The colour of seawater: colour perception and environmental change in Dominican seascapes^★

The colour of seawater is a topic daily discussion among diver fishermen in the Dominican Republic, who navigate shifting ocean environments alongside conservation politics. While policies often target fishing as main cause declines health marine ecologies, use to create alternative narratives about changing climates. Describing sea blue, black, brown, green, whitewash, purple, and chocolate, divers point broader causes seascapes while chronicling their affective embodied consequences. Based on ethnographic fieldwork fishermen, this article explores lens for understanding physical, affective, social, political consequences climates communities are deeply entangled ecologies. For whose engagements with depend visibility, colours provide ways interpreting possibilities, navigating spaces, measuring effects environments. Given centrality perception fishermen's lives, argues that an narrative climates, linking conditions global systemic problems, rather than blaming changes environmental supposedly irresponsible practices local people. La couleur de l'eau mer : des couleurs et changements écologiques paysages marins dominicains Résumé est un sujet conversation quotidien pour les pêcheurs en plongée la République Dominicaine, qui naviguent à fois dans milieu océanique changeant au gré politiques protection l'environnement. Alors que celles-ci pointent souvent pêche du doigt comme principale mauvaise santé écosystèmes marins, se servent mettre récit différemment climatiques. En décrivant bleue, noire, marron, verte, blanchâtre, violette ou chocolat, ils plus larges changement tout relatant conséquences affectives physiques ceux-ci. Sur base d'un travail terrain ethnographique parmi dominicains, cet explore prisme comprendre physiques, affectives, sociales climatique ces communautés étroitement imbriquées changeants. Pour plongée, ont besoin visibilité leurs relations avec mer, sont moyen d'interpréter chances prise, naviguer espaces océaniques mesurer effets leur environnement. Les perçues, centrales vie pêcheurs, fournissent différent climat, liant l’état problèmes systémiques planétaires lieu faire porter responsabilité sur pratiques censément irresponsables populations locales. Estero Salado, town sits across border from Haiti, animated by hues ocean. At bridge over wharf – highest along beach motorcycles lined curb. Arriving mid-morning, I asked what everyone was doing here. ‘The usual’, Ramón,1 fisherman responded, waving arm towards sea, ‘looking at when we can't fish’. Rain higher usual seas past weeks had stranded significant number Salado's normally amphibious community land. ‘Even though it's dirty, come watch’. Ramón others livelihoods ability underwater, dirty water affects see fish they hunt spearguns region's labyrinth reefs, shoals, seamounts. refigure quotidian relate one another environment. followed collective gaze out looking north British territory Turks Caicos. ‘You don't dirtiness there?’ me, pointing horizon, ‘Look. Look all that’. Félix, whom fished frequently summer, explained, it but there black’. From his post, leaning against rail, pitched explanation. What happens here, close shore, there's mud. That's why you brown. But there, sand. stirred up lifts sand bottom. above clean, sink bottom, anything. Perhaps physics student Franz Boas would have benefited he sought answer question 1881 dissertation: ‘What seawater?’ (Boas 1881). His inability objectively led successful career anthropology, profound transformation discipline. Seawater argued after having examined absorptions, reflection, polarization light ‘matter cultural construal, sheer empiricity’ (Helmreich 2011: 133). Although didn't cite aqueous interactions mud Félix explained above, pointed situational aspects shaded visual perception, arguing psychophysics assumed be quantitative actually qualitative, thereby ‘call[ing] into very possibility general measure perceptions’ (Stocking 1982 [1968]: 142-3). Blue, yellow, chocolate words used describe different times, under circumstances. Colours indicate strength swell, direction current, or heavy rains inland spread fresh sediment sea. Below surface, signal depth geography seafloor, well canvas which life practises art survival. Whereas certain seasons coincide predictable aquatic palettes, recent years noted drastic both Warming nearshore temperatures sedimentation nearby river mouth left grounds permanent yellow-white hue, driven deeper water. Swells exaggerated hurricane turn tranquil bay brown months time, whereas regained its azure composure within week. This centres way most impacted narrate climate change lives. Perceiving more just experience. Knowing knowing multiple scales, how manifest, such mean those Marine ecologies widely understood exceptionally vulnerable Caribbean (Moore 2019). As discuss below, much dialogue surrounding attempts governance behaviours coastal where overfishing predominant declining firmly moored idea should attempt understand perspectives stake changes. By focusing weather patterns, pollution waterways shared agricultural industries, rising temperatures, other possible ecological decline emerge, specifically ones link degradation crucial vibrant coral reefs become synonymous economies paradise wonders oceans (Elias 2019), so our equated lack colour, case bleaching. In decades, blue has association almost trend epitomized through contemporary branding economy, ecology, humanities. Yet historians documented, long been described blue. Old English terms white were scholars note absence Ancient Greek lexicon, ‘wine-red’ (Jue 2020; Sassi 2017). deduced, later corroborated, these differing perceiving not anatomical, but, rather, tied contexts shape people name categorize (Sassi Following Boas, anthropologists studied aspect culture. some, semiotic codes organize give meaning social (O'Neale & Dolores 1943; Sahlins 1976). Others importance socio-environmental factors perceive (Bille Sørensen 2007; Conklin 1986; Ingold 2005), experiences (Joy 2015). comparative study, Victor Turner concluded them simply perceptions. Rather, ‘condensations whole realms psychobiological experience involving reason senses’ (Turner 1967: 91). Rephrased, Turner's research suggests ‘color fundamentally involved making culture human body’ (Taussig 2006: 35). Michael Taussig (2006) describes role embodied, constituting kind immersive experiential knowledge. scholarship expansive, aim revisit Boas's original question, keeping mind anthropological Arctic. trip shifted focus questions considerations (Timreck 1980). engage interplay knowledge context environments, talking articulate lived lost colour’, Luis attested, recounting history sat patio, repairing gear. ‘When motor five miles, do know real is? They sell bottle rum, Brugal, glass Beautiful’. He made gesture aesthetic appreciation, kiss universe off tips fingers created beauty. doesn't get any more’. twenty-five years, fifteen noticed him, allow sensing changes, shifts also projects region. decade, wave state-sponsored NGO-driven programmes seeking manage spaces increasingly focused attention seascapes. These conservation-driven small-scale commercial threat health, targeting (mesh size nets, compressor diving), simultaneously placing bans, seasonal, species. Under internationally funded regimes, watch labour grow illegal, without respectable alternatives income, continue despite legal risks. two during resided conducted four educational meetings sustainable workshops held, eighteen new bans implemented. Little no directed sources anthropogenic Each meeting workshop public Facebook Instagram posts activities state agencies NGOs, cultivating environmentally responsible intervention lives rural fishermen. Many communities, including live amongst growing scientific interest ecosystems, fisheries, resource management initiatives, habitually seek quantify roles Often large US European organizations explicit development goals, conservationists fisheries scientists tend underwater regularly accompanied enlisted lead biologists reef banks, count numbers urchins parrotfish, bleached reefs. data support regional advocates education resources. Assumptions Afro-Caribbean stewards ecosystems abound Caribbean, cosmopolitan environmentalism (Braverman 2015; Lorimer 2015) understands need (Connell Holmes 2010; Price 2006). (Crawford Elias success flurry activity scales attributed rise Amelia Moore (2019) ‘global science’. Recognizing urgency depleted economic opportunities promised ecotourism, Republic quick participate collaborations Challenge Initiative (CCI). Launched Nature Conservancy international funding partners, CCI established Biodiversity Fund, provided access endowment US$42 million nations committed putting 20 per cent 2020. unique environment, identified Salado site potential ecotourism. National reports titles ‘Fishing consumes life’ (Mejía del Cid Interventions increased surveillance region, flood catch laws restrictions, put areas limits fishing, ecotourism destinations. Conservation proposed replace jobs initiatives developed nation-wide, few folded networks tourism economy.2 Amid increasing means same conservationists, yet holistic manner. forefront express own seas, runoff industries subaquatic damages hurricanes, directly affect bodies, make living risky conditions. Through analysis understandings, argue perceptions reframe ecological, conceptualizations privileging explanatory models brings marginalized centre stage,3 diving exactly seen, felt, Unlike hook line spearfishing revolves around immerse body way, experience, perception. includes less 7 miles coastline, 120 spearfish using methods. first oldest freediving, swim fins, mask, snorkel, speargun, metal wire stopper end string onto once caught. (Fig. 1). Freediver must dive down seafloor (6 60 feet depth) breath hold stalk spear fish. Depending conditions, freedivers may individually swimming seven hours small cays, collectively rent outboard-motored skiff reach islets banks between 3 8 offshore. Skiffs belong fishmongers, forfeit portion earnings cost petrol cut goes owner boat. compressor. Fishing hold, since hose connects endless air supply allows waters (from 30 feet) productively, although significantly risk. Where bring 1,200 pesos (US$22) 14-18 pounds fish, day's work upwards 3,000 DOP (US$60) 30-40 catch. technology determined source Pavlowich Kapuscinski 2017), surest can earn income region warming shallows pushed deeper, cooler When freediving impossible, ends meet. Both ages 15 50, completed high school. sons poor families part country scarce, begin teenagers families, forgoing Despite formal education, keen observers experts northern coast's rhythms included interviews, participant observation, my endeavours learn mentioned every day conversations interlocutors. people's analytic register change. seawater, vocalize runs contrary dominant narratives. politics depicts threats healthy oceans, historical, communal ties revealing ecopolitical personal intends weight Table 1 provides reader consolidated vocabulary sea-specific meaning.4 suffers perpetually skies. surfaced offshore afternoon accompanying recreational excursion former looked find, unusually, overcast sky. Within minutes, sky turned pale again eyes adjusted surface. Colours, senses indicated, relations, read On surfacing period inundated 80-foot-deep water, mistake thinking sky, misread relation indicated something weather. characterizes immersion expected able brilliant spectrums amidst dependable case. Monotone stripped 10 feet, impossible camouflage trying catch, interlocutors rarely saw Attuning seeing, communicating, mainstay methodology ethnographers. Immersed learning sense arguments fluid conducting requires tools. classic pen-and-paper combo useless jot notes bucking boat are, discovered, recipe seasickness. below water-housed GoPro Hero became tool collection, think colour. photos took observation surprise arrived back land (the viewfinder), share images present pictures taken. One image featured Ramón, clear day, wearing crimson long-sleeved shirt surface 2). loved contrast deep, saturated column. ‘Why isn't shirt?’ brother, freediver fisherman, proudly showed him image. began second-guess vision still assuming shirtless. Red filtered cannot descends floor. Most stunning jungles, rainbow fixtures, schools portray spectrum if dived spot taken.5 order restore reds, oranges, yellows disappear only photography depends filters flashlights. essence, take red depths does appear. however, memory perspective, convincing me else akin skin tone.6 If colour's then beyond immediate vision. My exploration engaging stem encounters like one, could recognize, found invisible, changed colours. photographs ongoing collaborative process regarding navigation both. Our sometimes-misaligned capacities offered fault assumptions vision: thing, deploy interpretations informed fields. anyone knows ever tried capture sunset camera, unreliable, ‘colors always constructed picture, never reproduced’ (Bogost 2020). Subaquatic affects, embodiments, seascapes, topics further analyse sections follow. familiar scent milk greeted evenings homes families. divers’ lucrative, dictate money, cycle times hardship. simmering deep aluminium pots calories cheap buy, popular financial difficulty, especially children. easy meal, though, shore. ‘Chocolate’, Manuel groaned disgust seaward wharf. chocolate’. ocean, recently borne brunt hurricanes Irma Maria, audience today, twenty gathered informally chance horizon. Heavy Yaque Norte, west deposits deluge muddy Atlantic, leaving brackish mess mercy currents. High winds turbulent symptoms heighten opacity many ‘accompany ocean’, it, days 3), avoid all. hadn't seen wake season, absent beach. Impatient, stopped home check ask avoiding funk. ‘If despair bit’, hurting financially affectively Swathes coagulate near shore Salado. With tides parallel currents ill-ease, restlessness, disenchantment. Fishermen will meet needs basic Accustomed highly athletic basis, restless stuck home. Increasing instances caused incidents remind inescapably threatened Such sentiments tangible slump-shouldered morning, hope horizon taking solace being work. Chocolate hue refer ‘dirty water’. indicates thrashed storm systems, swells picking silt, mud, turtlegrass, even life, sloshing together sometimes passed. Yellow, contrast, opacity. Yellow flooded inland, bringing (often toxic) rice fields irrigated waste. Fresh floats top salt yellow possible, layer find below. creates physically taxing continually seafloor. Divers report debilitating ear infections rashes, I, too, experienced seas. Similar Teresa Montoya's account toxic mining rivers Navajo Nation, represents ‘the slow violence contamination’ (2017: 92), some bodies others. such, chronicle feelings disenchantment, despair, dread, physiological impacts bodies. Scholars attuning connections (Navaro-Yashin 2012; Whatmore 2013), largely because registers ‘public feelings’, individual's emotions (Luna 2018; Stewart 2007). Public feelings, played minor science. Global South, framed