GI No. 586 – PAWNDUM

Pawndum is an important traditional cloth of the mizo people. Pawndum literally means ‘black cloth’. In Mizo language ‘dum’ means ‘black’. However, the cloth is not totally black but striped consisting of mostly black and red colour. Pawndum is worn by wrapping it around the waist and covers the lower part of the body down almost to the feet. In earlier times, young men usually used this puan as a night cover during their stay in the men’s dormitory (Zawlbuk) and were also used as attire while performing ‘Khuallam’, one of the famous traditional dances of the Mizos.

A young Mizo woman was required to weave a Pawndum and carry it along to her new home when she got married. If she failed to carry it to the new home, it was considered her prime duty to weave one soon after going to her in-law’s place. Failure to do so was looked upon as highly disgraceful in the Mizo culture. The Pawndum was to be used as a shroud to cover her dead husband’s body had he died during her lifetime. It could also be used to cover the bodies of any close relative on her husband’s side.

Pawndum has a deep cultural significance, even to this day. It assumes different names according to the purpose for which it was mainly used. Thus, when it was used to cover dead body, it was known by the name ‘Thihrin puan’ expressing condolence and tragedy. While it takes the name ‘Zawlpuan’ if it was presented as a token of affection and love or to establish cordial relationship with someone. Before Marriage, it was also used as a Dawnpuan phah, which means that if a girl and boy sleep together on the Pawndum with the permission of the girl’s parents, the boy must marry the girl. If he refuses to do so, he will be required to pay a fine. At present, Pawndum signifies mourning at funeral. Thus, it is now worn not as an ordinary garment but in an occasion involving death.