Source: The post is based on the article “Andaman & Nicobar’s first application for the Geographical Indication tag is for the Nicobari hodi craft” published in The Hindu on 21st November 2022.
What is the 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.
What is Nicobar Hodi?
The Hodi is the Nicobari tribe’s traditional craft. It is an outrigger canoe, very commonly operated in the Nicobar group of islands.
Process of Making Hodi: 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.
– Considerations to be taken into account while building hodi include the length of the finished canoe, which has to be 12 times that of its width while the length of the undressed tree trunk has to be 15 times this width.
Uses: Hodis are used for transporting people and goods from one island to another, for sending coconuts, and for fishing and racing purposes.
Significance: The tuhet, a group of families under a headman, consider the hodi an asset. Hodi races are held between islands and villages.
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