Changing aspirations among fishing communities in contemporary India: An ethnographic case study on the Mogaveera women in Malpe, along the south-west coast of India

This paper examines the intergenerational aspirational shift among Mogaveeras, a fishing community in coastal Karnataka. To this day, the older Mogaveeras continue to assert their identity in public by engaging in their caste-prescribed occupation of fishing. Despite the challenges involved, fishing remains a matter of pride and a source of sustenance for many of the older community members. However, the younger Mogaveeras have been attempting to disassociate themselves from fishing. Stories of hardship narrated by their mothers about the caste occupation are pivotal in moulding newer aspirations. Long hours of work under the sun, unstable income, inconsistent fish catches and social stigma make recurring appearances in the life experiences of the older Mogaveera women. Despite receiving an English education, the younger Mogaveeras are not always successful in advancing occupationally due to lack of social capital and access to employment networks. Additionally, patriarchal gatekeeping continues to reinforce the traditional gender roles within the community. Based primarily on fieldwork and ethnographic narratives, the focus is on understanding how different generations of Mogaveera women are negotiating their relationships with fishing, which is their caste occupation.