Canoes as Tools of Resistance: Challenging Dispossession in Manipur, India

The Meitei people of Champu Khangpok, a floating village in the Loktak wetland system in the state of Manipur, India, have witnessed in recent years the mass burning of their floating huts. Rebuilding and reoccupying their natural space on this now permanent reservoir of a hydroelectric project involves constant negotiation with the state government, which is trying to craft laws that make living on floating huts and fishing in the reservoir illegal. This article explores the language, tools, and tactics, which have evolved to contest the state government’s actions.