A very beautiful example of traditional tribal adornment and cane craftsmanship is the headdress of the Nagas of Nagaland. Strips of cane were cut and worked finely, indicating how ingenious the tribe has been in the use of natural materials for such ceremonial and symbolical vestures.Affixed at either ends of the headdress are rectangular brass pieces that add metallic gleam to its decorative appeal. The upper surface of the broadest central section allows for further embellishment Three cowrie shells, symbols of tribal ornamentation for abundance and protection, adorn one end of this broad expanse.
These elegant headdresses are worn during tribal festivals, dances, and rituals of that society. They represent one's identity and status in the tribe, as well as serving as a link between the individual and that family through ancestry. And cowrie shells and brass have combined with organic cane material to show the close association that the Naga tribe shares with nature regarding its resources.