Our country is known to be one of the most diverse places of the world, with its mesmerizing cultures and the unity among them all. These cultures have their own distinctive traits that also extend to having unique clothing. Even the smallest state of India, Goa, has a beautiful culture beyond the sun and sands.
A traditional dressing style of the Goans is the infamous Kunbi Saree. Associated with the Kunbi tribe of Goa, the saree is worn by the Kunbi and Gawda tribes, who are the original inhabitants of Goa. The apparel is centuries old and existed even before the arrival of the Portuguese. During the colonial rule, the culture of the Kunbi tribes, including the wearing of these sarees disappeared since the Portuguese forced Goans to change their dressing style. However, it was revived by the government and the tribe itself after the Portuguese left, from 1961 onwards.
The saree has a red base color, with a checkered pattern on it. It was also 100% cotton, hand woven by the tribe itself. Now, one knows how difficult it is for one to do chores in a saree. The Kunbi tribe was a farmer's tribe, and cultivated paddy fields. The saree was uniquely designed to enable the women to work freely in the fields, and was also comfortable enough to do household chores. The saree is shorter in length than a normal 5-6 yards saree. Hence, when one wears it, it doesn't fully cover the legs. The drape is flared from the waist onwards, adding to comfort. The weave is strong and sturdy, so it doesn't wear away easily.
However, some minor changes have been introduced over the years. Women prefer to wear a puffed sleeve blouse over the saree nowadays. There have also been experiments with colours outside the standard pallet. One also may not be able to find a hand woven saree since the weavers have almost disappeared from the state.
The dressing style of Goan people may have evolved over the years now, but this apparel is still worn in remote parts of the state. A number of people also wear the Kunbi Sarees during festivals and for performing arts. A 6 yard version is also worn, draped as a normal saree. Kunbi Saree has become a prized handloom for those who have interest in the textile. An interesting, lesser known fact is that the Kunbi Saree has also marked its presence on the Red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival.
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