Unraveling cultural economies and power dynamics: An in-depth anthropological study of anchovy fishing in north sumatran coastal commumity

Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Andalas University, 25129. Padang, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: jonson@soc.unand.ac.id

Abstract

This study explores the power dynamics in the anchovy fishing system of Tanjungbalai, North Sumatra, focusing on the interactions between tekong (ship captains), crew members, and midleman. Using an ethnographic approach, researchers immersed themselves in the fishing community, conducting participatory observations, in-depth interviews, and gathering secondary data from transaction records and debt contracts. The findings reveal that power relations are heavily influenced by market mechanisms, with middlemen emerging as dominant figures in the production chain. By controlling prices and distribution, middlemen extract surplus value from the catch without providing fishing gear or participating directly in the fishing process. This situation is exacerbated by a debt capital system, where fishermen borrow start-up capital from middlemen and repay it with their catch. This system perpetuates a cycle of debt, forcing fishermen to remain dependent on middlemen. The research concludes that this production model creates a “vicious circle,” trapping fishermen in economic dependence and declining welfare while middlemen continue to consolidate their power.