CHENNAI: For the 5,000 women from 20-odd villages along Ramanathapuram Coast, pearls or fish from the sea are of little value. For the past four decades, they have been collecting seaweed to earn a livelihood, braving risks to life.
Two women from the Gulf of Mannar Women Seaweed Gatherers Collective presented glimpses into their lives at Poromboke Lec-Fest on Sunday.‘Kadal Paasi’ or seaweed is the real pearl for them who have took up the profession after their parents and grandparents.
Meenakshi, one of the seaweed collectors from Ramanathapuram, has been venturing 25 km into the sea since she was 10-years-old. Bits of cloth from an old saree are her makeshift gloves as plastics harm the seaweed, she said. “Around 10 women from my village start at 7 am in search of ‘Marikozhundhu Kadal Paasi’. This is the most common variety which is used in cooking. But as the government procures seaweed from foreign countries, we get minimal profit,” she added.
The main problem these women face is that they are not allowed to stay on the islands located along the coast. Seaweed is available in plenty in these islands. “Since 2010 we have been requesting the state to let us stay on these islands temporarily. But fearing our safety, the Coast Guard hasn’t given us permission,” said another seaweed collector.