TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY OF MEITEI COMMUNITY AND ITS ASSOCIATED BELIEF SYSTEMS

The present paper aims to understand the textile tradition in relation to its technology and associated beliefs of the Meitei community of Manipur. Technology not only means understanding raw materials, tools/implements, and processes of the technological system, but it also incorporates the psyche of the craftsmen and cultural values. Textile carries the cultural knowledge and ideological perception embedded in the community's social, economic, and political structures. Moreover, the tangible and intangible dimensions of technology reflect the collective Meitei folklife. Meitei traditional technology shapes not only the communal identity but also holds their social norms, values, belief systems, and gender identity. An account of ethnographic study has been approached to understand the values, norms, beliefs, and worldview of the Meitei community employing various tools and methods like an interview, focus group, and observation method. Therefore, the paper tries to study textile technology to understand the community's cultural expressive behavior.