Where West Africa meets the Atlantic there has always been a passionate relationship between coastal people and the Sea. In The Gambia, for instance, the Sea provides enough to sustain the people but the Sea demands respect in return. For the last 30 years, until recently, the Sea has been fished by commercial vessels instead of the tough little boats that the African fishermen use. The good news is that the Gambian Government are returning to sustainable fishing.
Because of commercial fishing, the fish stocks became depleted and boats have had to go further out to fish and, even more dangerously, go out at night. Now to see these little boats on a relatively calm Atlantic, during the day, I have marveled at how they stay afloat when the waves are bigger than them. So imagine what it is like, lit only by the stars and the moon, with no warning if a storm starts to brew up. And no way of calling for help.
On my first visit to the fishing village of Bakau, I was greeted with a wonderful sight: hundreds of brightly coloured boats approaching the shore, boys swimming out to them with plastic barrels to collect the fish and women, beautifully dressed waiting on the shoreline or mingling with hundreds of people in the fish market.
The scene was made even more dynamic by the huge amount of seagulls.
"Why so many?"
"We are not allowed to kill a seagull. They tell us where the shoals of fish are."
"So the seagulls flocking around that group of people down there are telling us that a large amount of fish have been brought ashore?"
"No. A boat was lost last night and they are telling us that one of the bodies has been washed on to the beach."
But despite the fact that the sea can be like Kali, a provider and a killer, the relationship continues.
More recently I saw a group of men digging near a tree, very close to the shore. As the morning progressed more and more people gathered dressed as if for a funeral.
"What is happening?"
"When you commit your life to the Sea, it is for ever. A Fisherman drowned whilst night fishing and the tradition is that he is buried as quickly as possible and near to his mistress, the Sea. Family and friends, wherever they are, have to get there as soon as they can."
On this occasion a crew of 10 lost their lives - 7 from the same family.
Geoff Miles, September 2009
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