RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE BELIEF PRACTICES AND THE ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT WITHIN SOUTHWEST COASTAL FISHING COMMUNITY IN VIETNAM APPROACHING FROM THE THEORY OF CULTURAL ECOLOGY

Abstract

This article aims to examine the relationship between the belief practices and the ecological environment within Southwest coastal fishing communities in Vietnam. The fishermen’s religious practices are diverse and adaptable to the coastal environment which significantly impacts their livelihood. Case-study research withobservation and in-depth interviews indicate the obvious differences in the coastal environment between An Thuy fishing community (Ba Tri District, Ben Tre Province) and Song Doc fishing community (Tran Van Thoi District, Ca Mau Province) in the Southeast and Southwest of the East Sea respectively. The surveyed differencesdirectly affect religious activities, including the time of festivals, offerings, cuisine, and decorations in the two researched areas. In particular, the research result support the scientific theory defined by Julian Stewart, an anthropologist of cultural ecology.