Attire of Idu Mishmi Community

Key Takeaways

• Idu women are excellent weavers and weave their own clothes
• The women of the community adorn themselves with beautiful acessories and ornaments.

The Idus can be easily identified by their clothes having distinctive patterns and colours. Their traditional hairstyle is unique with a short roundish cut that is similar to the shape of the thatched roof in the front side of their houses. photo
Women weartops with colourful patterned bordered and Jupoto or wrap around with intricate designs woven with blue, green, orange, and black threads at the bottom. They also use beautiful woven handloom bags known as Akuchi. Etopolo is a bodice or jacket worn by women, with two borders, Anatsubujo is the front border and Jopora is the one at the back. They also use stole or gamcha. Men usually wear loincloths and gorgeous and beautifully patterned jackets. They also have traditional war cloaks woven in black and white. Traditionally, their clothes were mainly in black, red and white because of easy availability of these colours from natural sources. Yellow, green and blue are later additions with access to wider colour choices.

Idus wear exquisite ethnic jewellery. Their intricately designed heirloom jewellery includes necklaces made of precious stones and beads of different colours such as white, orange, black; they also wear necklaces made of silver coins of different sizes, their earrings are made of silver studded with gemstones, and they use intricately carved hair pins. The Idu Mishmi men also wear necklaces and other ornaments traditionally, and during rituals and festivals. The Tibetan Lekepo is a type of stone necklace worn by women. The stones are also known by other names, such as Pru for the white ones and Athabra for the orange ones. The Idu women have some jewelleries that they consider antiques as those have been inherited from their ancestors, through generations. They also use necklaces made of silver coins of all sizes, some of which date back to the early 20th century.They also employ intricately carved hair clips and earrings made of silver. During ceremonies and celebrations, it is customary for the Idu Mishmi women to wear necklaces, Ataru or hairpins, Tampli or currency necklaces, and other ornaments.

Hairpin

Traditional Neckpiece

Traditional Neckpiece made with Coins

Ear Ring

Ear Ring

Hair Clip