"Ari Uncle and the Changing Lagoon: Memory, Loss, and Survival in Negombo"

This ethnographic narrative emerges from fieldwork conducted in the Negombo Lagoon, Sri Lanka, as part of a broader study on climate change, environmental governance, and local knowledge systems. Based on an in-depth interview and shared observations with a senior fisherman known as Ari Uncle, the account traces the profound transformations that have reshaped the lagoon over the past decades. Through Ari Uncle’s memories, the lagoon appears not only as an ecological space but as a lived environment once defined by clarity, abundance, and deeply rooted cultural practices. His reflections reveal how pollution, urban expansion, industrial activities, and changing tidal rhythms have disrupted both the ecosystem and the social fabric of the fishing community. The account also draws on direct field observations, including encounters with polluted lagoon beds, artificial lighting from surrounding industries, and everyday community interactions that reflect shifting socio-economic conditions. These lived experiences are situated within broader processes of environmental change, where local livelihoods are increasingly shaped by both ecological degradation and economic pressures. At the same time, Ari Uncle’s story speaks to resilience and survival. His insights grounded in decades of embodied knowledge offer critical reflections on sustainability, pointing to alternative practices and the need to recognize local ecological wisdom. This narrative ultimately foregrounds the importance of listening to community voices in understanding environmental change, revealing how memory, loss, and adaptation are deeply intertwined in the evolving landscape of Negombo Lagoon.