Dried Fish A Community’s Cultural Right

The image depicts a Kukna Adiwasi man holding dried fishes in a traditional bamboo basket. The term “Adiwasi,” meaning “original inhabitant,” encompasses indigenous groups in India. For Kukna Adiwasis from the Indian state of Gujarat, dried fish holds significance beyond sustenance—it is woven into their cultural and religious fabric. During cultural ceremonies such as ‘Panchuro,’ which celebrates a newborn, dried fish feasts are customary offerings to village midwives and guests. Additionally, the community honours the crop harvest season by presenting dried fish to “Kansari Devi,” the Goddess of Abundance. My research underscores the vital role of dried fish in south Gujarat’s Kukna Adiwasi community, highlighting its connection to their human right to culturally appropriate food.