Apurahat ja residenssipaikat

Tiede

Re-imagining the use of traditional watercraft in the Aegean Sea for a sustainable environment and economy

Hakemuksen tiivistelmä

This project envisages the use of traditional Aegean watercraft as a step towards a more sustainable environment and economy. The main research questions are: why did the use of traditional watercraft fade in the Aegean region, what was the impact of this disappearance on the local society, economy and environment, what would be required for the potential re-introduction of traditional boats in the Aegean Sea and what would be the socio-economic and environmental benefits of that action? The project will firstly document the changes in the use of traditional watercraft in the Aegean Sea, in Greece, and particularly the shift from wooden non-fuel boats to polluting motor-boats as it occurred during the 20th and 21st centuries. Secondly, the research will determine the socio-political circumstances that led to this transition, as well as the impact that this change in watercraft had on the local economies, the coastal communities and the marine environment of the Aegean Sea. Finally, the project will assess the possibility of a successful re-introduction of traditional watercraft. The social impact, the reaction of the local communities to such re-establishment, as well as the positive outcomes for the creation of sustainable local economies that preserve the natural marine environment will be issues of major importance. This project combines concepts from the fields of maritime history and archaeology, maritime ethnography and anthropology, as well as environment sustainability and marine conservation. This interdisciplinary research in the re-introduction of traditional watercraft in the Aegean will present a case of modern adoption of past lifestyles in the pursuit of sustainable environment and economies due to the current climate emergency. The scope of the project will highlight the role of humanities and archaeology in the crisis and global challenges humanity is facing at present. Recording and learning about the past can help to build a better future.

This project presents a snapshot assessment of the significance, vulnerability and longevity of traditional boats for the lifeways of the Aegean people. Through the desk-based research of archival sources and existing literature on uses of traditional boats, combined with data collected during a maritime ethnographic fieldwork on the islands of Samos and Patmos, complemented with social science data gathered from residents of the Aegean, this study highlights the potential of maritime heritage to assist in restoring the balance between humans and nature in this dynamic environment of the eastern Mediterranean. In the critical moment humanity is experiencing, there might be the appropriate circumstances to preserve and reintroduce traditional watercraft as an easy-to-adopt measure towards sustainability. Better preservation and reintroduction of this watercraft would help people move away from the generic ways of modern living and embrace the uniqueness of their local environment and tradition. From the project data it becomes obvious that local people would be ready to take charge of their marine citizenship and adapt their lifeways to tackle climate change effects and environmental deterioration through culturally aware and tradition-sensitive adjustments. Safeguarding and re-introducing maritime heritage and local knowledge could provide a familiar background and appeal to elements of the population’s identity and culture. Therefore, maritime communities could have better chances in building resilience. This interdisciplinary study provides an example of utilising historical, archaeological and ethnographic approaches in assisting communities to build environmental awareness and sustainable lifeways in the face of the current climate emergency. The project highlights the importance of humanities, and heritage in acting for the climate crisis and the global challenges humanity is facing. Recording and learning about the past can help to build a better future.

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