Puanchei
Puanchei is the most prestigious traditional handwoven textile of the Mizo people of Mizoram, worn by women as a bridal garment and at major festivals. Woven on a body-tension loin-loom, Puanchei is distinguished by a complex pattern of multicolored stripes, checked sections, and supplementary weft motifs in a visual grammar that is uniquely Mizo. Unlike the single-tribe ownership of Naga patterns, Puanchei is pan-Mizo — worn across clan lines as a marker of Mizo cultural identity — though regional variants exist. The weaving knowledge is held almost exclusively by women, and a young woman's ability to weave Puanchei was historically a significant marker of marriageability.
Risk level: Endangered · Not inscribed; GI application submitted
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