CONTEXTEXHIBITION

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MANTLESOFMERIT

SYLVIA FRASER LU

‘Mantles of Merit’, curated by David and Barbara Fraser at The Textile Museum in Washington DC, shone a welcome spotlight on a little known ethnic group of outstanding weavers, the two million strong Chin peoples (also known as the Lai, Kuki or Zo) who inhabit the remote rugged uplands of western Myanmar (Burma), Bangladesh and northeast India.

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THE ANCESTORS OF THE CHIN migrated from the Tibetan Plateau into present day Myanmar over a thousand years ago as part of a vanguard of TibetoBurman peoples that also included the Arakanese and today’s Burman majority. Subsequent population influxes caused further migrations among thevarious groups of Chin and non-Chin peoples. In the course of their travels the Chin groups took their weaving skills with them and wherever they settled they incorporated innovations acquired from nearby groups such as the Naga, Arakanese and Karen. Through trade with their lowland neighbours they acquired silk yarns, beads, buttons and metals such as brass and silver to add further embellishment to their distinctive, predominantly warp-faced weavings. These were traditionally produced on a simple body tension (back-strap) loom using bast fibres and locally grown cotton coloured with natural dyes such as indigo and lac. The Chin, of whom there are over fiftyseparate sub-groups based primarily on location and lan
CONTEXTEXHIBITION

1Mara man’s mantle

(cawng nak vai puan),

Paletwa Township,

Myanmar, ca. 1880-1910.

Homespun cotton,

1.42 x 2.00m (4'8" x

6'7"), 2 loom widths,

36 warps/cm; 13.5

wefts/cm. The Textile

Museum, Washington

DC, gift of Barbara &

David Fraser, 2006.8.27

2Northern Chin, possi

bly Zahau, woman’s

mantle (ton lo puan),

ca. 1910. Cotton, 2 loom

widths, 1.15 x 1.75m

(3'7" x 5'9"), 26 warps x

14 wefts/cm. TM, gift of

Barbara & David Fraser,

2006.8.34

3Sunghtu man’s tunic

(sonhtengkhrang), Minbu

township, Myanmar,

ca. 1870-1920. Homespun

cotton and silk, 2 loom

widths 0.78 x 1.02m (2'7"

x 3'4"), 24 warps x 8

wefts/cm. TM, gift of

Barbara & David Fraser,

2006.8.33

4Khamau woman’s

tunic (phyang), probably

Padaung township,

Myanmar, ca. 1850

1900. Warp ikat, 1-faced

supplementary weft pat

terning, overlapping

tapestry, 1.01 x 0.90m

(3'4" x 3') x 2, 24

warps/cm; 9 wefts/cm.

TM, gift of Barbara &

David Fraser, 2006.8.5

5Kumi tubular skirt

(amso nena), Aung Talin

village, Paletwa town

ship, Myanmar, ca. 1960.

Homespun cotton and

silk, beaded edging,

single loom width sewn

into tube, 0.54 x 0.96m

(1'9" x 3'2"), 22 warps x

8 wefts/cm. TM, gift of

Barbara & David Fraser,

2006.8.41

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guage, in weaving terms may be divided into four main groups: the Northern Chin who make outstanding mantles; the Southern Chin who are notedfor their simple understated weavings; the Khumi,Khami and Mro who may be distinguished by their intricately patterned narrowcloths; and the Asho who produce some remarkable tunics. Featured weavings included mantles, head- and loin-cloths,shawls, skirts, tunics and bags. Entry to the galleries was past a showcase featuring a blown-up photograph of the endless undulations of the rugged Chin hills placed beside a few enticing samples of some of the oldest fabricsin the exhibition. In the central ‘foyer’ area, the focus was on weavings that illustrated one of the major themes of the exhibition, the ‘Migration of People and Textile Ideas’. Changes made through contact with various peoples were shown in modifications to the tunics of the Dai (a sub-group of the Southern Chin) through their proximity to theLaytu (an Asho sub-group). Contact with neighbouring Karen peoples has been suggestedfor the warp ikat seen in the unique tunics of another Asho subgroup, the Khamau (4). Technical information with respect to the body-tension loom and the major textile patterning techniques used by the Chin appeared on an informative wall panel with concise definitions for plain, twill, warp- and weft-faced weaves, supplementary weft, false embroidery and twining. Textiles displayed in two larger adjoining galleries explored another theme, their role as ‘Markers of Status’ in defining personal and group identity in Chin society. The most eye-catching

textiles in this section are the large (2-3 loomwidth) warp-striped mantles originally worn by alphamales who distinguished themselves in hunting and warfare, the accumulation of wealth and the hosting of feasts to achieve merit in this life and the next. Among the most prestigious textiles of the Northern Chin are mantles such as the cawng nak vai puanwith one or more narrow bands of fine single-faced supplementary weft geometric patterning on a white ground known as vai puan. Many highly valued warp-striped mantles are also characterised by two widely spaced bands of predominantly yellow diamond twill weft patterning that roughly divides the textile into thirds (1). Diamond and zig-zag supplementary weft motifs may also be seen on the can lo puan, a striking dark blue-black cotton textile enlivened by white weft stripes. Such a mantle could only be woven by the wife of a high status man. In a strongly patrilineal society, Chin women derived their social standing from their husbands (and fathers prior to marriage). This is reflected in ceremonial textiles such as theseed-covered Zanniat scarves (complair)and the Zahau wraparound skirt embellished with strands of white miimseeds, brass tubes, green beads and silk tufts, which could only be worn by women who had co-hosted important feasts (5). Many textiles for high status females are similar in design and layout to those of the men, as in the woman’s ton lo puan(2) whichclosely resembles that of the male can lo puan. A final theme, ‘Trends in Design and Structure’ could be viewed in an adjacent exhibition space

where the curators drew attention to an interesting premise that over the course of the past two centuries Chin textile designs have become increasingly elaborate, while textile construction techniques have become simpler (3). This anomaly was bountifully illustrated in a dazzling array of intricately patterned breast- and loin-cloths, scarves, tunics and skirts, many of which are so strongly warp-faced that the supplementary weft and false embroidery threads, carried in the shed, are invisible on the reverse of the fabric. Many have also been elegantly finished with twining and beaded edge decoration. The curators are to be congratulated on the culmination of seven years of painstaking research in less than ideal conditions. David Fraser’s fascination with textile structures and his wife Barbara’s interest in Chin material culture were seamlessly combined in this exhibition to offer a unique glimpse into the textile traditions of a hitherto little known ethnic group. It is to be hoped that this dynamic duo will continue to focus their attention on the textiles of other minority groups in Myanmar whose weavings have yet to be brought to the attention of textile aficionados. A double award-winning publication Mantles of Merit: Chin Textiles from Myanmar, India and Bangladesh, written by the curators and published in 2005, accompanied the exhibition.

Mantles of Merit: Chin Textiles from Mandalay to Chittagong The Textile Museum, Washington DC, USA 13 October 2006 – 25 February 2007

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