The Yindu are one of the smaller groups of Chin people. Many of their villages are quite remote and their culture is not as well preserved or remembered as some of the other groups. Some of the tattooed elders still keep their traditional clothing and some of the men recall their traditions.
The tattoo is one of the more intricate and painful among the Chin peoples and was often completed over four or five separate sessions so the girls could bear the pain. None of the women I spoke with recall any sort of fee being paid for their tattoo or any rituals or sacrifices being made. It was simply a part of life. When it was done, a girl became a woman and could marry. Many of the women also mentioned that unlike other peoples of the area, they were never forced to stop tattooing. As the other peoples stopped, the Yindu no longer saw the need for the tattoo and followed suit.
Yindu women’s traditional clothing comprises of a long skirt tied above the bust, a strap that is tied around the forehead, and bracelets and necklaces inherited from the ladies of the family. Those who still keep these items keep them locked away safely in chests hidden in their houses.
