In Nagaland’s Dimapur, a soft golden illuminates unvarnished, raw designs in a minimalist studio. The wood-on-wood look and white walls invite the visitor to take in the details, minor and bold—from the textured top of tables to earthy vases. Here, Ajung Yaden and Atem Longkumer are busy at work marrying tradition and modernity through Tribolt, their young furniture and interiors venture.
While Longkumer, a former fashion stylist and DIY enthusiast, has an eye for design, Yaden is good with his hands. Once a bureaucrat, he now draws on his early lessons in woodworking from his father, which nudged him to make his first piece of furniture when he was all of 13. In May, the couple brought their distinctive hand-hewn tableware and furniture to Mumbai’s Artisans’ gallery (which represents Tribolt’s work), as part of a curated exhibition titled Elemental—their first showcase outside their home state. Artisans’ founder-director Radhi Parekh recalls meeting them for the first time in early 2025 in Nagaland and being struck by their thoughtful design sensibility, which is respectful of their Naga heritage.
The brand’s rootedness in the Naga identity and culture is far from being mere lip service; it is defined by vital decisions such as using traditional carving techniques, employing local tools like daos (long blades), and working with Naga youth and artisans to create opportunities. “We actively strive to support the preservation of tribal art traditions. To us, our designs and practice are tools for the promotion of intercultural dialogue and understanding—a way to foster empathy and respect among diverse communities,” says Longkumer. Their perseverance has been rewarded with appreciation by locals, who comprise a significant part of their clientele, alongside a growing number of patrons outside the state.
The manner in which the duo speak of wood as a medium can only be described as poetic. Each log that their studio cuts into is closely examined by asking: “What is the best thing we can carve out of this wood that will do it justice?” Tribolt’s core design, Yaden explains, is derived from nature and the uniqueness of each piece of wood—its texture, curves and grain. This philosophy is rooted in how their ancestors adorned every corner of their living spaces with the material, imbuing a sense of natural warmth and character. Even today, wood carving remains a prominent artistic expression in the state, which is home to rich forests.
