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, ...

(GI) of Nagaland by

Government of India The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...

List of Naga shawls

Ao Naga shawls

Tsüngkotepsü

The ''Tsüngkotepsü'' is a warrior shawl of the

Ao Naga The Ao Nagas are a major Naga ethnic group native to Mokokchung District of Nagaland, Northeast India. Their main territory is from Tsüla (Dikhu) Valley in the east to Tsürang (Disai) Valley in the west in Mokokchung District. The Ao Nagas ...

s of

. Traditionally, the ''Tsüngkotepsü'' can only be worn by warriors who had successfully taken the heads of enemy warriors, In modern times, the right to wear the ''Tsüngkotepsü'' is associated with performing a mithun sacrifice, a demonstration of wealth and are a distinctive symbol of the Ao Nagas.

Chakhesang Naga shawls

The Chakhesang Naga shawl has the Geographical Indication Tag. It was the third from Nagaland to be granted the GI registration after Naga King Chilli and Naga Tree Tomato. While the ‘Chakhesang Shawl’ is listed under the category of ‘Handicrafts’, the other two is registered under ‘Agricultural’ product under Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999.

Khiamniungan Naga Shawl

Nütsah The Khiamniungan Naga Shawl that has circles of

cowrie shells Cowrie or cowry () is the common name for a group of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries. The term ''porcelain'' derives from the old Italian term for the cowrie shell (''porcellana'') du ...

is called Shiehtsap nie. But the exact same shawl without cowrie shells is called Nütsah. The shell was attached as a symbol of feasts of merit which the owner has hosted, dipicting the shining

stars A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma held together by its gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night, but their immense distances from Earth ma ...

in the sky during a nightly raid, or the moon and thus female fertility. The huge stylized human figure on the ''Nütsah'' indicates the owner’s accomplishment in headhunting war. In those days such shawls could only be worn by distinguished ''accomplished warriors'' and ''wealthy men'' in the society. The red square that has 9x7 red blocks depicts fierce bloody war champion and the ''blue lines'' are a symbol of peaceful dominant disposition of all mankind.: Khiamniungan Shawl Hornbill festival 2011
/ref>

Notes and references

External links

*https://web.archive.org/web/20090106230212/http://ignca.gov.in/craft256.htm Interesting coverage of a variety of Naga textile and other crafts. *http://www.craftandartisans.com/tribal-textiles-of-nagaland.html Tribal textiles of Nagaland Culture of Nagaland Indian shawls and wraps Geographical indications in Nagaland {{India-culture-stub