Logboats of CoquĂ­ : an ethnographic approach to maritime material culture
This thesis focuses on the traditional logboats of CoquĂ­, an Afro-descendant community in the Pacific coast of ChocĂł, Colombia. It considers these boats as an entry point into the life of the community and explores the technological and functional aspects of the watercraft, their wider context, and related social practices. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, it draws on an ethnographic methodology to look at the question of whether and how the boats inform on the life of the community, their history, their identity and their maritime concerns. This thesis reflects upon the multiple ways in which people in CoquĂ­ relate to their boats and the many levels at which these boats operate. It demonstrates that the watercraft of the community of CoquĂ­ is significantly complex and holds a fundamental importance to their existence. The present study addresses the need of a comprehensive in-depth look at traditional boats in which the relationships between people and boats are as relevant as the pure technological and functional interests, dominant in the field of boat studies and maritime archaeology. It shows that ethnography is an effective methodology to unveil the richness of the materiality of social life,
Fuquen Gomez, Clara
CC Archaeology ; GN Anthropology
Logboats of CoquĂ­ : an ethnographic approach to maritime material culture. This thesis focuses on the traditional logboats of CoquĂ­, an Afro-descendant community in the Pacific coast of ChocĂł, Colombia. It considers these boats as an entry point into the life of the community and explores the technological and functional aspects of the watercraft, their wider context, and related social practices. Based on a transdisciplinary approach, it draws on an ethnographic methodology to look at the question of whether and how the boats inform on the life of the community, their history, their identity and their maritime concerns. This thesis reflects upon the multiple ways in which people in CoquĂ­ relate to their boats and the many levels at which these boats operate. It demonstrates that the watercraft of the community of CoquĂ­ is significantly complex and holds a fundamental importance to their existence. The present study addresses the need of a comprehensive in-depth look at traditional boats in which the relationships between people and boats are as relevant as the pure technological and functional interests, dominant in the field of boat studies and maritime archaeology. It shows that ethnography is an effective methodology to unveil the richness of the materiality of social life,
ethnographic maritime material_culture focus traditional descendant community coast colombia considers boat entry_point life community explore technological functional_aspect watercraft wide_context relate social_practice based draws ethnographic look question_whether boat inform life community history identity maritime concern reflect_upon multiple_way people relate boat many level boat operate demonstrates watercraft community significantly complex hold fundamental_importance existence present_study address need comprehensive depth look traditional boat relationships people boat relevant pure technological functional interest dominant field boat study maritime_archaeology show ethnography effective unveil richness materiality social_life