Mirosław Kuklik SELECTED ISSUES OF THE SEA FISHERY HERITAGE OF THE POLISH BALTIC COAST

Transcription

1 Mirosław Kuklik SELECTED ISSUES OF THE SEA FISHERY HERITAGE OF THE POLISH BALTIC COAST The most northern part of Poland; corresponding more or less with the area of the Polish Baltic Coast prior to the Second World War; is inhabited by the largest group of active fishermen. These fishermen are mostly Kashubian who comprise of an indigenous ethnic group who distinguish themselves through the preservation of their original old-slavic language. A substantially large number of fishermen inhabit the Hel Penisula. This long, sandy peninsula is almost completely devoid of agricultural land. Its inhabitants were therefore forced to support themselves by catching fish all year round. Thanks to this they have created an interesting and exceptional even in the Baltic conditions maritime culture. Native fishermen have always emphasised their own distinctive characteristics from the headland inhabitants. Due to this, just like their ancestors, they call everything that comes from the Peninsula fishermen s : so there is a fishermen s forest, fishermen s church, fishermen s priest, teacher, fishermen s language, etc. The presence of the indigenous group on the coast of the southern Baltic (from the border of southern Lithuania to the Szczecin Bay) is an exceptional situation. Since 1945, a process of new colonial settlement has occurred in the territories lying to the east and west from the Kashubish Coast. New settlers often took up fishing. But they have done it without reference to the old heritage, thus creating a new maritime culture. The region of the Gulf of Gdańsk, especially its western part called Puck Bay has for centuries been densely populated by people involved in the fishing trade. It results partly from the exceptional fishing quality of water in this region (in both sea and freshwater species). As well as the existence of large markets in the vicinity (Gdańsk). Of course even here the old culture undergoes certain changes and is steadily disappearing, mainly due to new forms of administration. However extensive research carried out here proves that the old fishermen s tradition is still alive and can be perceived as a distinguishing feature of this region. The maritime heritage of this region s fishermen is still so vivid that it provides exceptionally good conditions for observations and research. The research allows us to reach conclusions concerning the aims and direction for future undertakings that need to be carried out to improve our knowledge of the cultural environment, which owed its existence to sea fishing. In my paper I would like to introduce some of the characteristic features of the sea fisherman s cultural environment. I have divided these characteristics up into four themes: people; localities and buildings; tools, methods of catching and work organisation; fish processing. PEOPLE Undoubtedly, the fishermen of the past, just like the other men of the sea possessed features, which distinguished them from farmers or craftsmen. To exemplify this I will use a description from the beginning of the twentieth century: Fisherman s family from Jastarnia. Hel Peninsula, c The Budzisz family from Kuźnica. Passing down the fisherman s knowledge. Hel Peninsula,

2 The Kashubish Fisherman. Photo Henryk Kabat. Kashubian fishermen, so attached to the sea, differ spiritually from typical Landsmen. Their appearance embodies peace, composure, and concentration. They are composed, cautious, slow. They are not keen on colourful garments and their singing is not very lively. In life they are moderate at work, slow and cautious about their plans. They somehow resemble water with which they are so accustomed. (Alfred Swiekosz 1930) Family plays a vital role in the traditional fisherman s environment. Children are the future and they will secure well-earned peace and well being. The role of a woman- a wife is exceptional here. She usually comes from the same locality. As the man was away at sea most of the time his wife took over the role of the head of the family. She was responsible for the finances of the family. A fisherman usually gave all his basic wages to his wife. She took care of children and sometimes dealt with taking the fish to market and selling the catch. Her domain was the kitchen, her husband did not even look into it. On the other hand she didn t have to bother about fuel and heating the house or its maintenance. Women helped prepare the fishing equipment, but she never accompanied the fishermen to sea (this holds true today, too). She was not supposed to be on the shore while her husband was working there. A contrary situation can be observed in the neighbouring regions where women have been actively involved in the fishing itself. Traditional fishermen s garments are worth our attention too. People doing research into marine culture are more interested in every day garments than formal attire. Everyday clothing had to meet special requirements, it had to protect the fishermen from the cold and wet. Old fishermen still remember different ways for impregnating clothes to keep them warm. LOCALITIES AND BUILDINGS Contrary to the farmer s work, which can be done individually or within the family circle, traditional fishing, especially sea fishery, involves teamwork. This is why in fishing settlements isolated houses 42

3 Fisherman s daughter is helping with preparation of fishing equipment. Kuźnica, Hel Peninsula, do not exist. Fishermen did not pay attention to regular settlements especially if it was not legally required. Typical fishing settlements lacked farm buildings. Cow sheds if present were always under the same roof as the farmhouse. Fishermen s houses are easily distinguished from those inhabited by farmers, not only by the tools present in the courtyard. The houses distinguishing feature were unique pyramid-shaped chimneys the base of which was the inlet of a large stove canopy. The chimney was utilised as a fish drying-place. The chimney was also used as a smoke outlet for a small smokehouse. The excess smoke was disposed of through the door, which was divided into two parts, upper and lower. These doors, also known in other seaside settlements, were commonly used in Hel. The increase in catches at the turn of the 19th century led to the extension and building of separate smokehouses. The insides of fishermen s houses in comparison with farmhouses had much bigger vestibules, which also functioned as a kitchen. This was the place where the family gathered to, amongst other things, make and repair nets. The ceiling beams and walls had special hooks for fastening the nets. Seaside fishermen s houses have changed their interior architecture together with adopting a new function as boarding houses. This, in turn, led to limited storage space in the attic where the guestroom was prepared. This meant building separate tool sheds outside. Only the edges of the lofts could be used as before. To access it special small doors where made and through which oars, masts and other tools were placed inside. The remaining equipment was stored in sheds built nearby or on the shore. The most characteristic fishermen s sheds were those built from old boats. In order to build them boats were split and erected vertically and then the door was added. The last example of such a vessel existed at Jastarnia on Hel s Peninsula until Today the only example can be see at the open-air museum at the Fisheries Museum in Hel. 43

4 Fisherman s house in Hel from the beginning of the twentieth century. Vestibule of fisherman s house at Hel, from the beginning of the twentieth century. Fisherman s shed made from an old boat. Osłonino near Puck, Photo Roman Klim. Fishermen s houses possessed one more characteristic element. If there wasn t a tower with a weathercock in sight, the fisherman fixed one to the highest point of his house. Checking the wind s direction was the first instinctive action of a fisherman when leaving his house and before setting out to sea. The wind was a vital criterion in terms of sailing and size of the catch. Certain winds brought fish and others repelled them from the shore. TOOLS, METHODS OF CATCHING AND WORK ORGANISATION A fishermen s workshop is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting topics relating to the fisherman s environment. They contain centuries of experience and knowledge of fishermen. It is a pity that the descriptions of old nets are usually limited to superficial characteristics. It does not always permit their good identification. We can only make suppositions as to the materials Setting out to catch fish. Hel, Photo Tomasz Zydler. they were made from, their floating and sinkers or clearance. These facts were vital for the efficiency and durability of nets. We are left with only a general interpretation, knowing that these features depended on the site, the strength of currents and waves, the season, fish habits and local fishermen s traditions. But customs connected with organising the catch are much better researched and described. The oldest description of the form of fishermen s organisation on our coast is the outlay system described in the 15th century local legal code for Hel. The system probably existed much earlier since it was described as binding in Hel for a long time. It consisted of agreeing on the principle of financing the catch of herring, the most important trade fish at the time. Via this agreement the fisherman became a hired sea worker. The merchant financed the catch, providing the necessary tools, and boats. In exchange the fisherman worked for him giving him the catch. The fisherman obtained his contract wages and herring, but only for his own use. 44

5 Nets used to catch eel, so culled żaki on the coast of Jastarnia. Hel Peninsula, Photo Tomasz Zydler. If a fisherman could not meet his contract he became dependent on the merchant. This is why many fishermen ran away, although the local legal code had severe punishments for such deeds. This system was not binding for fishermen catching other fish: cod, eel, salmon and hunting seals, and common porpoise. They formed separate groups called Fisheries. Mashoperias were probably formed from these groups and existed on our coast until the mid-20th century. The word mashopeia according to linguistics comes from old-dutch and means part-ownership. In fact these were teams of fishermen usually related, and had a common partnership structure. The head of each team was a skipper a hereditary post on the Hel Peninsula. The members of the team were equal to one another. Each fisherman contributed the same share of equipment and his labour. He was entitled to an equal share of the profits. Even the skipper was named as the older among equals. Part-ownerships, apart from earning money had an important social role, designating a part of the profits for the social needs of the partnerships. They helped orphans, the sick, the old and widows. They gave financial support to churches and schools. To prevent quarrels among different mashopieris functioning within one locality, the seacoast was divided into sections called depths. Their number corresponded with the number of mashoperias. Annually, before the fishing season, the sections were interchanged. While talking about the organisation of fishing I must mention the term merki. These were simple graphic signs, carved into wood or engraved onto metal parts of fishing tools so they could be identified by their owners. They can still occasionally be found on the Kashubian Coast. FISH PROCESSING Fish processing and preservation of perishable fish is an important topic in terms of maritime fishing heritage. Just like in many other regions of the Baltic coast 45

6 Merki signs on a net used today, Kuźnica, Hel Peninsula, Richart s mashoperia in Jastarnia, Hel Peninsula, Photo Jadwiga Kucharska. the most important way for preserving fish is salting and smoking. It can be seen, as a matter of interest, that until 1900 on the Hel Peninsula smoke was mainly obtained from burning heather. This practice was officially banned due to the destabilisation of the newly forested dunes and caused the shift to deciduous wood. However, the fishermen protested against it saying that fish smoked in this way was not fit to eat. A special Imperial Committee came to Hel. They compared the two methods for a few days and decided that fish smoked in the new way were fit to eat. For their own use fishermen also dried fish, but not in the traditional way in the sun (just like the preparation of stockfish ). Usually they dried flounders under the large canopies of the house stove. This fish was a kind of reserve food in case of bad weather or poor catches. Dried flounder were then cooked with potatoes. However it was common practice to pre-dry flounders in the sun to prepare them for smoking. An interesting processing method was that used to obtain fat from sea-mammals: seals and common porpoises. We can still see well-preserved melting pots and tools used for the preparation of corpses. Old fishermen still remember traditional recipes for obtaining good quality fat. Fishermen with their practical sense also caught birds and collected seaweed. TO SUM UP Baltic fishing heritage is a broad subject. It is hard to present all its distinguishing features in this short paper. I have not mentioned topics such as: fishermen s boatbuilding, knowledge of the fishing trade, or fisherfolk customs and culture. It is essential that we conduct more comparative studies and research within the sea fishing environments from the different parts of the Baltic coast. The comparison of the activity and culture of groups, with the exception of fishermen who fish, both traditionally (inshore fishing) as well as deep sea fishing (on deep sea fishing vessels), may give us quite a full picture of the fishing trade on the Baltic sea. The number of these types of comparisons conducted for our basin has been quite small. Hel fishermen with a porpoise,