Peru's Fishermen and Their Traditional Reed Boats

On the northern coast of Peru, the fishermen still use “little horses” to play in the surf. It’s harder than it looks…
These graceful boats - made of tortora reeds, were around long before the Inca came to be. They’re so ideally suited to Peru’s rugged northern surf that their design has remained virtually unchanged in several hundred years. Though used by fishermen up and down the coast, their home is still here, in Huanchaco.
Buso is the patriarch of the beach - the man who has the last word in everything from the weather -- to who is strong enough to carry a boat.
Buso started his career at the age of four - a good thing, since he now had over thirty mouths to feed - ten children, with the next generation well on the way.
Each fisherman must grow enough tortora reed to make five boats a year. A caballito lasts less than three months in the pounding surf.
Buso is illiterate. His teachers once urged him to stay in school and become a professional - a lawyer, or a doctor. "But I am already a master fisherman," he said. "I have studied the sea and I understand her ways."
“This is where I belong.”
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Category: Travel

[@laurabirgele950]

I've just finished to read your book and I'm so happy to find these videos here. Everything was real! Buso was real! Thank you.

[@OurHumanPlanet]

Yes! Buso was real. I'm thrilled that you thought to look for the video version of the Japanland book on the web - thank you!

[@jorgeluiscanalesreynoso32]

I read your book so many years ago and see all the things that were written, see the letters in those pages turning into real people, animals, environments, has no price.

[@OurHumanPlanet]

You just made my day, Jorge. Thank you!

[@mhillvo]

And many times, the ones who can't hold the pressure of a fire hose, turn out of be men, so no back and forth on this. I wouldn't try to compete with Iron Men, because I know I can't do what they do without extensive training and years of practicing lifting. I'd be nuts to try that for a video moment...lesson was, know when to say when and don't try proving nothing you can't easily manage well. They live this life and when you left, kept on fishing and rowing with bamboo oars...and he was bookin' too, in the final montage...interesting craft, suited for what they do, no registration, insurance or motors, just cut reed, let 'em dry, bundle them into a floating config and off you go...so simple a life with a ROI in fish when they want it. Knowing the sea and it's ways, most impressive comment in the video. Wise man...very! God Bless them.

[@m.a.s.a.8039]

Great short documentary!!

[@Jedizen07]

Great job. Loved this!

[@OurHumanPlanet]

Thank you, David!

[@humpty4205]

Very nice

[@MarAwanaDISPOCO.]

Dope

[@MarAwanaDISPOCO.]

They have the best shit there😅😅😅😅

[@LTSadness]

I Just Came Here From School Sorry, Our Human Planet

[@jackp492]

Good on her for carrying her own weight

[@mhillvo]

They used different "oars" than she, and the fancy one just created more drag when trying to steer. They used theirs like both oars and side rudder when needed. So much for a documentarian and the photog taking pics here. They live this way and in a way, I think he's right about knowing his "lane" as the young say, and sticking to it. Fishing there, probably doesn't even interest the women there, does anyone ever think some things are best left as they have been for longer than the visitor has been alive, perhaps. Visit, respect the culture and don't have to try to do everything they do. A firefighter has to hold their hose against tremendous pressure during actual fires, and during training, some...just do not have the physical strength required for the important job where lives are on the line constantly. Our world speaks of rights for groups, but if not suited by build, why get a hernia trying to show how strong one is. I do know some women who work on farms in the U.S. who could carry two boats back to back at that weight, but of course they deal with livestock daily. Documentary was insightful, however, as to how others prefer to live their lives and thrive due to not being Western in thinking. It's why I like YT...variety of people on your screen speaking words and showing you who they are in real life...social sucks, sometimes.