Author: moikikorim

Banka is made of bamboo stick vertically sliced into two halves. It is used to carry heavy loads on weight baskets. Bags or loads are hung on the edges of the banka, and the person carrying it balances the banka on his shoulders. It is a convenient way to carry loads from one place to another.

This hammer is made of a long, slim stick attached to a heavier cylindrical head. Both bamboo and wood is used for making this hammer. It is used for breaking or hammering the hardened soil by beating. It is held by the end of the stick and beaten with the head.

Kichiri or Kisri is a kind of wicker basket made of cane. This is used by the Rabha community to store rice seeds for the next season of farming. The basket is cylindrical in shape with a sturdy built. The cane strips are threaded to one another and weaved in a singular pattern. The rice saplings are wrapped in rice straws giving it a round shape, known as the Maydop (Topa) or Maidak. It is an indigenous method of protecting the rice seeds from any kind of infestation. It is stored away in a dark and closed space.

This L-shaped spade is a digging tool made of iron blade of square or rectangular shape and bamboo handle. The blade is bent towards the end of the handle. It is designed for moving soils and heavy materials and also used to digging in the agricultural fields as well as other domestic purposes. This is particularly used while preparing the paddy field of sowing seeds and transplantation of the young saplings.

Khofri is a conical hat made from tightly woven bamboo and/or cane splits. Leaf of tokou plant (Trachycarpus martianus) is used covering the hat for water-proofing. This is basically used while working in the paddy field as protective measures from sun and rain. These are of various sizes and designs.

Hulabari is an agricultural implement made of bamboo. A cylindrical bamboo tube with two sharp ends is used for transporting the paddy seedlings or saplings to the paddy field for transplantation. Several bundle of the paddy saplings are tied with this stick for carrying on the shoulder.

Baukha is used as a paddy carrier tool. It is made of a flat bamboo piece with both sharp ends. It is used to carry the bundles of paddy from the paddy field to the courtyard or thatching floor. It can carry four to eight bundles of paddy by a man on his shoulder at a time.

Hukhen is an implement made of a long and slender bamboo stick with a hook at one end. It is used during harvesting and threshing. It is basically used in the process of loosening and separating the rice grains from the stem, leaf and panicle after reaping. This helps in the winnowing operation of the paddy. These are also used while sun drying the rice stems and leafs as animal fodder.

Xikia is made of jute rope. It is woven in a way to hold objects in it. It is hung from the ceiling of the kitchen or fireplace to store items like pumpkins, bottle gourd shells and also bamboo tube (chunga). Bottle gourd shells and chunga are very useful to preserve food items like dried fish, dried chilies, and salt inside them. This tradition of storing food items in xikia hanging from ceiling protects the food from rotting as the warmth of the fire helps in keeping insects and bacteria away. It also helps in keeping away rodents and ants.

It is used to cover the mouth of cows during the process of threshing. It is tied to their mouth to prevent them from eating the crops laid in front of them. Bamboo strips are woven to form the shape of a semi-sphere to fit a cow’s nose and mouth.