Tribal Buzz
The Magic of Yantra clothing 

If you’ve managed to get off the beaten track in Burma or Thailand, you’ve probably seen clothing (and tattoos!) that feature geometrical diagrams and magical talisman figures. These are known as Yantra diagrams.

‘Yantra’ is a Sanskrit word, and the name given to diagrams, which act as representations of the divine and as aids to meditation. In Thailand and Burma, however, they are also called ‘yan’ and relate to invulnerability and magical powers. Drawn by spirit doctors or special monks directly on the body as tattoos, or on highly idiosyncratic, talismanic textiles, these diagrams are imbued with considerable meaning and power. Soldiers commonly acquire yantra tattoos before being relocated to zones of conflict.

As textiles, they can be in the form of simple squares or rectangles, or as clothing worn by men usually shirts or pants. No longer worn by the men in Thailand, who prefer tattoos and amulets, these pieces represent an important, but disappearing, textile genre, and pieces of this quality and condition are becoming increasingly difficult to find.

- Susan Stem

Susan is the doyenne of Tribal Trappings. Photos this page copyright Tribal Trappings, reproduced with their kind permission. Visit her online shop at: www.tribaltrappings.com/aboutus.html