The Guttapaka is one of the few things that speaks volumes about the ancestral wisdom and deftness in handiwork among the Gunsur Malias of Odisha. This plain, yet practical hairpin of bone, points to the community's close affinity with nature and the sustainability the tribe upholds. It is made from a single piece of bone and is carefully hand-carved into a tapering end at one end for easy insertion into the hair, and on the other end has a knob-like structure to provide a functional grip and for ornamentation.
The end with the knot acts in such a way that it facilitates a strong hold on the pin after it has been inserted, having thus practical and aesthetic purposes. It's not just a grooming tool to these tribal communities like the Gunsur Malias; it's part of daily attire, a cultural marker, and more often bears great symbolic value. Women wear such hairpins, mostly during rituals and festivals, or as part of daily life. Hence, the Guttapaka is a good example of the co-existence of utility and ornamentation in tribal craftsmanship. Bone, a material choice, underlines the ingenuity of the community using what nature gives, without wastage. Such items are sometimes inherited from generation to generation, rendering them much more than personal belongings.