Handloom wonder of Goa: The Kunbi Sarees
Goa may be known for its beautiful golden coasts, which sees people from all over visit these landmarks. But if one takes a deeper look beyond the state’s beaches, it becomes evident as to just how much more one can see around here. As small of a state as Goa might be, it’s a place that holds distinctive cultural traits passed down from many years in history. And these traits can be seen not only in food or architecture, but even in local clothing.
One such cultural clothing that we can still see in present times is Kunbi sarees. These sarees are centuries old and associated with the Kunbi and Gawda tribes, who were the earliest inhabitants of Goa. What’s unique about these sarees is the way they are woven. Engaging in laborious tasks in a saree is not always convenient. Kunbi sarees were hand-woven in a way that allowed freedom for the tribal women, who were mainly paddy-field workers, to move around freely.
When one looks at Kunbi sarees, they may look like simple clothing. But if you choose to look further, these simple-looking sarees show precise, detailed weave works that show us how skilled the Kunbi people were without the resources we have today. The traditional saree has a red base colour with a checkered pattern over it. It is generally made out of complete cotton material, and is hand-woven by people of the tribe. Unlike the regular 5–6 yard long sarees we see today, Kunbi sarees are designed to be of shorter lengths. When worn, the height reaches above the ankles, which enables comfort to do chores. The weaves are also made in a way that doesn’t allow the saree to wear away quickly.
Another thing that stands out about Kunbi sarees, are the colours used in the checkered patterns. It has a standard pallet comprising of Yellow (Kesari), Red (Tambdo), White (Dhavo) and Green (Hirvo). Each colour signifies a different stage of life, such as youth, marriage, old age and death. Apart from being hand-woven, dyes for these colours were also extracted naturally. Goa’s border areas are blessed with about 156 dye yielding plants, and extracts from these plants helped weavers acquire each colour necessary.
Although the Kunbi sarees have been native to Goa ever since their origin, the weaves were made to disappear entirely during Portuguese rule. Its revival was only made possible by the Kunbi tribe and local authorities once the Portuguese left Goa post 1961. Ever since then, the sarees continue to see the light of the day amongst locals in the state.
Changing times since its origin has seen the rise of modified versions of the Kunbi saree. Women now wear a white, puffed sleeve blouse along with the saree. Pattern variations have also been seen with the checkered pattern comprising colours outside of the standard pallet. However, neither of the variations have strayed far from the traditional Kunbi sarees and have retained their uniqueness.
Today, Kunbi sarees are handloom gems, and finding the unique hand-woven ones has become a rare occurrence as there aren’t as many weavers present anymore. At a recent function on National Handloom Day, state Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stressed on efforts to provide a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Kunbi sarees, which will help showcase them as a pride of the state and also boost production.
Since its origin, local clothing in Goa has seen many changes. But historical treasures like these is what keeps culture alive. Kunbi sarees are native to the state and showcase the exceptional skills of the earliest community in Goa. And with the uniqueness and charm these sarees hold, preserving them in present times has become all the more necessary.
