Documenting Maritime Folklife: An Introductory Guide
Part 2: How to Document
One of the best ways to understand the structures and functions of maritime
traditions is to take part in the day-to-day activities of the community.
The premise underlying participant- observation, as this approach is called,
is that the researcher becomes a more effective observer by taking an active
role in the performance of regular activities. In other words, knowledge
gained through doing--by assisting a local cook with the preparation of
seafood gumbo or by working as a deckhand on a shrimp boat--is of a higher
than what is obtained only through observation. This approach also demonstrates
to members of the community the researcher's commitment to the documentation
of maritime heritage. In many cases, involvement with such ordinary chores
as cleaning fish, culling oysters, or shoveling ice into a hold will not
only enhance the researcher's understanding of the processes, techniques,
and words associated with these activities, but will also result in better
rapport with informants.
How does one arrange to be a participant observer in a maritime community?
Usually, it is best not to broach the subject too early in a relationship.
Once rapport has been established, many community members, having recognized
the researcher's sincere interest in their lives and work, will spontaneously
issue an invitation: "Well, if you really want to learn about oystering,
the best way would be for you to come out in the boat with me." Others,
many of whom assume that "everyone knows about these things," will have
to be convinced that inviting the researcher to observe and participate
in their work is a good idea. As with all initial contacts, the researcher
should provide a clear explanation of why he or she is conducting research,
what topics are being investigated, how information is being collected,
and what will be done with the collected data.
In some cases, it may
not be possible both to observe and to participate. This is especially
likely with activities that require a high level of
expertise or are conducted at a pace required to meet a production schedule.
For example, professional boat builders are seldom interested in taking
the time required to teach their multiple skills to a novice because
they usually cannot afford to interrupt their work schedules. Consequently,
unless the researcher already possesses the skills necessary to be hired
by a boat builder, or can place an order for a boat and convince the
that he or she should be permitted to help build it, probably the best
one can hope for is to be allowed to observe boatbuilding activities
and, when time permits, to interview the builder. There are, however, a
of activities common to maritime communities that the researcher can
try without a great deal of difficulty. These include tasks that are basically
simple and repetitive, such as cooking, mending nets, sorting fish, filling
bait bags, and poling a boat.
Although it is sometimes necessary to formally
request permission to be a participant-observer, as in the case of filleting
fish at a fish plant,
in most instances opportunities to try one's hand at an activity arise
naturally. The researcher who has gone along on a fishing trip mainly
to observe activities and take photographs may, for example, see a chance
to help the crew sort fish. Researchers should always be on the look-out
for such opportunities. However, one should never be pushy about participating:
wait for a direct offer or obtain permission first.
Inshore fishing activities
are among those best suited for participant-observation. After obtaining
permission from an experienced fisherman to go along on
a fishing trip, it is important to determine the time of departure, destination,
and approximate time of return. The researcher should find out what personal
gear and supplies should be obtained, including special clothing such
as gloves, rubber boots, and foulweather gear; a life preserver; tools;
food. Since in some areas all persons engaged in commercial fishing must
be properly licensed, ask whether a license or permission from an official
is required. Before the trip, it is also a good idea to go aboard the
boat and check out the arrangement of space and the availability of running
water, cooking equipment, and restroom facilities. Since boats, especially
small inshore craft, are sometimes not outfitted with "heads" (restrooms),
this is a detail that many researchers (especially female researchers)
will not want to overlook.
In most cases a notebook, pencils, camera,
and film are the best equipment for the documentation of fishing. Because
these items may be exposed to
the elements, it is advisable to keep them in a plastic bag, rucksack,
or other waterproof container. Bring along several pens and pencils,
plenty of film in a variety of speeds, lens-cleaning fluid and tissue,
and a spare
battery for the camera. Also bring along a couple of rubber bands to
keep the pages of the field notebook from blowing around if the wind comes
Tape recording interviews on a boat may be hindered by the noise created
by the vessel's engines.1 Furthermore, it may not be possible for the fishermen to
take time from their normal activities to participate in an interview.
However, some types of fishing trips, especially those which are characterized
by long periods of slack time, can be conducive to tape recording. The
feasibility of making sound recordings should be determined before the
trip. If the decision is made to bring recording equipment, be sure to
carry along enough fresh batteries.
Before leaving on the fishing trip,
write down a list of topics to be investigated on board the boat. These
- names and uses of boat spaces and gear
- sequence of fishing operations
- information needed to locate fishing areas
- roles of crewmen
- ages and working experience of crewmen
- family ties between crewmen
- names fishermen use for birds, fish, landmarks, and fishing grounds
- approximate times of fishing operations, rest periods, and meals
- jokes, stories, and other narratives
- communication with fishermen on other boats
- navigational techniques, including the use of landmarks
While aboard a fishing boat, researchers should be honest about the amount
of experience they have had with fishing. There is no point in pretending
to be experienced. In fact, if the researcher is recognized as a novice,
fishermen will often go out of their way to explain the basic details--the
how and the why--of their activities; such details would not be articulated
under normal circumstances.
Moreover, because fishing can be hazardous,
even for the most experienced fisherman, be sure to ask the crewmen to
identify the safest places to
stand during fishing operations. Although fishermen will probably be
content to let the researcher stand back and observe their work, write
take photographs, it is worthwhile to volunteer to help with some aspect
of the work. If the offer is accepted, assistance will lighten fishermen's
work load, and also give them cause to view the researcher as a "good
a person "not too proud to get his hands dirty."
In order to understand
the meaning of the activities taking place on the boat, "begin very
generally and let the patterns of movement, smells, noises and colors suggest
their own structure to
you."2 Throughout the fishing trip try to determine
the flow of work. How are decisions reached about when and where to fish?
What is the regular sequence of activities involved with setting and
retrieving gear? What are the specific responsibilities of each crewman?
How is information
communicated between crewmen? When do periods of intense activity occur?
When are the slack times? Because most types of fishing involve the repetition
of a particular sequence of actions, it is likely that the researcher
will have several opportunities to observe the performance of the "core
of the fishery.
If time permits, it is instructive to make more than
one trip on the same boat in order to verify observations made on the
first trip. Additional
trips can also be made to study how changes in gear, weather, time of
year, and depth of water influence fishing.
1. Of course, in order to achieve
the goals of some projects, it may be desirable to tape record the sounds
of engines, deck machinery, marine radios, waves, and other sources of
2. Robert H. Byington, "Strategies
for Collecting Occupational Folklife in Contemporary Urban/Industrial Contexts," in Working
Americans: Contemporary Approaches to Occupational Folklife, Robert
H. Byington, ed. Smithsonian Folklife Studies, no. 3 (Los Angeles: California
Folklore Society, 1978), 51.