Understanding the Interactions Between the Sea and Humans Through an
Anthropological Study of Wooden Boatbuilding in Indonesia
Dublin Core
Title
Understanding the Interactions Between the Sea and Humans Through an
Anthropological Study of Wooden Boatbuilding in Indonesia
Anthropological Study of Wooden Boatbuilding in Indonesia
Description
This paper fits best within Session 3 because the topic, which is the anthropological study of wooden boatbuilding
today, will provide a specific ethnographic case to understand the interactions between the seas and humans in a
contemporary local context. The case study under consideration is the wooden boatbuilding in the Konjo region
of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where the local knowledge and skills have been inherited by the present generation.
This study mainly employs data collection based on anthropological fieldwork done by the author in 2019 and
2022, including observations and interviews in the shipwright community in the region, to examine the unique and
universal aspects of the way of life with/by the sea. The study explores how people's skills, philosophy, and social
relations are shaped through boatbuilding. The Konjo people have used local resources and developed their
knowledge and skills to make seaworthy vehicles. The construction process has been symbolized as human
procreation. Boatbuilding also illustrates the working networks of boatbuilders. This case indicates that boats are
not just a means of transportation but also a microcosm of the interaction linking people to the sea.
today, will provide a specific ethnographic case to understand the interactions between the seas and humans in a
contemporary local context. The case study under consideration is the wooden boatbuilding in the Konjo region
of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where the local knowledge and skills have been inherited by the present generation.
This study mainly employs data collection based on anthropological fieldwork done by the author in 2019 and
2022, including observations and interviews in the shipwright community in the region, to examine the unique and
universal aspects of the way of life with/by the sea. The study explores how people's skills, philosophy, and social
relations are shaped through boatbuilding. The Konjo people have used local resources and developed their
knowledge and skills to make seaworthy vehicles. The construction process has been symbolized as human
procreation. Boatbuilding also illustrates the working networks of boatbuilders. This case indicates that boats are
not just a means of transportation but also a microcosm of the interaction linking people to the sea.
Creator
Tsukiko Myojo
Publisher
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
2023
Language
English
Bibliographic Citation
Myojo, Tsukiko. 2023. “Understanding the Interactions Between the Sea and Humans through an Anthropological Study of Wooden Boatbuilding in Indonesia.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Abhirada Komoot. In Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1934
Files
Citation
Tsukiko Myojo, “Understanding the Interactions Between the Sea and Humans Through an
Anthropological Study of Wooden Boatbuilding in Indonesia,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed September 16, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1934.
Anthropological Study of Wooden Boatbuilding in Indonesia,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed September 16, 2026, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1934.