RESUMO
Although much in the lives of members of the Caiçara small-scale fishing communities of Lázaro and Saco da Ribeira in Ubatuba, southeastern Brazil would suggest hardship, that population expresses a surprising degree of satisfaction with life. In this paper, we use a social wellbeing lens as applied through an ethnographic, mixed methods approach to reflect on this overall sense that lives rooted in small-scale fishing are well worth living despite their many challenges. We see the classic maritime anthropology theme of identity at the heart of meaning and life satisfaction. Identity provides core aspects of how people engage with their realities and anchors values that are reference points in work and social relations. With reference to the relational nuances revealed by the social wellbeing perspective, however, we show that Caiçara and small-scale fishing identities are not monolithic, but reflect gender and other social positions, and personal and familial experiences. These experiences include grappling with the complex effects of economic, social, political, and environmental changes. We conclude by arguing that fisheries policy that seeks to prioritize human wellbeing would benefit by adopting a social wellbeing perspective. Fisheries policy could thereby take into account identity, values, and relational elements of social life that give meaning and a sense of belonging to small-scale fishers, while also recognizing the cross-cutting and often contradictory variations in human experience that arise from social and economic differences. This social fabric of small-scale fishers' lives shapes their intentions and actions and is thus a necessary complication to the practice of fisheries management that its proponents need to consider.
RESUMO
Os caiçaras são populações litorâneas que tem sua cultura diretamente ligada ao mar. Suas práticas corporais possuem uma relação íntima com o espaço onde vivem. Este artigo apresenta dados de caráter qualitativo e se utiliza de uma metodologia fenomenológica, buscando observar a influência dos jogos tradicionais caiçaras na construção identitária destas comunidades. Para isso, são abordados pontos da formação, do desenvolvimento e do cotidiano caiçara, focando em algumas manifestações, como a corrida de canoas, e estabelecendo pontes entre as práticas corporais e a cultura caiçara por meio da fenomenologia da imagem. A relação com o mar aparece como principal elemento de representação das imagens da cultura caiçara e como um ambiente com o qual os indivíduos se identificam e se sentem parte. Os jogos tradicionais, à luz de outras manifestações, se configuram como possibilidade de remodelamento identitário e fortalecimento cultural.
The Caiçaras are coastal populations whose culture is directly linked to the sea. Their bodily practices have an intimate relationship with the space where they live. This article presents qualitative data and uses a phenomenological methodology, seeking to observe the influence of Caiçara's traditional games in the identity construction of these communities. For this, points of formation, development and daily life are expanded focusing on some manifestations, such as the canoe race, and establishing bridges between their bodily practices and the Caiçara culture through image phenomenology. The relationship with the sea appears as the main element of Caiçara's images representation and as an environment with which individuals identify and feel part of. The traditional games, as other manifestations, are configured as a possibility to identity remodeling and cultural strengthening.
Los caiçaras son poblaciones costeras cuya cultura está directamente vinculada al mar. Sus prácticas corporales tienen relación íntima con el espacio donde viven. Este artículo presenta datos cualitativos y utiliza metodología fenomenológica, buscando observar la influencia de los juegos tradicionales caiçaras en la construcción de identidad de estas comunidades. Para esto, se abordan formación, desarrollo y vida cotidiana de los caiçaras centrándose en algunas manifestaciones, como la carrera de canoas, y estableciendo puentes entre las prácticas corporales y la cultura caiçara a través de la fenomenología de la imagen. La relación con el mar aparece como el principal elemento de representación de las imágenes caiçaras y como un entorno con el que los individuos se identifican y se sienten parte. Los juegos tradicionales, a la luz de otras manifestaciones, se configuran como posibilidad de remodelación de identidad y fortalecimiento cultural.