Shillong, Aug 6: Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU) has been awarded an international research and documentation grant by the British Museum, London under its Endangered Material Knowledge Programme (EMKP).
The project is titled ‘Documentation of the Production of Traditional Fishing Tools and Their Use in Freshwater Environments of Meghalaya, India.’ It will be led by Dr. Rajindra K. Puri, Director of the Centre for Biocultural Diversity and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Kent, UK. Dr. Larilin Kharpuri, Professor, MLCU, and Dr. Pranjal Dubey, Assistant Professor, Department of Environment and Traditional Ecosystems, MLCU, are the Co-Principal Investigators.
The project will document the traditional fishing tools and ecological knowledge of the Pnar community in Sohmynting village, West Jaintia Hills District. The tools are made primarily from bamboo, cane and other natural materials and represent generations of indigenous innovation and sustainable resource management.
The project aims to record the construction, use and cultural significance of these tools amid threats from modern fishing methods, environmental degradation and changing socio-economic conditions. The documentation is intended to preserve the knowledge for future generations and contribute to discussions on biodiversity conservation and sustainable freshwater resource management.
MLCU said the project reflects the university’s commitment to research that integrates academic work with community engagement and the documentation of traditional ecological knowledge.
