The Heritagization of Traditional Subsistence Activities: A Case Study on Ama Fishing in Toba City, Japan

• Published in: Journal of Environmental Sociology Vol. 25; pp. 186 - 201
• Main Author: YOSHIMURA, Mai
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japanese Association for Environmental Sociology 05.12.2019; 環境社会学会
• Subjects: Cultural Heritage; Governance; Legitimacy; Regional Resource; Traditional Subsistence Activity; ガバナンス; レジティマシー; 地域資源; 文化遺産; 生業
• ISSN: 2434-0618
• DOI: 10.24779/jpkankyo.25.0_186

In modern society, where everything can be considered cultural heritage, the concept of a heritage system is both newly established and expanding. In 2004, the category of Folk Techniques was added to the list of Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property set down in the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties（1950）. This amendment affected traditional subsistence activities and designated them as cultural properties. Subsequently, ama（a female shell diver）fishing in Toba City, Mie prefecture, was designated as a folk technique in 2017, and Mie prefecture began to promote the activity as a regional resource and cultural property. However, prior research has pointed out the risk of creating a hierarchy of value by promoting subsistence activities as cultural heritage. Research has also discussed how communities can reconstruct socio-economic and cultural connections with local heritage, as well as regain the perception that they can legitimately control these connections. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the process of heritagization affects highly embodied subsistence activities, using ama fishing as an example. It suggests that the previously existing system of subsistence activities has been reorganized within the context of cultural heritage and regional development. Due to external intervention, plural legitimacies and their contradictions have occurred. At the same time, the ama have been subject to changes in both their social perception and their governance system. Therefore, when considering ama fishing and other highly embodied subsistence activities, it is important to explore how to govern with consideration for the daily life of local people and their legitimacy to participate in governance, particularly in regard to their social positioning.