Fishing (Babbar, Meena. Linguistic Companion for Travels in the Indian-Sub-continent. India: Trishul Publications, 1990. p. 66, 275) is one of the Meitei intangible cultural heritage of Manipur and other Meitei populated areas of Assam, Tripura as well as of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Meitei people (also known as Manipuris) fish in lakes, rivers, swamps, and marshy areas. Fishing is an important part of their daily life. They use many traditional fishing methods that develop over time.
History
The Ancient Meitei language text Panthoipi Khongkul describes fishing activities in Manipur before the reign of Nongda Lairel Pakhangba (c. 33 CE). It mentions women catching fish using Nupee-Il and Long at a place called Turel Langmeipung. One day, Panthoibi, a girl from the Mangang clan, used Nupee-Il to fish. She also used a tool called Tunggol to store the fish she caught. Another old text, Moirang Shai-On Taret, talks about fishing in those times. It tells of a feast organized with permission from the King of Moirang. This feast followed a traditional game played between maidens led by Yaithing Konu, a noble’s daughter, and married women led by Nganbi. For the feast, women caught fish in Loktak Lake using their tools. Some women fished in shallow waters with Long, while others fished from boats using Nupee-Il. Operating Nupee-Il while standing on boats is a special skill of valley women in Manipur and is still practiced today. In early times, people also fished by building fishing weirs and using traps. Old texts mention that kings constructed royal fishing weirs and appointed fishery officers to manage fishing grounds. Nongban Kadem, from the Angom clan, served King Ura Konthouba (c. 568 CE) and built fishing weirs and traps. In ancient Manipur, different groups of people lived in various areas. Each group tried to control important fishing places, which often led to conflicts over fishing rights in rivers and streams.
Meitei Kings and Fishing In the past, Meitei kings collected fish as taxes from lakes and fishing areas they owned. Fish was an important food for Meitei people. The kings likely built fishing areas, canals, and cleaned swamps to catch more fish. Organizing fishing was important to keep the Kingdom’s economy strong.
Fishing during Luwang Chief Shapaiba's time During Luwang Chief Shapaiba's rule, Lamphel Shoy Weir was built to catch fish and trap animals. He also created two areas to farm Ngaroi fish (Crossocheilus burmanicus hora). Mkubi Shoy was made for fishing under the guidance of Luwang Salai Hanba. Nambul Shoy was given as a gift to Yumburembi of Kanglei when she married Thangyi Ningthouba of Luwang. Their oldest son, Pathang Ahanba, managed it. Aka Shoy was fishing in the rainy season when many fish were caught. Akum Shoy was fishing in the dry season, catching special fish like Ngashep (Mysrus bleekeri). Later, the youngest son, Naoremton, managed Nambul Shoy because his mother wanted him to. The weir had many names like Lumpu Shoy, Hekap Shoy, Hesgotpan Ngashep Leikang-Ee, Akum Lairak-Ee, and Lanloi Chingareng Khamla Loukhnong Shoy.
Fishing and canals in the past At Kanglei Wakhei Kon near Heipok River, there was a weir (Shoy) owned by Theba Nahakpa. The Kanglei chief controlled this weir and allowed women from the Heirem-Khunjam clan to fish in the river. A person named Heirem Khunchem built a dike (Pn) across a canal leading to a lake called Konte Pat. He made a fishing weir using bamboo pieces (Kharai). Another weir made of metal was owned by a young man named Thingkonpa from Heirem. The chief of Heirem built the Heirem Nongyai Khong canal, also known as Ngakha Khong (Puntius puntio), mainly for fishing. This canal was specially designed so fish could grow well. It was not very deep—when cows, pigs, or dogs crossed it, their bodies barely touched the water. During Chief Puriklai's rule, a fishing weir was built at Ungamel, where the Khuga and Manipur Rivers meet. It was made to catch many fish. Chief Puriklai also created Moirang Nongkangkhong at Khoiritak to trap animals and built the Laphu Khumtam Shoy canal for fishing. Chief Yoirel Tompokpa created Khuyon Penba Shoy to catch Pengba Fish (Osteobrama belangeri) and also for water transport. Sanathoibi Shoy was located between the Khuman and Heirem Khuncham clan areas and owned by Kege Moirang Leima Angom Ningol Sanathoibi. Queen Meitei Leima Koubaron Taipongambi worked with her husband, King Khagemba, to make fishing easier. She built a fishing canal called Leima Taipombi Lemlei Ngayok Khong to catch fish like Penba and Ngawa whenever needed.
Implements and tools
Meitei traditional fishing tools include long nets like Long gil and il, as well as scoop baskets such as Long-Khonba and Phum-Thaba. They also used scoop nets, box traps like Taijep-Lu and Kabo-Lu, and conical traps like Shouraru. Fishing lines of different lengths were employed, such as long lines (Khoishang-Thaba) and short lines (Khoi-Chopa, Khoiya-Thaba, Khoitek Thaba). Additionally, lift nets like Nupi-Il, gill nets like Lang-Thaba, and dip nets like Iljao-Thaba were commonly used.
In Manipur, Meitei traditional fishing tools are made from materials that are cheap, light, and easy to find. These tools are designed so women can use them easily. Both men and women can use most of these tools. Longthrai: This is a scoop net made of nylon. It has a round bamboo frame and a bamboo handle. The net has a wide, round opening and becomes narrow at the end. It is used in shallow water like small streams. Longoop: This is a bell-shaped fish trap. Both men and women use it. It is made from bamboo strips and has a small opening at the top and a wide bottom. It works in shallow, muddy water to catch fish. Kabow Loom: This is a fish trap that works with or without bait. It has narrow ends and a wide middle part with a valve to stop fish from getting out. It catches catfish and other live fish. One end of the trap is closed, and the other end is open with a removable cover. Fish can be taken out through the open end. Nupee Een: This fishing tool is made especially for women. Many people in Manipur use it. It has two bamboo sticks, 10 to 12 feet long, tied together in the middle. A net with small holes (0.5 cm) is attached to the four corners of the sticks. The bamboo sticks bend into a curve. A bamboo stick called a Poura is fixed in the middle and works like a lever to lift the net. A rope is tied to this stick to pull up the net. Long-Thiba (Spike Fishing): This tool has 7–9 small bamboo sticks polished at the tips with tin. These sticks are attached to a 10-foot-long bamboo pole using cane strips. It is used by men to fish during the dry season. Sometimes, it is also used for protection against snakes and wild animals in the fishing areas of lakes.
Fishing Traps Taijeps / Bamboo Basket / Box Trap The Taijeps is a rectangular fishing trap made from seasoned bamboo splits tied together with polythene straps. It is used in lakes and ponds, set among weeds in rows. The trap has an open mouth on one side, with non-return valves fixed inside the mouth that point inward to prevent fish from escaping. Three-fourths of the traps are usually set in rows, facing different directions depending on the fisherman’s preference. Traditional fishermen follow specific rules when using traps, as described by Bira Singh: Gillnets must not be placed in front of box traps. Surrounding nets or gillnets cannot enclose other fishing gear set by fellow fishermen. Fish already hooked and trapped in a box cannot be taken by nearby fishermen using the same gear. Each trap must have an identification mark, called “looyek,” to identify the owner.
Kabo-Lu / Tubular Trap This trap has valves at both ends and a larger opening in the middle, which tapers towards both ends. It is made of bamboo splits, and the openings are designed so that fish, once inside, cannot escape. The trap is secured with cane or polythene straps. It is typically placed in areas with thick aquatic weeds or in water channels and outlets from ponds. This trap is mainly used to catch catfish.
Sora-lu / Conical Trap Sora-lu is the largest fishing trap used in Manipur. It is mainly used to catch small fish like air-breathing fish and weed fish. This trap is placed near river mouths and lakes with mild water currents. It is also used in paddy fields during the rainy season, between June and August. The trap has two parts: the larger part is conical and tapers to a circular end with detachable ropes tied at opposite sides, while the smaller part is tubular and tapers at the end. The conical part gathers fish, and the tubular part collects them. These two parts are joined by a detachable rope tied at the smaller part's opening. To operate, fishermen place the trap in a selected area and secure it with two poles at opposite sides. The circular end of the larger part is inserted into the smaller part to form a continuous trap. The rope is tied to a pole to prevent the trap from being moved by water currents. Fishing is usually done in the evening, and the trap is left overnight. Fish are harvested in the morning by detaching the smaller part of the trap. This method allows the trap to be reused throughout the day.
Methods and techniques
Meiteis fishing methods and techniques involve fishing with long nets, spike fishing, and catching fish with scoop baskets. They also dug holes in canals and ponds for fishing and practiced encircle fishing with Phum Namba. Fishing weirs (Shoy) were constructed and used as part of their fishing methods.
Major fishing methods Nupi-il / Lift Net The word "Nupi" means woman, and "il" means net in Meitei language. This fishing tool is mostly used by women. The net is usually made of nylon, but in some areas, cotton is also used. It is built using two bamboo frames, each about 3 to 3.5 meters long. The frames are joined in the middle with cane strips to create four tips. Each tip of the net is fastened to the ends of the bamboo frames. A bamboo pole called "poura" supports the entire structure, acting as a fulcrum in the middle of the frames. A hauling rope, about 7 meters long, is used to lift the net. The net can be operated from the banks of lakes, rivers, ponds, or from boats. The fisherman inserts the bamboo pole (poura) into the dyke or uses their thighs for support when operating the net from a boat. Pressing down the pole lifts the net from the water, and the fish are collected by hand. This method is used all year round and can catch many types of fish, including Indian Major Carps, Puntius species, Chanda ranga, Chanda nama, Esomus dendricus, and air-breathing fish.
Il-jao / Dip Net Il-jao means “big net” in Meitei language, with “il” meaning net and “jao” meaning big. This fishing tool is used between May and September in Loktak Lake. It is made by stitching 9–12 small dip nets together into a rectangular shape. The four corners of the net are tied to bamboo poles, which are further supported by another pole to keep the structure stable. The net is fixed to the bamboo poles using floating masses of vegetation (Phoomdis) in the lake. The net is left underwater for 4–5 hours or sometimes even a whole day. To attract fish, rice bran dough is spread over the net. When the net is hauled, two fishermen on boats lift it toward the Phoomdis. They untie the lower two ropes and gradually pull the net above the water's surface. Fish caught are collected by beating the net with smooth bamboo poles called “pou” to move them to the collection side.
Lang / Gill Net Lang is a popular fishing gear used by fishermen. It is a single-wall net made of monofilament, with mesh sizes designed to catch specific fish. Fish are trapped by their gills in the net and cannot escape.