A custom spade crafted traditionally by the Konyak Naga tribe of Nagaland is really an advanced engineering feat of an agricultural tool. The tool combines perfectly the functions of wood, iron, and cane. The spade joins two crisscrossed pieces of wood along with a nail. This assembly holds the spade blade, which is flat and bent at the top from iron, tightly wound cane strips keep it attached securely. Cane binding also reinforces the joint, adding flexibility and shock resistance to allow the tool to endure punishment during work. Mainly, it is used for digging, tilling, and loosening soil. Even up to this day, the significance of this type of spade is quite huge in promoting the horticultural knowledge of the Konyak people and of direct practical innovations in tool-making. While strong, it is also lightweight because of the crisscross joinery, and since iron is locally available and organic materials are wood and cane, it contributes to sustainable craftsmanship.
For the Konyak Nagas—famed for their colorful warrior ancestry and very fine traditional artistry-agriculture forms the backbone of their daily lives. Tools such as this are mainly made by village artisans or blacksmiths who solely specialize in the work and, at times, mold such tools according to specific user requirements and terrain specifications. The spade signifies the typical waste-to-strength philosophy of the tribe that enjoys a close communion with nature, where natural materials are converted towards important uses without wastage. Today, these tools are not only instruments, but they are living records of indigenous genius.