Rawi Kammoun

The fishermen of Akka are facing many difficulties from governmental restrictions, to environmental degradation, and even state sponsored gentrification. This has led an increasing number of them to give up fishing and convert their boats into tour boats for visitors to the city. Fishing is more than just a means to earn money to Akka, the trade has been going on since the city’s inception and has become part of its identity. At one point more than 90% of the city’s population was involved in fishing. But today there are only a handful left.

The project consists of five audio pieces that introduce and detail the struggles of Akkawi fishermen and the methods they have used to overcome adversity. The last episode is a spatial description of the city by these fishermen accompanied by a recommended walk for those that are allowed to visit the city. This audio series will act as a monument to the fishermen and is capable of existing in a space where a physical monument might be taken down or dismantled. The choice for audio was also made because of the significance of radio in areas of political instability as it often becomes the only source of information available.

The audio pieces include found audio from past interviews and archives as well as recorded conversations I had with the fishermen. Some of the background audio is also lifted directly from Akka.

The goal is to reimagine city design as a practice more concerned with deeper understandings of inter and intra personal relationships of citizens to each other, their cities, and the governmental forces at play rather than with built interventions that might alter the urban fabric. It is also an exercise in conducting urban work as someone fundamentally physically disconnected from that urban environment, as I am not allowed to visit Akka. This work seeks to confirm the former while adapting to the limitations posed by the latter and also seeks to act as an acoustic monument to the fishermen of Akka.