Boat Typology and Fishing Communities: A Contextual Study (An Old and Rare Book)

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This book deals with the kinds of aquatic crafts-tiniest small big and large in whatever physical size and rudimentary techniques of propulsion, lateen sails, fastenings, knots compounded with the various stages of methods in making rituals involved and so on: yet intriguingly concerned communities have expressed certain dependence in the sea worthiness of their vessels, canoe and boat, which since ancient times they used in voyages such as coasting trips. fishing, ferrying people and goods between islands to another are not uncommon discemibly in contemporary situation Various pages of this book would unveil how the Nicobarese take tremendous pride in the sea worthiness of their canoes as main lifeline as fairly safe vessels crossing over 40 nautical miles using various heavenly bodies and definite islands in between to guide their navigational routes. is no exaggeration. But more importantly canoes are viewed as objects of affection, sources of happiness and merry- making It is hardly surprising to note that they are inanimate fetish objects, which they treat with great reverence. The elaborate rituals and practices before the tree is felled, hollowed (the trunk) and shaping it into the desired shape of vessel or while launching the maiden voyage or undertaking seasonal trips to other islands and so on speak more as if the canoe is possessed with spirit. Noting all these facts the cultural significance of the canoe is still adhered to in terms of their beliefs and practices. Among the Nicobarese four sizes of canoes are in vogue. The canoe culture of the Nicobarese is comparatively much more advanced in terms of techniques, sizes and length, use of lateen sails, hull-shape, finishing and other relevant parts than that of the Onge, Sentinelese and Great Andamanese. Different authors attempted to deal with the canoe-making and fishing technology of dissimilar oceanic culture people such as the Great Andamanese, Karen, Nicobarese of different islands and Shompen that speak volumes for the influences of the forest, sea, ecological demands of various situations, confined perceptions etc that governed directly and indirectly the canoe-making, sea faring activities and other domains of their material and non-material culture as well, the way in which they draw sustenance from the forest and sea applying their own indigenous knowledge so on and so forth. A sincere endeavour has also been made to document the outward expedition to Teressa Island vis-à-vis collection of clay from the pit, storing it during the inward voyage to Chowra Island and the various stages involved in making the earthen pot, interesting without employing a wheel as prevalent elsewhere. The brief 'About the Book' is just like things that is half-hidden or revealed to on-lookers and bystanders hence, raises more curiosity in getting glimpse or go through its remaining concealed or unseen pages. In brief, the present book effort is to document the "Dugouts and Outriggers and Fishing Practices in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, which carry its own objective and relevance. Many administrators, policy makers, erudite and avid readers' spin around their interests in aspects of the canoe or boat-making techniques, propulsion, sailings. navigational techniques, fishing activities, rituals and so on, particularly of the most extremely "Vulnerable Primitive Tribal Groups like the Great Andamanese, Shompen etc.

A. Justin, the editor of this book obtained his Master degree in Anthropology from Ranchi University, joined the Anthropological Survey of India in September 1983 as Junior Research Fellow, appointed as Research Associate May 1985, later on selected as Anthropologist through the UPSC in January 1989, served as the Head of Office, Anthropological Survey of India, A&N Regional Centre, Port Blair since January 1989 to April 1998, transferred at the Head Office, Kolkata (1998), served in the same capacity (as Anthropologist) till April 2002. Again, circumstances and fate brought Justin back to Port Blair; he took up certain national assignments viz, Cultural Dimension of tourism, Syncretism and Ang (Jarawa) study etc. In October 2004, the charge of Head of Office, Port Blair, actually much higher responsibilities; was laid down on his shoulder and in February 2005, he got his promotion through the Departmental Promotion Committee constituted, so he held the charge as Superintending Anthropologist & Head of Office till May 29, 2012, served as active member of a Sub- Committee of Expert in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, New Delhi had participated actively in attending its various meetings to review "The policy on Ang (Jarawa) of Andaman Islands, 2004" and how other seniors Central Government Officers reposed faith in him, thus nominated him the Secretary twice (2005-2008 & (2012 till date) of the Central Govt. Employees' Welfare Coordination Committee had conducted monthly meeting of this esteemed Committee besides maintaining proper liaison with the Andaman & Nicobar Administration and all Central departments in these islands. Justin the author of books on the Nicobarese and Tourism in Andaman Islands: An Anthropological Perspective; besides he published over three dozens research papers in professional journals, both on tribes and non-tribes. Justin scientific interests manifest itself menacingly as the only Nicobarese Scheduled tribe and pioneer in the field of anthropological studies to have been born brought up at Perka village, Car Nicobar in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. One may ponder was it destiny or his strong determination, perseverance to have raised him from a humble beginning to what he is today! As insider he lived in these islands, done research longer over 30 years and has more intimate and detailed knowledge of all the tribal communities alive today, perhaps second only to that of the doyen of the tribal studies that his predecessor, T N. Pandit. Justin's regard for the people of these islands is not just with a detached academic researcher eyes; his inherent deep sense of love and sympathy for these islands and people speaks volumes per se.

The Anthropology of canoe or boat-making offers a very captivating panoramic view of aquatic people of Andaman and Nicobar island with all its hues of traditional knowledge in navigation, cardinals position, winds direction, tides and currents, fishing zones, sea faring activities, techniques of fishing, communal feelings laboriousness, feast-oriented culture so on and so forth indeed all are marked conspicuously with elaborate rituals and taboos associated with their beliefs and practices. Their aquatic crafts are of tremendous interest as those demonstrate technique of propulsion, unfurling of lateen sails and so on at their most rudimentary levels. The present day digital cyber age would be awestruck to find that such oceanic culture communities canoes or boats are not equipped with scientific navigational instruments such as magnetic compass, charts, radar, radio direction finder, scanning or echo sounder etc to detect approaching danger, squall, wind speed or anticipated weather condition etc. It is intriguing to note that their indigenous knowledge perception of the cause and natural phenomena that led to origin of canoe or boat-making, how they draw sustenance from the sea and fulfill their wishful thinking to overcome waterways compounded with impulsion and anticipation besides other key factors that governed them and the object thereof. Arguably, the sorts of aquatic crafts that has evolved over the years, the making technique involved, propelling, unfurling latten sails etc as dealt with in the present study speak volumes that they can be referred to as skilled sailors, mariners and fishermen as well. Two types of prevailing monsoons viz., northeast and southwest monsoon coupled with the sea environmental situations. Intriguingly depicts the cultural attempts of the Karen, Great Andamanese, Shompen and the Nicobarese in acclimatizing themselves in relation to the sea. As aquatic communities their islands habitats obviously comprises mainly of forest and sea; their influences are palpable in every aspects of their culture, which they are coping adaptively with those factors and it seems that necessity played a vital role here that taught them make canoe or boat of considerable sea worthiness that they have been developing since time immemorial as conveyance.

The charm existence of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands floating in relative isolation in the heart of Indian Ocean; nurtured by the elemental superlative beauty: being the homeland of six distinct tribal communities, and of course the heterogeneous settlers hail from different parts of the Indian subcontinent in the mainland. As oceanic culture communities; their islands habitats obviously comprises mainly of forest and sea, their influences are palpable in every aspects of their culture, which they are coping adaptively with those factors and it seems that necessity played a vital role here that taught them make canoe or boat of considerable sea worthiness that they have been developing since time immemorial as conveyance.
Invariably, the authors are in admiration of various authorities to whom sincere thank is due. Heartfelt thank to the then Director, Dr.R.K.Bhattacharya for all the encouragement, facilities and helps extended in making the fieldworks possible in different location of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The valuable guidance that Dr.J.K.Sarkar, the then Deputy Director had given is cherished customarily; so he deserves authors' appreciation too. Dr (Mrs.) Lotika Varadarajan, Advisor, National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS), CSIR, New Delhi made intermittent trips to Port Blair and Kondul Island since 1997 and held insightful discussion with the research personnel deployed for the fieldwork on "The Anthropology of Dugouts & Outriggers in Andaman and Nicobar Islands." Her precious contributions have duly been acknowledged as far as the works on boat typology and fishing practices etc among the oceanic culture people of these islands is concerned. Profound is due to her too that is placed on record at appropriate place.

The present book "The Anthropology of Dugouts and Outriggers in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands" is the result of the project entitled "Boat Typology and Fishing A Contextual Study, Bengal & Andamans" that was initiated in 1997 as joint venture between The Anthropological Survey of India (ANSI) and National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS). CSIR, Delhi. The project leaders were Dr. Jayanta Sarkar from the AnSI and Dr. Lotika Varadarajan, Advisor, NISTADS, CSIR, New Delhi. Kudos to the four scholars of AnSI, who did fieldworks thoroughly despite various constraints and impediments that they overcome effectively and finally their findings is seeing the actual light of the day is being hailed as important triumph. Essentially, fieldworks were carried out pre-Tsunami situation of the prevailing pattern of life of different oceanic culture people of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the superlative diverse locations of their villages adjacent to the coastal beaches, coconut plantations, herding pigs, horticultural activities and so on that post-Tsunami era portrayed otherwise different scenario of ruined villages, buildings, huge concrete water tanks on Chowra Island and the devastated desalination plant and plantations that speak volumes the forces and impacts of giant earthquake that Tsunami followed instantly. How normal circumstances of daily routine of life are being restored of late; may not reflect the real established scenario as witnessed during the actual course of fieldworks is no startle fact.