Koggala Stilt Fishermen

Located just a short drive down the coast road from Galle, the small coastal village of Koggala is home to one of the most unique and iconic cultural images of Sri Lanka: stilt fishing (known locally as Ritipanna). This traditional fishing method is highly specialized, practiced by a small number of families along the island's southern edge, and passed down from fathers to sons for generations.

The practice developed during World War II when food shortages forced local men to devise a creative way to fish without boats. The fishermen construct a slender wooden structure, driving a heavy pole deep into the coral reef, and tying a crossbar called a petta a few feet above the water. The fishermen wade out into the surf twice a day—at dawn and dusk—climbing onto the stilts to balance masterfully on the narrow crossbars.

Holding a slender rod made from kithul wood in one hand, they sit quietly for hours, waiting to catch small herrings and mackerel that gather in the shallow reef pools. This minimalist fishing method requires immense balance, patience, and skill, as the fishermen must remain perfectly still to avoid scaring the fish. The sight of these fishermen silhouetted against the crashing waves and changing colors of the coastal sky is a beautiful expression of artistic harmony between human tradition and the ocean.