Croydon Hub B - Chin Textiles

Visitors to this multi-purpose community hub include members of numerous local organisations. As a celebration of the Chin population in Maroondah, this selection of fabrics from different regions of Myanmar has been chosen in consultation with the Chin community from nearby local businesses in Croydon and Ringwood East. The region boasts a variety of weaving methods, including backstrap weaving, warp-faced plain weave, weft-faced plain weave, twill, and weft twining.

Comprising both machine and handweaving techniques, each of the fabrics are designed to be worn as a skirt on special occasions. Key features of the designs include the use of distinct vertical and horizontal lines as well as the prominent use of diamond or zigzag shapes. Following are descriptions of each of the individual pieces in Hahka, Burmese and English.

Ngotekherh

From the Mizo region, this fabric can be worn by both women and men. It was originally used by men for hunting, where the fabric is folded into a shorter version during the day and used as a bedsheet at night. It can also be worn for traditional dance or on special occasions such as greeting guests from different places. Woven with cotton on a mechanised backstrap loom, the colours are hand-dyed.

Zomi Tedim

Woven with cotton and silk thread on a mechanised backstrap loom, this particular design is most commonly worn by women for harvest festival and for traditional dances.

Mizo Puanchei

From the Mizo region, the Puanchei translates as ‘decorated cloth’. Machine woven from hand-dyed cotton, the Puanchei is made in a range of different colours and is popularly worn for church and special functions such as the Harvest Festival.

Mizo - Puanlaisen

Machine woven from hand-dyed cotton on a method based on the backstrap loom, this fabric is reserved for bridal wear at wedding ceremonies. The distinctive arrows pointing downwards are symbols of courage and victory.

Hakha Chin

From the Hakha Chin minority of western Myanmar, this garment is mainly worn as a skirt for special celebrations such as weddings, Chin National Day on the 20^th February or the Chin Harvest Festival during October. Fabricated in a broad range of colours, red and black are the most commonly worn. The defining features of this fabric are the horizontal line with the two verticals, overlaid with small diamond patterns.

Hakha Chin

This particular weaving method is achieved using a mechanised version of the backstrap loom - where different sized sticks are interchanged to create varying textures. The dense patterning features the diamond as the prominent shape. The fabric is mainly worn as a long skirt by women at cultural festivals or special occasions such weddings, Christmas or New Year.

Hakha Chinland

This traditional fabric is mainly worn wrapped around the shoulders by men at cultural festivals or special occasions such weddings, Christmas or New Year. This weaving method is achieved using a mechanised version of the backstrap loom - where different sized sticks are interchanged to create patterns. The dense patterning features the diamond as the prominent shape.

Falam

The above fabric is a Falam Chin traditional cloth, notable for the prominent use of green. The fabric is woven with a mechanised version of the backstrap loom. The traditional costume is typically accompanied by broad bands of silver and bronze jewellery.