Mali is a traditional necklace that is traditionally worn by the Gadaba tribe. This culture is also a vibrant tribal community found much of its home and heritage in the hilly terrains of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. This version of the Mali is made up of square-shaped metal pieces neatly crafted and arranged that goes to form a bold ornamental chain. Each necklace is finished with slightly wider terminal pieces equipped with a locking mechanism where by the ornament can be securely fastened around the neck. Jewellery in Gadaba culture is very much beyond a mere decoration-it has deep cultural and social significance. A Mali, particularly in its metallic avatar, symbolizes all the aesthetic values, craftmanship, and symbolic identification that the tribe boasts of. It is used more for community festivals, marriage events, and other such significant life-anind milestone events. It will clearly mark the status of the wearer against tradition. The Gadaba tribe is also known to belong to the Munda ethnic group and can be easily identified by its distinctive dress along with jewellery.
The actual use times are around the community festivals, marriage ceremonies, and other significant life-anind milestone events, marking the significance of the wearer as per tradition. Their tradition disfigures the Gadaba people as belonging to the Munda ethnos and a mark all are identifiable due to their peculiar dress, as well as jewellery. Their ornamentation uses many geometric shapes, such as squares, with such forms giving evidence that for ages they have been accustomed to such motifs from nature and the surroundings in their tribal designs. Most of the metals used are brass or alloyed metals, and artisans from around exploit local talents to shape these metals through already existing but traditional techniques. Modernization has fully influenced the typical tribal lifestyles, but a few things will remain forever cultural, such as adornments like the Mali, a part of their symbolic weight but also artisan beauty. The necklace shows a liaison between form and meaning that binds both over generations, becoming personal heirloom and cultural emblem.