Where memory, culture meet the ocean

A boat is placed in the centre of a courtyard, a net of white fish is cast downward from above, adorned with colourful origami fish. Just outside, foreigners are drawing the rangoli of a sea turtle. These images evoke the sea and its deep, mysterious, vast nature. The research-based exhibit Neerina Ottige (with water) organised at the Government Junior College, Kundapura,  brings to mind vivid images of people’s lives intertwined with water.

Organisers described the exhibition, held on June 7th and 8th, as a celebration of the rich culture and dynamic nature of the wetlands of the Panchagangavali River (which flows through Kundapura) and the surrounding intertidal and riverine regions. It highlighted how these ecosystems are integral to the livelihood of the local communities.

The exhibition was organised by Field Services and Inter-Cultural Learning (FSL) India, Dr TMA Pai Endowment Chair in Adaptive Ecologies and Climate Extremes, and MAHE Bengaluru. 

The exhibition featured photo essays, different types of Mangalore tiles, stories of traditional boat-making, cultural practices, eco-linguistics (words derived from the relationship between land and water, such as Kudru and Bailu), and the diversity of water and soil near the estuary, river, and sea. It also included information on fish varieties, types of fishing nets, the biodiversity of the Panchagangavali wetlands, and the ancient history of Basrur, once the commercial capital of the Portuguese. 

Neerina Ottige also included a dialogue with local communities, who shared their reflections on shifts in cultural heritage and livelihood practices, all deeply connected to the natural character of the region.

Research

The exhibition was part of a larger environmental advocacy initiative aimed at influencing environmental policy at the local, regional, and global levels through community engagement, says Professor Deepta Sateesh of Dr TMA Pai Endowment Chair in Adaptive Ecologies and Climate Extremes.

The research project, under the same chair, focused on the Kundapura region, particularly Gulvadi, Gangolli, and Kodi. The team used immersive methods and engaged directly with local communities to understand how their lives are connected to water across the seasons. 

“We avoided formal interviews, opting for an exploratory approach,” explains Deepta. “Using audio, video, photographs, sketches, and drawings, we documented our findings through multimedia and validated everything we observed in the landscape. We used a storytelling format to convey oral histories,” she adds. “This is part of our effort to develop new narratives about humans and the environment.”

Sharing her fieldwork experience, Deepta says, “We met an 87-year-old fisherman at Kodi beach. He mentioned a fishing net made of grass. This skill has now disappeared. We want to document that knowledge for future generations.” 

Impact

Kavya, a visitor, remarks that, despite being born and raised in the region, many aspects including the history of Basrur are often overlooked. She adds, “This exhibition allows us to reconnect with these elements. Unlike other research, it effectively brings findings directly to the general public.”

A notable aspect of the exhibition was the active participation of German students, who took part as volunteers. FSL India has engaged over 30,000 youth from around 40 countries in various programmes, including Education and Community Development programmes across India. 

Luise Mueller, a volunteer from Germany, says, “volunteering opened my eyes to how social issues and sustainability are connected. I want to help bring healthy, sustainable products to people with less access, especially in rural areas.”

The organisation has been operating in Kundapura since 2003 and is involved in sea turtle conservation, teaching in public schools and empowering rural women.

Kushal Shetty, a teacher at Sri Mookambika Temple High School, explains the impact of these programmes, “Students’ mindset about themselves, their community, and the world has shifted. They now approach life with more confidence, discipline, respect, and awareness, especially around cleanliness and waste. It is inspiring to see them becoming more polite and open to others’ opinions.”