Wandering View: Gannan Boat People Anthropological Investigation

By combining the historical literature with fieldwork,it clarify Gannan boat people’s ethnic origin history,migratory routes, etc.when they settled this land of Gannan.And then focused survey the production, customs, social interaction of boat people.After a long period of time by participating in observation, it found that there are different in many ways between boat people with land residents because of their unique production and lifestyle.It circulating brotherhood of ancestor became a different surname brothers among the three surnames boat people, they unified character generation and agreed not marry each other,these traditions are still playing a force so far. But they conflict, fight, and even bloodshed each other with three brothers in order to compete for limited survival resources as the population growth.Xiao Guo Li each has its own unique fishing techniques,as secret that not to show people,which not only became their distinguishing mark but also became their battle fuse.Three surnames boat people settled in Gannan has several hundred years though, the number of people is minority relative to the number of land residents,with the engagement of not marry each other,it leading to a gradual convergence in custom between the boat people and the land residents.But the production and lifestyle of boat people is not the same with the land residents after all,they has the strong taboos and customs.In the aspect of social interaction, three surnames boat people each has both unity and contradiction. Boat people has fusion and friction with the land residents through daily life,the festival custom, life etiquette and beliefs to participate in community activities.However, with the accelerated process of modernization, Boat people facing many difficulties to survive.For example: a relatively low income, the deterioration of the production environment, poor living conditions, etc.Boat people which have a certain ability with their own efforts to gradually get rid of the shackles of water,they began to settle down on the shore by built house, bought house, rent on the shore and other ways.The younger generation living turned to land from the water gradually,attendanting the unidentity to "Boat People" for himself.This unique group has begun to wither.