The Kuki tribe Kim is one of the subgroups within the wider Kuki population residing in Northeast India and, distinct textile and craft traditions have been interwoven in their larger cultural pattern that support the interplay of use and symbolism. Traditionally, coarse cotton cloth was worn as a garment and also wrapped for ceremonies. The cloth combines a rustic beauty with detailed craftsmanship, made of coarse white cotton fabric that is stitched together from four pieces to give length-a traditional technique rendered necessary by the limitations of loom size, emphasizing the importance of hand-joining techniques in tribal weaving. Narrow borders viewed contrastingly from the otherwise plain ground are imbued with stripes of brown and black along the two longer sides of the cloth.
One end of the cloth is neatly stitched, whereas the opposite end sports fringes made from cotton threads. Such fringes are more than mere decorations—they are symbolic, representing the termination of the life cycle of the cloth or its link with nature. Just above the fringes, there are three lines of plaited designs meticulously inserted, showing the skill of the artisan, and giving texture and ornamentation to the cloth. The textile is thus wrapped around the wearer during important cultural ceremonies or as a general-purpose wrap. Its design elements, especially with the plaited motifs, reflect the aesthetic sense of the tribe passed down from generation to generation. Thus, simple enough yet rich with symbolism, the cloth bears the cultural narrative of the Kim Kuki tribe and its interrelationship with nature and culture.