By Kamal Thabiti Soudjay, Comoros
The sea is like everything for us in Comoros. Why? Because from food and food security aspects to cultural connections, and health, the sea is everything.
The sea provides us with our daily meals. We eat seafood every day. If it is not fish but could be Topaz or other seafood products. So, every day you get the benefit of the sea, from a food and food security aspect.
We also see the sea every day. Whenever you are moving, even if it is from the capital city of Comoros, Moroni, you mostly pass close to the coast. When you go from one place to another, you are near the coast. So, you see the sea as your view every day. As an island, it’s like the sea is everything.
It is also important for the cultural aspect. For example, most of the time, when people are having a marriage ceremony or other cultural practices, the food should include fish or seafood dishes. The cultural aspect of the sea is very important.
The sea is also important for health issues and health. Especially in the rural areas and in areas along the coast, it is believed that when you get the flu, you have to go swim, so you get better. There are many epidemics that people believe you can cure by swimming in the ocean.
The sea is everything for us, from food and food security to cultural and health perspectives. Finally, from an economic aspect, more than 70% of the city here and villages of Comoros are coastal. Therefore, you get many villages that are dominated by fishers. People get benefits from the sea from fishing, which they often then sell for profit that they use for the education of their kids, or for their family’s livelihood. So, really – the sea is everything for us.
* “Journeys to the Sea” is a new series of inspiring stories that highlight the personal connections of marine professionals with the ocean. As a follow up to World Oceans Day on June 8th, WIOMSA is excited to launch a three-month-long celebration dedicated to the ocean. The series will feature 34 unique stories from across the Western Indian Ocean region. These stories will share firsthand accounts of ocean-related experiences, reflections, and narratives from participants who have been part of the Sida-funded International Training Programme on marine spatial planning, “Planning for a Sustainable Blue Future in the Western Indian Ocean”. The stories have been part of the Ocean Storytelling component of the workshop, led by Dr Mia Strand, Nelson Mandela University.
Feature photograph: Working hand in hand with local communities for the conservation of marine species: hope for the future of nature – Mohéli, Comoros. © Jerome Bourjea
