John Kurien

Between the Sea and the Sky

“Lived religion is in the blood and veins of the Catholic fisherfolk of Kerala. It forms their identities, instils them with infinite courage, and provides patience and fortitude to accept the unpredictable outcomes of fishing. Mathew’s erudite rendering of this complex socioreligious and cultural reality stands out for its deep and nuanced understanding of the fluid and boundless, yet coherent worldview of the fishers, which straddles the sea and sky on every fishing trip.”