This shawl has two sides. One side is Adi Padam indigenous weaves bordered with Matka silk. The other side is hand spun, hand woven, natural dyed Eri silk.

I named this textile Galuk & Gale, so that while seeing this as a shawl, we never forget to visualise these weaves and motifs in their original indigenous form. And to always remember that they have been adapted to a shawl as a closest akin to the origins to suit the modern context while also celebrating the indigenous weave.

Galuk is the upper garment and Gale is the lower wrap around of Adi Padam tribe who are one of the main sub-tribes of Abotani of Arunachal Pradesh. This particular shawl is an adaptation of their traditional Gale where the white intricate vertical band falls on the back side at the centre of the wrap. This versatile weave looks suitable as a wrap-around as well as in the form of a shawl. These white bands hold splashes of colour reflecting the personal sense of creative of the weaver. Seemingly, simple from far, these bands reveal much intricacy on closer look, and is a textile craft hardly achievable by other tribes not proficient in Adi Padam weaving.

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Adi Padam believed that their earliest ancestor grandmother learnt the art of weaving in her dream. Since, then Adi Padam relate their ethnic identity with the weave motifs, especially those in the Gale. These textile’s documents their warrior history as a”hill-top” tribe as well as their topography, things and sights from everyday life.

Adi textiles are known for their geometric stripes and less complex form that highlights the beautiful bands most efficiently. The stripes are symbolic of their virtue of high discipline and straight forward thinking. They weave on back strap looms, called Gekong-Galong among the Adi community. And carried the art of weaving as an inheritance through their rich ancestry.