The Maritime Traditions of the Fishermen of Socotra, Yemen
Jansen Van Rensburg, Julian
Date: 13 December 2012
Thesis or dissertation
Publisher
University of Exeter
Degree Title
Doctor of Philosophy in Arab and Islamic Studies
Abstract
The Socotra archipelago lies approximately 135 nautical miles northeast of Cape Guardafui,
Somalia and 205 nautical miles south of Rās Fartaq, Yemen. The archipelago is made up of four
main islands, Socotra, <Abd al-Kūri, Sam+a and Darsa, of which Socotra is the largest and most
densely populated. The population of Socotra is divided ...
The Socotra archipelago lies approximately 135 nautical miles northeast of Cape Guardafui,
Somalia and 205 nautical miles south of Rās Fartaq, Yemen. The archipelago is made up of four
main islands, Socotra, <Abd al-Kūri, Sam+a and Darsa, of which Socotra is the largest and most
densely populated. The population of Socotra is divided between the interior pastoralists and the
coastal fishermen and traders. While scholarly studies concerning the interior population abound,
the fishermen of Socotra have received very little attention and little about them or their
traditions is known. This thesis seeks to address this balance by studying their maritime
traditions and asking the question, how have social, environmental and technological influences
shaped the maritime traditions of the fishermen of Socotra?
The primary data forming the basis of this study is my ethnographic fieldwork carried out on the
islands of Socotra and Sam+a between 2009 and 2010. This data is incorporated within a
transdisciplinary framework that looks at some of the essential factors of historical,
archaeological and environmental evidence to gain a holistic insight into the spatial and temporal
factors affecting the maritime traditions of the fishermen.
This study argues several important points. The first is that the fishermen’s maritime traditions
on Socotra are governed by their length of involvement in fishing and understanding of the
environment they are operating within. Secondly, their fishing practices are influenced by social
and economic demands, which have a direct impact on the vessels and equipment they use.
Thirdly, the environment and landscape plays a major role in the fishermen’s techniques and
practices. Finally, it also argues that there is not a singular, uniform maritime tradition for the
entire island of Socotra, but that there are numerous regional variations.
Doctoral Theses
Doctoral College
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