inshore fishing boats in Kerala

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Artisan coastal fishing -

- a photo report of some boats used in 1966

During my stay in Kerala I found several places along the coasts of Travancore, and in Tamil Nadu near Mahabalipura,/Mammalapuram (Tamil Nadu) where boat fishing was intensiv. The appearance of these boats was very beautiful - have a look to my photos.

Later I met Mr. John Kurian in Trivandrum who explained me a lot on the Kerala fishing history. I am thankfull to him . As I saw and he explained, a Norwegian development aid program (I.N.P.) disturbed the traditional catching and trade of coastal fish. I wonder whether the pictured boats are still in use.

In  those years, when I was in Kerala the book, "Chemeen" by Thakazhi S.Pillai (a man from Kerala itself) supplied me with some insights in the coastal malayalam population, although Keralites said to me that the book is too romantic and hence not really trustworthy. A film was also made after the book which got a reward in Cannes - I have just visited YouTube to see a few fragments - and really:  it is an operetta like the book. It could have become a fine film on the culture of this very diverse population living on the coasts of Kerala. But still for those who have never been there, it is a certain introduction into the area - although many  scenes from thr Backwater region are shown that play no role in the book.

picture 1 - "Chemeen", the title

picture 2 - frontispiece

The boats used  around Aleppey in Kerala are made with great skill and beauty. May be one of the spiritual backgrounds for the boat-builders was what John Perkins describes in his book "...". In Malaysia John met a boat-carpenter who builds wooden boats for various purposes, and according to the planned tasks of the boat he goes to the forest and asks each good tree whether he will be able to do that work, for example sailing hard by the wind in monsoon season or crossing the tropical surf.

On the coasts near Mahabalipuram temple (south of Madras/Chennai) another type is used: rafts that seem to be rather primitive. But I believe that - in comparison with the Kerala boats - at least the same if not more skill is needed to sail them.

picture 3 - the strand

picture 4 - coastal village

picture 5 - through the surf

picture 6 - landing, expectation

picture 7 - boat on the sand

picture 8 - greeting the homecomers

picture 9 - enjoying their boat

picture 10 - jacked up, the sewn hull ...

picture 11 - ... seen from inside

picture 12 - another type

picture 13 - ribs added

picture 14 - happy boy with his model boat

picture 15 - resting onshore

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