อัตลักษณ์ชุมชนท่ามกลางการเปลี่ยนแปลงและการต่อสู้ดิ้นรนของชาวประมงพื้นบ้าน ริมฝั่งแม่น้้าบางนรา จังหวัดนราธิวาส

บทคัดย่อ

This research study aimed at examining Community Identities among Changes and Struggling of small-scale fishermen at the bank of Bang Nara River, Narathiwat Province prior to the time from 1957 to 2017. The data was collected by using observations and in-depth interviews. This study involved 38 local participants from 4 groups of people: the elderly who were considered to be local experts, community leaders, religious leaders, and traditional fishermen. Conceptions on identity, ethnic identity, ethnicity, and ways of life were used as a framework for data analysis. The findings revealed that the Community Identities among Changes and Struggling of small-scale fishermen at the bank of Bang Nara River, Narathiwat Province could be classified into the following 3 eras: 1) the dependence and self-sufficiency era (prior to 1957), local people at the riverbank had lived a simple and self-sufficient life. With their local wisdoms, fishing had been undertaken by using natural materials taken from their own community. They had applied their Islamic beliefs to sustain their lives and preserve natural resources, perceiving coastal and marine resources as public assets. This had been practiced as a custom system transferred through generations. Apart from these, they had deployed their working skills, abilities, and experiences to depend upon and help one another in their families and community. In connection with the second era or the capitalism and trading era (1983-2002), the community had expanded due to its increasing population. The dependence and self-sufficiency economy had changed to be trading economy. As a consequence of this, fishing had been operated for trading. Traditional fishermen in this era had highly invested in modern fishing gears so as to facilitate their fishing. Those who could not afford such equipment needed to form relationship with “Tao-kae”, or Chinese big businessmen, to ask them for help. Tao-kae then played a crucial role in determining such relationship as ones being depended on under the overlapping patronage system. The last era or the community network and power era (2003-2017) saw a change on technology and modern utilities. The community had used these for their local fishing and fishing boats to assist them to easily approach coastal and marine resources. In this era, traditional fishermen in the community had created networks with other groups of fishermen outside the community to help one another as well as maintain their mutual benefits. This resulted in their increasing bargaining power against others, including authorities in the society. Such a way of life appeared to be sustainably maintained and transferred to other following generations.