Hong Kong Island: Aberdeen & the South - Hong Kong: Top Sights, Local Life, Made Easy - page 162

Fishing Culture in Aberdeen
The main attraction of fishing port Aberdeen is the typhoon shelter (featured in the second Lara Croft: Tomb
Raider movie) it shares with sleepy Ap Lei Chau , where the sampans of the boat-dwelling Tanka, a group that
arrived in Hong Kong before the 10th century, used to be moored. Sometimes referred to as 'sea gypsies' by the
British, the Tankas are believed to be descendants of certain ethnic minorities of southern China.
In 1961, the boat-dwelling population here stood at 28,000; now only a few hundred remain. While Lara Croft
saw entire families going about their idyllic lives on a boat, you'll see motorised junks next to luxury yachts, and
rusty shipyards alongside gleaming high-rises. In downtown Aberdeen, dry seafood stalls and mini-malls stand
cheek by jowl.
People of the Water
The majority of inhabitants in Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau are descendants of Tanka fishermen, who still see
themselves as 'people of the water' ( sui seung yan ), and understand Tanka dialect. Each year this identity is
flaunted with fanfare at dragon-boat races held throughout the territory. On weekday evenings, you may spot
teams practising under the moon in the typhoon shelter, or chilling out in the Ap Lei Chau Market Cooked Food
Centre ( Click here ) after practice.
Dragon Boat
Hong Kong is the home of modern dragon-boat racing, an activity that originated 2000 years ago as a ritual for
worshipping water deities. The city has the most teams (about 400) and the most races (over 20 per year) in the
world, per square metre. It's a sport zealously embraced by all walks of life. Come racing season, even pasty-
faced office workers will take up a paddle. The most spectacular events during the racing season (March to Octo-
ber) are the fishermen's races. You'll see junks moored in the harbour and decked out with flags, and people cast-
ing paper offerings into the water. The Dragon Boat Association ( www.hkdba.com.hk ) and Hong Kong Tourist
Board ( www.discoverhongkong.com ) have listings of major events.