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There is a small village on the southern coast of Sri Lanka called
Weligamma. It is a lovely place where local fisherman have adopted an
almost unique way of fishing. As you approach Weligama along the coast
road east from Galle you will encounter Sri Lanka’s famous stilt
fishermen. Each fisherman has a long pole with a crossbar that is stuck
in the seabed close to the shore. The fishermen wade or swim out to
these poles at times when the sea and fish are running in the right
direction. They then perch on the crossbar, cast out their lines, and
wait patiently for a nibble. The origin of this unusual fishing
technique is unknown, but it is so successful that each stilt position
is highly prized and handed down from father to son. However just think
that nowadays they earn more from the tourists than the fish !!
An old tradition around Sri Lanka, stilt fishing had disappeared after
the devastating tsunami that hit the country and other parts of the
Indian Ocean, but soon the people returned to their customs, and now
you can spot them sitting on their uncomfortable stilts, hoping to
catch something.
Though they may be beautiful to look at, stilt fishermen have it rough.
They spend hours sitting on a thin plank, hoping to catch one or two
fish about 5 cm-long, that they sell for about 2 cents each. The rough
waves keep the big fish away, so they sometimes have to settle for te
smallest catch. But it’s a small price to pay in order to preserve
centuries-old traditions.
Sudipta
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