Donna Cunio
The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project
This project documents the history and culture of the commercial fishing industry and other port trades. The project began in 2004 in conjunction with the Working Waterfront Festival, an annual, educational celebration of commercial fishing culture which takes place in New Bedford, MA. Interviewees have included a wide range of individuals connected to the commercial fishing industry and/or other aspects of the port through work or familial ties. While the majority of interviewees are from the port of New Bedford, the project has also documented numerous individuals from other ports around the country. Folklorist and Festival Director Laura Orleans and Community Scholar and Associate Director Kirsten Bendiksen are project leaders. The original recordings reside at the National Council for the Traditional Arts in Maryland with listening copies housed at the Festival's New Bedford office.
On September 23, 2006, Janice Gadaire Fleuriel interviewed Donna Cunio as part of the Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project. Donna discusses her life with her husband, a merchant marine captain, including details of his work transporting cargo for Texaco and the struggles involved in maintaining the homefront, and managing a difficult pregnancy. While he was at sea, Donna worked full-time and helped care for her family. She shares some of her fears during that time, noting that while “the storm went safely out to sea,” is a relief to some, her husband was in danger, especially as he carried volatile cargo. Additionally, she discusses the dangers of being at sea during storms and concerns about her husband carrying volatile cargo. Finally, she expresses her appreciation for the merchant marine and the importance of the fishing industry.
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