The Tuibopuon is believed to be the earliest handwoven textile of the Hmar tribe, representing the very foundation of their weaving heritage. It is a simple, thick, plain white cotton cloth traditionally worn by both men and women as casual attire. While commoners used it daily, even village chiefs wore the Tuibopuon during informal occasions. The cloth embodies the Hmar people’s values of simplicity, purity, and self-sufficiency - qualities deeply rooted in their agrarian lifestyle and cultural identity.
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| Tuibopuon |
Design & Appearance of Tuibopuon:
The Tuibopuon is distinguished by its plain white surface, woven from handspun cotton. Traditionally, it measured about two meters in length and one and a half meters in width. The dense, plain weave and natural off-white tone give it a warm and earthy character. Its thick texture made it suitable for both clothing and bedding. In later periods, with the discovery of natural dyes derived from herbs, roots, and bark, coloured borders began to appear on some versions - marking the early stages of experimentation in Hmar textile design.
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| Tuibopuon with Coloured Borders |
Technical Features of Tuibopuon:
The Tuibopuon is woven on the traditional backstrap loom (puonkawl), a portable loom tied around the weaver’s waist. Every stage of its creation reflects deep indigenous knowledge and craftsmanship:
Ginning (Seed Extraction): Dried cotton blooms are processed using the Herawt, an indigenous wooden gin with two grooved, opposite-turning wooden rollers. This separates the cotton fiber from the seeds.
Carding (Cleaning and Smoothing): The seedless cotton is teased five times with a specialized bamboo bow and cane thread to clean and distribute the fibers smoothly.
Roving (Pre-spinning): Cotton is rolled with the stem of a tall grass (Hmunphi) on a smooth plank to create systematically spread cotton thread, using a mat of thin wood or bamboo strips to manage the raw cotton.
Spinning: The thread is extracted and spun using the Hmui spinning wheel, a native invention made of wood and cane with an iron spindle.
Skeining and Drying: The spun thread is formed into large skeins, cooked with rice to bind it, and then hung in the sun. It is combed with a wooden comb while drying to make the yarn smooth and firm.
Winding: A revolving wooden and bamboo instrument called hmui with four extended arms is used to wrap the skein into balls around a tiny stone, preparing the yarn for the loom.
These manual processes demonstrate the Hmar’s deep relationship with their environment - every tool, fiber, and dye sourced from nature.
ALSO READ: Puonropui - The Grand Textile of the Hmar People
Cultural Significance:
The Tuibopuon holds a place of honour as the origin of Hmar handloom weaving. In early times, both men and women possessed this piece of cloth, which they draped over the shoulder or wrapped around the body. Men used smaller pieces during physical labour and larger ones for warmth or sleeping covers. Women wore wider pieces as lower garments, offering full coverage from waist to below the knees.
Over time, this distinction in draping styles led to the evolution of gender-specific attire and inspired the development of other patterned Hmar textiles.
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| Young Hmar men and women in Tuibopuon - the women draped in Tuibopuon, while the men wear Tuolzakuo, a traditional shirt made from the same cloth. |
With the discovery of natural dyes - black, red, yellow, and blue - artisans began to decorate the borders of the plain Tuibopuon, marking the transition from functionality to artistry.
ALSO READ: Tawllopuon - The Warrior’s Cloth of The Hmar People
Today, the Tuibopuon remains a symbol of cultural origin, purity, and resilience, representing the timeless spirit of Hmar craftsmanship and their self-sustaining weaving tradition. It reminds the community of a time when every household spun, dyed, and wove its own fabric from the land’s bounty.
