Art and Craft
The rich craft heritage of India is unique and diverse as its traditions. Each part of the country has its own culture , which is manifested in the handicrafts of that particular region. Indian crafts and handicraft traditions are influenced by local topography, and socio-religious factors.
Indian craft tradition is famous in the world. It's technique is very different and the materials are really nice.
Arunachal Pradesh has a rich tradition of Bamboo, Cane Handicrafts, Wood Carving and Carpet Weaving . Making of beautiful carpets, painted wooden vessels and silver articles are the speciality of the Arunachali. They are expert workers in cane and bamboo.
Wood Carving :
Traditional Male and Female Wooden figure are depicted as main subject, The main raw-materials used are wood. Wood carving is a tradition with some of the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. The Monpas, Khamtis, and Wanchos occupy significant place in this art. The Monpa wood carver make beautiful cups, dishes, fruit bowls and carve magnificent masks for ceremonial dances and pantomimes.
Wooden masks are also carved by the Khambas and Membas of West Siang. The Khamptis make beautiful religious images figures of dancers, toys and other objects. Very beautiful wood carvings are made by the Wanchos of Tirap. In fact the Wancho area is the Chief center of wood carving. Wancho wood carving was earlier associated mainly with head hunting and human head dominated everything that they made. But now-a .days veriety of subjects are included. They are invariably free standing. Minute observation on the details will reveal that the Wancho wood carver had deep sense of proportion, inspite of the fact that they give much attention to the head.
Of late departure from the traditional fixed form is noticed in many carved figures. Symmetrical postures are replaced by assymetrical ones, relief works are experimented in various themes. There is no doubt that change has penetrated deep into the Wancho wood-carving.
Cane & Bamboo :
The Cane Bamboo are available in the Districts of East Kameng. The famous cane cap & head gear are available for different tribe of the State. While carrying Basket, Marketing Basket, varieties of design & utility product viz. Cane chair, Cane Table, Cane Racks, Cane Cradle, Cane Murrah , Designer Cane Tray etc. available in different marketing outlet in the State as well as out side the State.
Handloom :
Image is comming over here.... Arunachal Pradesh can be called Home of Handloom designs as its 20 major tribes and more then 100 sub-tribes has got unique and appealing Handloom designs. The products are , Skirt (Gale), Shirt (Galuk) , cotton shawl, side bag, curtain cloth etc, in different pricing pattern according to the quality, traditional value, motive and design.
Martial-Arts :
People of Arunachal pradesh know beautiful Worrier Art.
Here are list of some which they are using.
Dances :
Dances form a vital element in the zest and joy of life. People of Arunachal Pradesh dance on important rituals, during festivals and also for recreation occassionally. They vary from highly stylised religious dance dramas of the Buddhists to the martial steps and colourful performances of the Noctes and Wanchos.
The dances of the prople of Arunachal are group dances - where both men and women take part. There are, however, some dances such as Igu dance of the Mishmi priests, war dances of the Adis, Noctes and Wanchos, ritualistic dance of the Buddhist tribes, which are male dances. Females are not allowed to dance in these dances.
Some of the popular folk dances of the people are Aji Lamu (Monpa Tribe), Roppi (Nishing Tribe), Hiirii Khaniing (Apatani Tribe), Popir (Adi Tribe), Pasi Kongki (Adi), Chalo (Nocte Tribe), Ponung (Adi Tribe), Rekham Pada(Nishing Tribe), Lion and Peacock dance (Monpa) and so on. Most of the dances are accompanied by songs sung generally in chorus.
The Monpas, besides performing Monastic dances for three days during Torgya festivals, also perform other dances on different occasions. Some of them are- Aji Lhamu dance, yak dance and lion & peacock dances etc.
Among the Adis dance had evolved almost into an art form mainly for entertainment and recreation. The 'Phoning' dance of Adis is performed by teams of young girls in perfect rhythmic unison. Similar group dance in colourful costumes are performed by Nishis and Tagins of Upper and Lower Subansiri Districts.
Painting :
Tangkha painting in one of the most artistic craft, it is prevalent mainly in Buddhist dominated area like Tawang, West kameng, Upper Siang Districts. The motif of the painting is mostly religious subject along with traditional value.
Pottery:
Dafla women are skilled in this craft. The legend is that Abo Takam was the first Dafla potter and from him the art passed on to the women. The process involves pounding a specific kind of earth called dekam on a big stone with a wooden hammer. When it turns into powder, water is mixed and it is hammered till it gains the required softness. Clay lumps are taken home. The woman sits with a piece of gunny bag, or old fibre blanket spread over her thigh. She takes a lump and shapes it with her finger into a crude pot with a shallow opening at the top and rim round it. When several such crude pots have been shaped they are kept in the top-most tray over the hearth to dry. Next day they are ready for the final processing. This is done by pushing a stone deeper and deeper through the hollow of the mouth to get the right bulge of the sides, which are beaten on the outer side with a kamgi to flatten them thin. The kamgi is a bamboo stick with a lineal design on it. It leaves the marks of the design on the body of the pot. The process is continued till the desired round shape, size and finish are obtained.
Finished pots are not subjected to any polishing or burnishing. They are carefully kept in the shade while drying. When completely dry, they are put in a fire out-side the house. There are no kilns or pot-ovens, though a ditch, if available, makes it convenient to put burning firewood over the pots. More or less forty minutes are sufficient to bake a pot. Pottery is exclusively limited to cooking utensils.