The crafts of Mizoram are mainly made using the locally available raw materials with deftness and artistically. The traditional patterns of the Mizos are still visible in their crafts. The products have a relatively good international demand and efforts are also being made to promote the various crafts.
Cane and Bamboo Crafts
The traditional craft of the Mizos is the bamboo and cane craft. The dexterity of the Mizos is best defined in the wickerwork and basketry. They have been put to multifarious uses from furniture items to commercial crafts. The canes are also used to make fine hats, mats and beautiful baskets. A typical Mizo basket is broad at the rim and narrows at bottom. There are various baskets for various purposes like baskets for carrying firewood, water, paddy, rice and vegetables. Some forms of baskets made in Mizoram are dawrawn, empai, emping, tlamen, paikawng, hnam, paiem, fawng, thul, etc. Baskets of cane and bamboo are used for storing ornaments, clothes and other valuables. The three districts of Mizoram, Aizawl, Lunglei and Chimptuipui (Sailha) are the main producers of theses traditional baskets and decorative articles.
Weaving craft
Weaving is integrally related with the lives of the Mizos. They produce Puans in numerous designs on traditional looms. They are known for their intricate embroidery and are invariably worked out along with the weave. Mizos also weave shawls and make shoulder bags, which are attractive and cheap. The Hmars are known for producing different designs like thangsuo puon meaning famous cloth, puon laisen meaning cloth with middle in red colour, hmarm, the loin cloth worn by women and zakuolaisen, and the blouse piece used mainly by the unmarried girls.
Clay craft
Pottery is one of the ancient crafts in the Indian subcontinent and Mizoram is no exception here. Mizos use clay, the naturally available material to create different products like utensils and decorative items for daily use. Gradually modernization took over this ancient craft giving it a vibrant look preserving the rustic nature of the art. Clay craft is mostly popular in the tribal areas of Mizoram and has also made its way to the tourists markets.
Jewellery making
Tribes of Mizoram are known for making their own ornaments from metal and also from different raw materials derived from the nature. Metal, Wood, clay, and even leather are used for making different forms of tribal jewelleries like head gears, necklaces, earnings, anklets, etc.
