Adornments beyond compare – Tribal Jewelry of Nagaland

Even though the young & the rich get allured into buying gems and jewelry  by big brands that add very little value by stamping a brand name on it and even though the valuation of these brands in the corporate stock markets is several times their worth, it does not mean that their jewelry is the ‘best’.

In my travels until now, it is slowly becoming evident that the jewelry and textiles with the WOW factor come not from factories in big cities but from the tribal groups and ethnic minorities.

Among the Nagas, even men wear jewelry and add to their dashing good looks with their jewels:

Fine Art Print ‘IF LOOKS COULD KILL’ from my ‘Tribal Expressions’ Exhibitions

Here are some pictures of the jewelry of Nagaland, from North East India taken amongst a dozen different Naga tribes during a festival.

Claws

teeth

Beaded Belt

monkey skull accessory

brass skulls declaring the warrior’s victory

cowrie cuffs

feather earrings

Chang Tribe

animal hair ankle ties

Chest cross bands (also seen in tribes from Sabah)

Chakhesang  tribe warrior – the right to wear this must be earned

Rare Conch jewelry for the back

skull medallion

Sumi Tribe hip belt

signature konyak beads

Chakhesang Tribe

cornelium beads

conch shell medallion

These are just some raw images of the magnificent visual feast!  If you enjoyed reading about the Nagas, do read the other Nagaland articles on this blog.  But that is more likely  to whet your appetite rather than gratify it…..

As the Lion King says “there’s more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than can ever be done”

Click here to shop for the Antique Naga beads that are available in the Wovensouls gallery.

jm

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