Mantles of Merit

Until now the history, culture and textiles of the Chin, a heterogeneous group of people, has been inadequately studied. Their rich textile culture emphasizes grand blankets and intricate tunics, made of homespun cotton, flax, hemp and silk, dyed with indigo and lac, and woven on a back-tension loom. In considering Chin textiles as art and cultural objects, the authors describe both their beauty and technical virtuosity and their integral role in the Chin effort to achieve merit in this life and the next. The inter-relationships between the complex subdivisions of the Chin and their neighbours are also discussed. The co-author has studied textiles for over 20 years. David Fraser is a research associate at the Textile Museum in Washington DC.