Double-sided Eri silk shawl with Adi Minyong weaves

Working with the Adi tribe was a matter of pure serendipity. It started as a chance encounter while passing from Pasighat to reach Roing. We had borrowed an old beaten-down car from a friend to carry out a cotton awareness drive in Arunachal Pradesh so weavers could feel encouraged to weave with natural yarns instead of synthetic ones. When we were just about to reach Pasighat, the car broke down with no hope of getting spare parts or repairs. I ended up staying in Pasighat for about a month where this amazing woman called Komyir Jamoh gathered many weavers in the neighbourhood from Adi Minyong, Adi Galo and Adi Padam communities to participate in a cotton weaving design workshop.

Over days, Oboti Jamoh, Oity Megu, Tumrik Ete, Mumsi Tayeng, Osiri Tasung, Asahor Tayeng and Lucky Tayeng along with Komyir Jamoh and myself sat huddled together understanding what we could craft with the indigenous weaves of their community. Without cutting the designs for garment making, what could be the right homage to the ancestral weaves as product design? We ideated together and they suggested since there are two panels joined to make a single Gale, so why don’t we turn the single panel into a narrow shawl/ panel? These could be used as shawls or panels in Saris. I resonated with their idea. We further explored ideas on how to use “pore”- motif-based panels in the weave.

Right after, each one went to the boot of the car that was overflowing with cotton yarn in 2/40 and 2/60 count. They chose their colours and they chose what they would make with it. Hundreds of hanks were picked in total. Over the next few years, under the supervision of Komyir, the weaves kept reaching Punjab in Komyir’s neatly compiled parcels. Because of encouraging remuneration, the work continued till the yarn was over without any obstruction. The supervisor was also given a regular honorarium towards her dedicated effort.

I use these weaves from time to time to get an opportunity to talk about these wonderful communities and their rich ancestry. Textiles are a medium of expression. Bringing homage to their indigenous roots is the intention expressed through these textiles. The vision is to do design workshops with the youth of the community to enable them to craft-based entrepreneurship.


Adi Minyong weaves are paid homage through the canvas of handspun Indigo dyed Eri silk made in Assam. 

Minadi is a one-of-a-kind textile designed to highlight a unique coming together of various techniques and creativity of handcraft. This design will not be recreated. Ahoi comes with a blouse fabric designed to encourage Mora fireflies to bring their authentic spirit to the fabrication of blouse fit, usage of borders and edgings. The blouse worn by me is not included.

Param did the beadwork

Gurmail, the tailor

Adi Minyong weaving is done under the supervision of Komyir, Arunachal Pradesh.

Adi Minyong weave by Oity Megu, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh.

Cotton yarn sourced from Salem, Tamil Nadu.

Narmohan Dada, the master Eri silk pioneer

Mumma, Madhu, technical supervision of stitching 

Midtoan.com, the photographer

Designed by Ritika