The fishing project and an exciting adventure on a boat.Today, two members of the group, Faye and Natalie, went to a local fishing village called Gandara to ask some of the villagers questions regarding their lifestyle to help with our fishing research project. We were kindly assisted by the vice chancellor of the University of Ruhuna who helped us communicate due to the language barrier. On arrival, we visited one family consisting of a woman whose husband had gone fishing for 3 weeks and left her to look after their 3 children. This gave us an opportunity to find out more about women’s roles in the community which we learnt were to stay at home, dry fish, create embroidery and look after children and their elders. The lady told us that women were laughed at if they drove vehicles as this was a rare occurrence in rural areas and they were expected to be married at 18 years old. Men usually go fishing for 3 or 4 weeks at a time but are not always guaranteed a large amount of fish to bring back and sell to support their family. If this happens, families usually borrow from their neighbours or seek out loans. There was a real sense of community spirit in the village with many neighbours dropping by for cups of tea giving the impression that they could be relied upon when in need. Even the local monkeys paid us a visit! One thing that must be noted however, is that the answers to our questions regarding women and their roles before/after the tsunami are only applicable to rural communities, perhaps even to that particular fishing village. More research is needed! It was interesting to compare how my life as a woman would have been different if I had lived in that community. I certainly would not have had the opportunity to study at Durham University as girls are expected to stay at home and carry out household duties whilst boys become fishermen. Few jobs other than being a fisherman are available in the village so it is the only source of real finance available. The lady we spoke to sadly told us that some girls run away to larger cities such as Colombo to get an education and take advantage of the greater variety of jobs available. It seems that in the larger cities, women have greater freedom in terms of their education and their choice to marry and the only means of having this freedom is to leave your family.

After several cups of sugary tea and many questions, we were kindly invited to go on a fishing boat and travel to Dondra. An amazing experience, despite a little moment of trauma when I accidentally slipped between the two boats almost going overboard with my arms in the air and my knees above my head. A very embarrassing moment whereby my lack of fishing experience became very apparent. Thankfully, I escaped with only a bruise and the embarrassment of having a Bridget Jones moment…

The boat inside was small and cramped with a small stove on the floor, a navigation system and 4 bunkbeds. Underneath the deck were huge refrigerators where they kept all the fish caught so they would keep fresh. It was amazing to think that 4 men live in such restricted conditions for 4 weeks at a time with only 1 week at home. The sea was also incredibly rough and walking on the boat for 5 minutes gave you jelly legs, so 4 weeks must be very difficult! The fishermen talked of their attitudes towards the sea and how they have changed since the tsunami. They said that after the sea dragged back from the sand ready to come inland it took all the fish with it and the sheer force of it has made it now difficult to find fish where they used to. This has had a huge impact on their daily lives as if there are less fish to sell, there is less money to pay bills, etc.

On the way back to the shore with the taste of sea salt in my mouth, a bruised leg and my hair in knots, I truly realized the strong sense of commitment amongst the men to support their families and the everyday difficulties and risks they endure on the open sea. I was also amazed to see the size of the fish that were caught and stored on the boat – one tuna fish weighed 50-100 kilos per hook!

After a wonderful day in the village we thanked the fishermen and their families for inviting us into their community and giving us a fantastic insight into their lives. I now look forward to completing the rest of the research.