Nishi Tribe: Encyclopedia II - Nishi Tribe - Dress

Nishi Tribe - Dress

The Nishi plait and tie their hair neatly the with Tibetan thread at the forehead and a brass skewer passed horizontally through the tied hair. They were also used to wear cane rings round the waist, arms and legs. The men also used to wear a cane helmet surmounted by the crest of a hornbill beak, which comes from the beak of the Great Indian Hornbill with additional decorations depending upon the status of person, is a symbol of manly valour.

The clothing of the men consists of a sleeveless shorts made from thick cotton cloth, striped gaily with blue and red together with a mantle of cotton or woolen fastened around the throat and shoulders. Strings made of beads in varying sizes and colours were also worn, mainly for decoration purposes. They used to carry a Dao (short sword) and a knife in a bamboo sheath. Their armament consists of spear with iron-head, a large sword, and a bow with arrows, tipped with poison on it. During a war, both the chest and back are covered with the Mithun hide and over it they wear a black cloak made of indigenous fibre.

The Nishi women generally wear sleeveless mantle of striped or plain cloth. Its upper part tucked tightly over the breast and enveloping the body from the armpits to the centre of the calves and a ribbon is tied at the waist. A girdle consisting of metal disks and cane garters is worn at the waist. Their hair is parted in the middle, plaited and tied into a chignon just above the nape. Their ornaments include multicoloured bead necklaces, brass chains, metal bells huge brass or silver earrings and heave bracelets of mixed metals.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Dress", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki