Title: Turning the tide : the fisher folk of Tamilnadu.
Authors: Vijay Gopal, S.,; Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
Publisher: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts,
Year: 2013
Subjects: Fishers India Tamil Nadu Social life and customs.; Tamil Nadu (India) Social life and customs.
Abstract: IGNCA has undertaken a major audioi-visual documentation of boatman culture of peninsular India to look into the lifestyle of traditional people whose main occupation is fishing. Coastal area of Tamilnadu remains a very significant punctuation while mapping boatmen and fishermen community of peninsular India people whose main occupation is fishing. The boatmen of Tamilnadu are mainly found in the region of coastal area which makes knowledgeable about the sea. The boatmen of Tamilnadu catch fish mainly in two seasons- "Wadai season" (September-February) and "Kodai - Katru season" (March-August). Good knowledge of wind and weather movements make these fishermen confident to catch specific fish species which are associated with different wind patterns and tides. Beside this, they are able to predict the ocean currents by just looking at the colour of the clouds, size of the stars and pattern of waves. The documentary highlights the lifestyle of boatmen through their religious and cultural contexts, rituals etc.