Nilmini De Silva, Hauling in the Catch (September Theme: Travel)

Fishing has been a traditional way of life along the coastline of Sri Lanka for generations. It is very much a communal affair and it is wonderful to see that this tradition is still very much alive today. We had just arrived in Galle when we spotted the fisherman hauling in their nets. Their chants of “Hodi Hellai Hellia Ya,” fill the air, and helps to lighten the task at hand and to maintain their rhythm. The fisherman cast off in their catamarans at first light and lay their nets about 300m from the shoreline. The net lies underwater and snares the fish darting about. After a few hours volunteers materialise from the nearby village and help pull the net to shore. The catch is not always in proportion to the effort that goes in to this exercise but whatever is caught is shared amongst those that help.

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