Nicobari Hodi

Why in news?

• Andaman & Nicobar Islands has filed an application, seeking the Geographical Indication(GI) tag for the Nicobari Hodi craft.
• This is the first application from the Union Territory seeking a tag for one of its products.

About Nicobari Hodi:

• It is the Nicobari tribe’s traditional craft.
• It is an outrigger canoe, very commonly operated in the Nicobar group of islands.
• Process of making:
  • The technical skills for building a hodi are based on indigenous knowledge inherited by the Nicobarese from their forefathers.
  • The hodi is built using either locally available trees or from nearby islands and its design varies slightly from island to island.

Uses:

• Hodis are used for transporting people and goods from one island to another, for sending coconuts, and for fishing and racing purposes.

Add ons:

• The tuhet, a group of families under a headman, consider the hodi an asset.
• Hodi races are held between islands and villages.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements regarding ‘Nicobari Hodi’:

1. They are built using iron and steel.

2. They are used for transporting people and goods from one island to another

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer