Traditionally referred to as traditional cotton sashes, this pair speaks to the fine aesthetics and weaving heritage of the Angami Naga of Nagaland. Narrow sashes made from brownish, off-white cotton fabric are adorned with colored rhomboid-shape motifs made from bright red wool woven and spaced evenly. These geometric designs have a deep significance in the Naga textile cultural sense where they are used to symbolize origin, identity, social stature, or the ceremonial aspect of a garment.
Cotton fringes hang long on each sash, an attribute which adds onto the ornamentation and feel. Traditionally, sashes in the past were worn on the body in an applied drape over the shoulder or tied around the waist during festivals, dances, or rituals, where they could represent clan affiliation or be worn as part of the ceremonial attire. The Angami tribe has such intense weaving practices that they mostly prefer natural fibers and plant-based dyes through which they weave their symbolic patterns deeply grounded in folklore and beliefs. They are much above the category of mere garments; rather, they are completely expressions of identity and heritage.