Archiving Tamil Fish Workers in Print

This project will collect and document magazines and booklets published since the 1960s representing the history of fishing communities in Tamil Nadu. These publications speak to the unique moment where ideas of fisher unity and political solidarity emerged into the public sphere. The collection serves to trace the history, community life, occupational experiences and traditional knowledge from fisher perspectives. These records contain rich information about fishers’ maritime knowledge, coastal ecology, experiences at sea, diversification of craft and gear, changing forms of value chains in markets and the possibilities of political solidarity and fisher unity.