In this latest installment from the sustainable food series Perennial Plate, creators Daniel Klein and Mirra Fine tell the story of one small, but resilient, family. As generations before them have done, the men catch fish via nets and poles while the women cook inside the family’s makeshift, one-window hut.
When the 2004 tsunami hit Southeast Asia, they, like many others, were caught in the waves, forced to hold onto trees for survival. Despite losing eight loved ones, the family continues to live at the mercy of the sea. Since the horrific events, they have been unable to catch as many fish as they used to, either because fish are not swimming as close to the shore, or other environmental factors. Whatever the reason, the family is staying put. As one young son says, “we will live with the sea until we die.”
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