Fashion in today’s times is heavily inspired from the times gone by. Also there is an increasing focus on using the country’s strong cultural background as inspiration. Contemporary fashion is all about natural materials, tones and an individual attitude. Given this, it is not surprising that tribal jewellery is increasingly getting back in fashion and finding favour among its patrons.
Essentially this is jewellery made by India's tribes and is attractive in a rustic and earthy way. These are made out of materials available in the local area and are crafted without sophisticated technology giving it a chunky, unrefined appearance. Bone, wood, clay, shells, crude metal are some of the raw materials used in making tribal jewellery. Ethnic tribal jewellery is also a much sought after fashion accessory.
In India, some of the known tribal jewellery comes from Bastar in Madhya Pradesh who make jewellery out of grass, beads, coins and cane. Also the nomadic Banjara tribes make beautiful ornaments and belts embellished with shells, metal-mesh, coins, beads and chains. Rajasthan's silver tribal jewellery with a typical oxidised appearance is also very popular. In the North East, the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes of Meghalaya use a thick red coral bead necklace and thin fluted stems of glass strung by fine thread.
Bird feathers and beads
The Bhutia tribe of Sikkim makes jewellery of gold, silver, coral, turquoise and zee stone. The tribes of Arunachal Pradesh also use brass, bone, ivory, silver and gold in their jewellery. Colourful beads, bird feathers and beetle wings are also used to decorate their ornaments. 'Dokra' or ‘Dhokra’ is a metal craft where the craftsman firstly subcultures a wax model of the object and then makes a mould of clay and pours molten metal into a hole in the mould. Then the wax melts and the clay is broken to bring out the metal object that is then smoothen and polished to get the final product. Says Rajib Kumar Maiti, Dokra, Jewellery Designer, "the jewellery is completely dried in the sun. The motifs used are primarily figurines of gods, goddesses, animals and birds but several contemporary designs are also being used now a days to appeal to the younger crowd." Dokra art has a rustic and antique finish that makes the jewellery unique and appealing.
Charm your way thru!
Charms are a fashion trend and a style phenomenon of today. "Charms" in necklaces, bracelets, rings, in fact even on sunglasses, shoes and bags are a hot accessory at present. Many concepts of charm jewels, amulets and talismans come from the tribal origin. From the tiger claws, cowrie shells, seeds, ivory, bone, teeth, claws, horns, coins, miniatures of deities etc to the black thread have now manifested to inspirations and many kinds of fashionable translations. "I was recently told about a charm necklace worn by one of the Nepalese tribes, called the 'Raksha ma'. It is a necklace that has charms that protect children from illness. The look of it is very stylish as numerous charms hang from a black chord, which is supposed to repel evil spirits. Today, many inspirations for the jewellery collections are coming from the tribal jewellery origin," explains Pallavi Dudeja Foley, Senior Jewellery Design Manager, Tanishq.
As people look out for more substance and content in the jewellery pieces they buy and wear, designers and brands are looking for new approaches and alternative cultural influences that they can interpret in their design language. "I think tribal jewels have great scope to be researched and are packed with interesting facts that can become a base for creating design trends for today," explains Foley. "Beaded jewellery made by the tribal women in Gujarat used 16 threads earlier but today it is made with one thread," explains Omprakash Marvadi, Sahaj. Sahaj is an organisation promoting women development and is based in Sahod in Gujarat.
Culture vulture
The raw material is handed over to these women who work from their homes to supplement the incomes of their spouses and families and is made from Jeco beads, artificial shells and nylon threads. The designs are today more contemporary in nature as the organisation conducts workshops for these women. This jewellery comes in myriad colours and designs and is extremely vibrant and bright. Tribal jewellery from Rajasthan is also popular and is available in silver. Says Sahil Ajmeri, a designer from Jaipur, “this was traditionally worn by the Rajpur and Gujjar folk but is becoming popular today. This jewellery is chunky and large in that an earring actually covers almost the entire ear.”
The jewellery extensively uses Meenakari an enamelling technique to colour and ornament the surface of metals by fusing it with brilliant colours that are decorated in an intricate design.
Lac bangles are made in many shades and are plain or studded with glass pieces, semi precious and precious stones are also ornamented. So what are you waiting for, make your own style statement with tribal jewellery!