Speech

They that go down to sea in ships, that do

Business in great waters:

These see the works of the Lord, and his

Wonders in the deep.

107th Psalm

“For nearly four centuries the history of Gloucester, Massachusetts has been the story of America’s greatest fishing port (Sheedy 1998).” The courageous fishermen who established Gloucester’s rich culture first traveled to Gloucester sustained by the hope of prosperity. However, “their legacy came at a tremendous cost: the loss of over 5300 men (Sheedy 1998).” These brave men have been known by names other than fishermen; they were father, husband, brother, son. “They were known as the finest kind (Sheedy 1998).” Rather than view fishing as a fear or as an obstacle, many of the fatherless children entered the trade of their lost fathers because they view fishing as a love and as an obligation. The small port City of Gloucester, although now being strained by Amendment 13 and by the possible loss of its entire fishing fleet, remains strengthened by the character of its fishermen; “inspired by their courage, and proud to call them Gloucestermen (Sheedy 1998).”

The first settlers came to Gloucester in 1623 to fish the waters between Gloucester and Newfoundland. Originally a heterogeneous culture of Italian, Irish, and Portuguese men who all spoke different languages, the cultures merged into one homogeneous culture of Gloucester fishermen. Since then, thousands of men have fished out of the port of Gloucester. It was these men who instituted the culture of Gloucester and decided what it means to be a Gloucesterman. “A Gloucesterman [is] not necessarily born in Gloucester, but they all [fish] “out of Gloucester” and [play] a great part in the culture and in the development of Gloucester. These men [are] great captains, fishermen and merchants who made Gloucester a seaport second to none in the United States (Sheedy 1998).”

Similar to all cultures of the world, the culture of the Gloucester fishermen is determined by specific behaviors, appearances, morals, beliefs, and goals. However, the Gloucester fishing culture is an epistemic culture, based on the knowledge fishing and the beliefs surrounding fishing. What sets the culture of the Gloucester fishermen apart from all other cultures of the world is the common occurrence of life threatening experiences and the loss of many close friends and family, many of whose bodies will never be discovered. The identification with extreme happenings, like so, allows for the fishermen to easily identify with one another, thus dividing them into a group of their own. Along with sharing many of the same experiences, people of the same culture also tend to have a similar appearance. Having a “bushy beard, [and wearing] a plaid shirt and jeans (Cook 2003)” many citizens of Gloucester “look every bit the fisherman (Cook 2003).” The fishermen have a certain look about their faces. They are weathered yet strong, and possess “the pungent fish odor locals call “money” (Cook 2003).”

Due to the fact that the vast majority of Gloucester fishermen are male, the occupation creates distinct gender lines. “The powers of ordinary [fishermen] are circumscribed by the everyday worlds in which they live (Mills 1).” Since the element of fishing is a predominantly male occupation, boundaries are established for what is considered appropriate male and female behavior. For example, in Gloucester, the “home to some of the most militant of the regions fishermen (Cook 2003)” the fishermen provide for the families. This makes it so that the women are “more likely to be found among the “stuck”- those in low mobility positions and occupations (Mills 2).” Fishing is stereotypically a male occupation because of its physical requirements and high risk factor. Women who do take upon the occupation are negatively profiled without knowledge of it. There exists a predominant sentiment within the Gloucester society that it is incorrect for women to fish for a living. Rather, the women stay home to care for the house and children. The prejudice toward women who commercial fish is so vivid that a memorial stands adjacent to the Man at the Wheel, known as “The Fishermen’s Wives Statue.” The eight foot statue, also standing on Stacy Boulevard and over looking the ocean is of a mother and her two children waiting for the return of their husband and father, a Gloucester fisherman. Although the statue, in a sense, commemorates the female’s role in the Gloucester fishing culture, it also diminishes the role of the female by implying male superiority.

Culture is established through interactions with people of the same culture. Fishing