This ethnographic study explores the vibrant textile heritage of the Tai Phake community of Upper Assam, where weaving is deeply interwoven with cultural identity, spiritual symbolism, and communal life. Traditionally woven by women on waist-tied looms, garments such as Phanung, Pha-Phauk, Scin, and Nang-wat are worn across all age groups, with variations in colour and pattern reflecting age and occasion. Rooted in oral tradition, the knowledge of weaving and natural dyeing is transmitted across generations. These traditional clothing hold significant value in both life-cycle rituals and everyday use, expressing the community’s ethos of unity in diversity. Motifs are imbued with symbolic meaning drawn from nature, belief systems, and collective memory.

Using qualitative methods, this research draws on extended field visits, oral interviews with weavers and elders, observation, photographic documentation, and motif analysis. The study documents the processes of weaving on waist-tied looms, natural dyeing techniques, symbolic uses of motifs, and the transmission of knowledge through generations, primarily through women. However, this heritage faces growing challenges. Alongside the decline in traditional weaving practices, The Tai Phake also struggle with the decline of their language, traditions, and attire, which together create an interconnected system of cultural continuity. Globalization, migration, and the influx of factory-made textiles have disrupted local economies and daily practices. Despite these pressures, the community continues to assert its identity through its textiles, which are woven not just from thread, but from memory, belief, and belonging. Although digital tools and online banking have been incorporated into daily life, these changes coexist with traditional customs.

This study underscores the significance of Tai Phake weaving as a living, adaptive cultural practice. It contributes to broader conversations on indigenous resilience, intangible heritage preservation, and sustainable cultural continuity. The documentation aims to support future safeguarding efforts by offering an in-depth study of an evolving yet rooted textile tradition

Keywords: Cultural Identity, Indigenous Weaving, Motif Study, Ritual Clothing, Tai Phake Textiles