If You Do Good

by Marloes Kraan

This ten-minute film portrays a fishing expedition as it currently is done in Ghana by Anlo-Ewe beach seine fishermen. This film, named after the canoe featuring in the film, has been shot on one day, in a village called Akosua Village (Central Region). It is a film that speaks for itself; the only sound is that of the rhythm of the waves and of the singing and talking fishermen. Beach seine fishing is done by the Anlo-Ewe for more than 100 years, after the net was introduced by a woman named Afedima - a female entrepreneur from Woe (Volta Region). She had bought the net from the Europeans around 1860. The local name of the net is yevudor, which means ‘white man's net’. The fishermen in the film are migrants, who started fishing in this village about 100 years ago. The film shows clearly that there is no by-catch; all fish caught - is used.