Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU), Shillong, has secured an international research and documentation grant from the British Museum, London, under its Endangered Material Knowledge Programme (EMKP).
The project, titled “Documentation of the Production of Traditional Fishing Tools and Their Use in Freshwater Environments of Meghalaya, India,” is led by Dr. Rajindra K. Puri, Director of the Centre for Biocultural Diversity at MLCU and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Kent, UK. Dr. Larilin Kharpuri and Dr. Pranjal Dubey are serving as Co-Principal Investigators.
The initiative will document the traditional fishing tools and ecological knowledge of the Pnar community in Sohmynting village, West Jaintia Hills, focusing on fishing implements crafted from bamboo, cane and other locally available natural materials.
According to MLCU, these traditional tools reflect generations of indigenous innovation, ecological understanding and sustainable resource management. However, with increasing pressure from modern fishing technologies, environmental degradation and changing socio-economic conditions, many of these practices are at risk of disappearing.
The project aims to systematically document the construction, use and cultural significance of these traditional fishing tools, helping preserve Meghalaya’s indigenous knowledge while contributing to biodiversity conservation and sustainable freshwater resource management.
MLCU said the project reflects the university’s commitment to research that combines academic excellence with community engagement and the preservation of traditional ecological knowledge.
