A Lotha Naga lady weaving a colourful traditional Lotha sarong in Longsa village, Wokha District...The Naga sarong is very important for the ladies, with a variety of designs and colours. Each tribe has its own patterns with simple clean lines, stripes, squares and bands being the most traditional design motifs. Naga fabrics retain their original attractive patterns, yet external influences on colour and design are also evident.

The looms used for weaving either shawls, scarves or sarongs are mostly narrow loin looms. To be precise, Naga loom consists of a simple back-strap with a continuous horizontal warp consisting of six sticks serving as the warp beam, lease rod, healed stick, beating sword and extra warp beam. Loin loom products mainly shawls are woven with a rayon weft. The Naga shawl weaving is done mostly with cotton, the staple fibre though some wool is used. The centre of the shawl is woven over with figures of elephants, tigers, mithun, cocks and circles, representing human heads. The fabrics are dyed in indigenous colours.

Loin Loom Weaving also referred to as back strap or body tension loom, is a traditional textile weaving common to the tribal womenfolk of northeast India. This art of textile weaving is well known for its elegant designs, unique colour combination and lasting texture. The weaver`s body is fundamental to the loom and weaving is done with no mechanical parts. The loom consists of a continuous warp stretched between two parallel bamboos. The one end is supported to a strong post/door or even trees and the other end is held by a strap worn around the weaver`s lower back to regulate the tension with her body. The loin loom is skilfully used by women to weave cloth which includes the process of winding a warp according to the intended design followed by weaving.

Warps are made on a warping frame using vertical lease sticks that keep each thread in sequence. It is then transferred to the weaver who separates it into two layers with a bamboo shed pole, healds stick, lease stick, and wooden rods. All these integral tools serve different functions.

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