Tribal Jewellery

Earthy and funky; can best describe tribal jewellery in these two words. These ornaments come with beautiful designs that have been well preserved by the ethnic tribal groups in India.The authenticity of this jewellery style is kept untouched. This wearable piece of art is so unique that it makes the wearer stand out in the crowd.

If we look at the history of tribal jewellery, we can see its origin from earlier civilizations. There are a large variety of materials used to make these bold ornaments. Seeds, shells, wood, iron, threads; the list goes on. No precious metal or stone is used here.

Each jewellery piece is specially handcrafted by highly skilled craftsmen who have received the gift of ornament making from their ancestors.

Tribal-inspired fashion jewellery is very in and is being used as a statement piece. In India, we all know, there are hundreds and thousands of native tribes, and each of their unique styles of tribal jewellery is genuinely extraordinary.

Some of the Indian tribes and their stunning ornaments are

Bastar Tribes- Madhya Pradesh: Bastar is a tribal district in Madhya Pradesh, which is well known for its beautifully crafted tribal ornaments. From grass, seeds, beads, peacock feathers to even hard metals like copper, steel etc. the indigenous tribal women and men of the area make and wear beautiful pieces of tribal jewellery. They also make use of glass and rupee coins to adorn themselves in the form of ornaments.

Banjara Tribes- Rajasthan: The banjara tribes of Rajasthan wear heavy ornaments made from colourful beads, stones and silver coloured metals. With gorgeous hangings and ghungroos, these banjara tribal ornaments are available in a wide range of options from necklaces, earrings, kadas to chunky waist belts which are mostly worn by the banjara native women.

Hill Maria Tribes- Chhattisgarh: Famous for their conical twin-top earrings the Hill Maria tribe is one of the many tribal ornament specialists in Chhattisgarh. They use refined materials like copper, brass and iron and natural elements like wood, seeds, bones, etc. For them, they are not just ornaments. They are a part of their lifestyle. For example, charpatta or kardhan for the waist is for women post-delivery, and Bichhiya or toe ring, which is worn on the toes, is to regulate the menstrual cycle.

Chamba, Kangra, Mandi and Kullu Tribes- Himachal Pradesh: The tribes of Himachal Pradesh are popular for their silver ornaments, chunky and heavy. Among them, the Hansalis, which is a traditional choker, is the most established fashionable piece of jewellery. Each one of these mountain tribal jewellery is beautiful, like the magnificent native women who wear it.

Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Tribes- Meghalaya: These three tribes from the North-eastern state of Meghalaya have their own refreshing and attractive jewellery designs. The Khasi tribe, known for its women-centric culture, is known for their thick red coral bead necklaces. The Jaintia tribe also wears this elegant style. Whereas the Garo tribal women use thin glass fluted stems to make their authentic style ornaments.

The fashion world is embracing this jewellery style, which was once limited to the communities where it was created.