HERITAGES AND MEMORIES FROM THE SEA ‘AFLOAT BEAUTY’ 2. THE FLOATING MEMORY OF RIVERS AND SEAS OF THE DELTA: STUDY ON TRADITIONAL BOATS SAJID-BIN-DOZA OF BANGLADESH [email protected] University of Évora ABSTRACT HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Seventy percent of the planet is covered with ocean. From time immemorial riverine communication played a vital role to To start a story about the heritage and memory from the sea, what first comes to our mind is the image of commute people from one place to another. The river network capti- a giant floating element, of an open vastness, with vates the people of this delta land; it is part of their daily life pattern the exception of ships and boats. In the several thou- and distinguishes the cultural activities of this region. The largest sand years of maritime history, boats got their place delta in Bangladesh is crisscrossed by a great number of rivers which in the narrative of ‘times gone by’, independently surrender into the Bay of Bengal. The ‘boat’ as maritime transportation of their being related to the sea, the oceans or the has a rapport of thousands of years, not only in our cultural heritage, river. When it comes to constructing and floating but already since prehistoric times. In many ways, since ancient times boats on rivers or the oceans – be it for trade, the conquest of a coastal strip or for the discovery of a in this delta land, boats have been considered the foremost vehicle, new piece of land – ancient and medieval times are as is evident in old manuscripts, ancient drawings, terracotta plaques the most popular field in maritime heritage. Although (Figures 1–2) and ancient literature. These boats were suitable for this is supposed to be only a small story of maritime different water courses and hierarchically floated on the river to the heritage on the planet, it takes place in a country that sea. The history of Bengal is filled with boats, rivers and the lifestyle has the largest delta of the planet, derived through of its people. the sedimentation of the rivers that since millions of years are coming down from the Himalayas (Riv- er Ganges) and Tibet (River Brahmaputra). Its name is Bangladesh, previously known as Bengal, criss- crossed by riverbeds, involving people and the land at its margins with their endless streams of water, the huge rivers widening like a sea and surrender- ing themselves into the mouth of the mighty Bay of Bengal. The ocean in the southeastern region of the subcontinent has been a very potential maritime route since the time of the Periplus of the Erythraean Figure 1 – Historical reference terracotta, embed- Figure 2 – Precious terracotta plaque at the Sea. Thus, it is no wonder that boats, rivers, sea and ded into a wall of the famous Hindu temple Kan- Jor-Bangla temple showing the festival with alluvial lands are coming to our mind when we are tajeer (16th century AD) boats (16th century AD) talking about Bangladesh. Fishing is the primal occu- pation in its coastal region. The trading in frozen fish The deltaic plane has several versatile floating vessels; around 50 is an important economical asset, with the country different floating elements were available all over the mainland of exporting frozen fish into different parts of the world. The deltaic coastline is about 580 kilometres long. Bengal. Most of them are now extinct or decaying from lack of interest The territorial water of Bangladesh extends for 12 in crafting these beautiful examples of cultural longing. The different nautical miles (22 km), and the exclusive economic kinds of boats were constructed for a particular purpose and shaped zone of the country is 200 nautical miles (370 km). to serve well. For instance, the fishing boat of the river, compared This explains why the coastal line of Bangladesh is to that of the sea, would have difference in morphology and in the vibrant with fishing tradition and boat crafting, as applied scientifically based knowledge of construction techniques. well as an infinite source for apprenticeship and cul- tural tradition. It must be mentioned that boats have undergone some changes due Boat manufacturing and crafting is a traditional prac- to the impact of industrial development and its related phenomena. tice that is inherent to this area. Particularly the ver- In any case, the traditional way of boat crafting is about to disappear satile fishing boat of Bengal demonstrates a series of different morphological aspects. The skill of crafting and with it the varieties of boat manufacturing processes in different a fishing boat is a not widely known intangible form coastal regions and contexts, even though the contextually embedded of heritage, an art that is still practiced and passed on ‘form of art’ of crafting the water vessel was still widely known to the descendants of the ancient fishermen. Yes, the just about two decades before. Nowadays, due to machine and 72 HERITAGES AND MEMORIES FROM THE SEA 2. THE FLOATING MEMORY OF RIVERS AND SEAS legacy of sculpting these traditional regional coast- engine adaptations, this fact is obscured and aggravated through line boats, together with the scientific knowledge of the disappearance of traditional knowledge. In a very near future, how to make them float safely in the middle of the the definition of ‘floating beauty of water, rivers and the sea’ will river as well as in the sea is still in place, and prac- ticed whilst people go for fishing for a couple of days eventually be reserved only to museums. or months. About 20 or 25 years ago, the riverine Since thousands of years people of this delta have been building Bangladesh still maintained a series of versatile boat boats whose variety of shapes reflect both regional inputs and the types floating along river routes. Then, more than 50 different boats and vessels cruised the rivers and the fact that traditions related to water-based communications have sea, of which almost 90% are extinct. The aim of this always been rich in Bangladesh. This is all because of the geography paper is to document some of the beautifully crafted of the country, home to a most densely populated nation. About and specialised vessels that still could be seen a few 60% of Bangladesh is fissured into a vast river system.1 Waterways years back, as well as the development of traditional and boats are thus understandably an integral part of the country’s fishing boats particular to certain communities. It in- communication system. In the last couple of decades, the fishing tends to analyse how the construction is carried out, what the materials for the building of this floating boats of Bengal have changed in shape and form: sea vessels from element are, and how craftsmanship continues to the Bay of Bengal adopted overseas styles due to the influence of rely on traditional methods, thus documenting the foreign merchants. This paper will address this reality by showing the splendour and the beauty of the boats that are the changing pattern of the mother form, or the ancient art form of the subject of this research. Additionally, the paper will fishing boats. The wooden boats of the inland waterways developed present a scientific analysis in terms of navigation their shapes and forms free from foreign influences. Meanwhile, all mechanisms and fishing processes in the open sea. these boats were appreciated by the local craftsmen communities of the costal or riverine hinterland of deltaic Bengal. KEYWORDS afloat, ocean, sea heritage, traditional fishing In the process of building boats, the craftsmen showed scientific process, boat, manufacturing and crafting, Bay of reasoning which proved to be intelligent throughout time. Another Bengal, navigation mechanism, memory of the sea, part of this paper will put emphasis on the cataloguing of the scien- cultural heritage, workmanship, craftsmanship, tific elaborations behind the building of these sea and river bound intangible heritage vessels. At the same time, this beautiful craftsmanship is getting lost; very soon the ordinary people of Bangladesh will no longer partake in the glorious tradition of building and using boats. The tremendously valuable practice of crafting boats, transmitted from generation to generation, is part of the intangible cultural heritage of this riverine deltaic region. These traditional practices are in need of proper documentation so as to preserve the ancient knowledge and this part of Bengali cultural identity. The practice of how to build boats by using the skills and technologies that have been passed down orally by generations of boat builders is a valuable intangible heritage asset. It should be mentioned that there are a series of other intangible cultural activities related to the act of making a boat: while crafting and building a boat, the craftsmen often sing in order to have a good time 1 http://www.friendship-bd.org/. at work and to concentrate. On the other hand, the sailor of the boat 2 The Bhatiyali folk song is a traditional boat also sings a song which is group-based, and this song is dedicated to song of eastern Bengal. It is sung by boat- the mighty river named Vatialee2 – telling about the river, the sailor men during the journey on the river. Bha- and the horizon. All these remarkable traditions and performances are tiyali means ‘downstream’ or ‘ebb tide’. Beginning with an endearing address, the fading day by day from the simple life of rural Bengal. voice of the singer uses a strong flight of 3 top notes. Gradually, the tune slides down Until the mid-20th century the riverboats of Bangladesh remained to lower notes. Bhatiyali songs are also the same.