503 - Artisan Fisheries in South India

Sonntag, 2. Januar 2011

The Cochin Backwaters

i 3.45: near Ernakulam

Ein Post im Entstehen, bitte habt Geduld

i 3.55: vor dem Wind

1965 und 1966 lebte ich in Ernakulam, Kerala (Indien). Die Backwaters habe ich oft befahren. Für mich eigenartige und bewundernswerte Boote hatten die Keraliten dort fahren, auch die hier gezeigten. Die Backwaters sind eine tropische Lagune mit Mangrove-Aspekten. Davon ein paar Bilder.

Das Boot vor dem Wind hat ein Segel, das aus Palmblättern geflochten ist. Vielleicht sind es zu viele Löcher, doch wenige Löcher befördern den Vortrieb besser als eine ganz geschlossene Segelfläche.

Ernakulam Thevara

Backwater - junction

saplings of mangrove trees

i3.33 cargo boat 1965

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inshore fishing boats in Tamil Nadu

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A total list of my blogs is here:
http://mein-abenteuer-mein-leben75.blogspot.com/

Artisan coastal fishing -

- a small photo report from Mahabalipuram in 1966,

some rafts in Tamil Nadu

Mahabalipuram is an ancient temple on small spit of land stretching into the Bay of Bengal south of Chennai (Madras). It is a well known touirist place.

Close to the temple I watched and photographed fishing rafts when I visited the place in 1966. I was really surprised how skillfull the fishermen handled their task and went out in the sea for their catch. The beach had its own beauty created by the people as well the temple being a part of this place. The atmosphere may have changed due to the increased tourist facilities. So my pictures are of histroric interest.

picture 1 - the temple from West

picture 2 - sand flora

picture 3 - the rafts

pictures 4 - just arrived

this is near Chidambaram in Mangrove waters: UNESCO fishing nets, throw net:

Freitag, 20. August 2010

inshore fishing boats in Kerala

A total list of my blogs is here:
http://mein-abenteuer-mein-leben75.blogspot.com/

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.