LONGING FOR HOME FOOD
Meghalaya’s Paddy Fields Hold More Than Just Rice
28 September 2026 | BY Ibapdianghun Myria
Randa Papiah, Toy Sumer, and Hunlang Papiah recall their memories of catching dohthli (snakehead fish) in the paddy fields of Meghalaya during the rice harvesting season.
During the rice harvesting season in Meghalaya, when the water is drained from the fields, children, neighbours, and friends gather to catch dohthli (snakehead fish).They place a traditional bamboo fish trap (khnam) in the flowing water overnight and return the next morning to find it full of fish.
The fish is kept alive in a pot of water at home, and eaten over the following week. Sometimes it is roasted over an open fire, sometimes fried. The roasted fish is mixed with onions, green chillies, and salt, and eaten on its own or with steamed rice.
This story is told through three women rice farmers from Meghalaya’s Nongjngi village: Randa Papiah, Toy Sumer, and Hunlang Papiah. Through their shared memories, they recall catching dohthli in the paddy fields during the rice harvesting season.
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Ibapdianghun Myria is the Woman Farmer Project Audio-Visual fellow from Meghalaya. She works at the intersection of storytelling and the field, documenting real experiences through film, photography, and writing.
Ishani Banerjee
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Angarika Gogoi
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Ashish Sharma
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This story was produced in partnership with North East Society for Agroecology Support (NESFAS). Read more about their work here.
This story is part of the Woman Farmer Project, a multimedia storytelling initiative led by The Locavore in partnership with the Doc Society Climate Story Kitchen. It aims to build a roadmap for successful collaborations between institutions and innovative grassroots networks who are committed to amplifying climate stories.
The Doc Society supports climate action across the globe by championing independent filmmakers, audio producers, journalists, and artists working alongside impact producers and movement builders to bring more communities into climate conversations to advance climate just and biodiverse futures.