Documentary Explores Oyster Culture and History

A documentary filmmaker was inspired to create a film about oysters due to their historical and cultural significance in farming, rather than their flavor. The film, titled ‘Oyster Land’, chronicles the lives of farmers on Mersea Island and delves into Colchester, Essex’s long-standing oyster history. Matthew James Harrison dedicated two and a half years to this endeavor, stating that “there was such a breadth of culture surrounding this creature”. Screenings of the documentary are scheduled at various locations along the east coast throughout this winter. Although named after Colchester, the native oysters are, in fact, gathered from the shallow waterways adjacent to Mersea Island. This practice dates back to Roman times. Matthew asserts that this mollusc forms the bedrock of the United Kingdom’s oldest city. He further states, “It is something that has sustained that town and area for thousands of years.” “It was in the foundations of ancient Colchester,” he remarked, clarifying that this statement is literal, as oyster shells have been discovered within ancient Roman settlements. The filmmaker informed the Colchester Gazette that “when an oyster is growing in an oyster bed, it sucks up the environment that it’s in and each oyster has a unique taste to it”. He elaborated, saying: “When making this film, I was trying to soak up all of this richness from the people, their stories and the landscape, and make the film have that flavour of Mersea.” He mentioned that his documentary also examines local oyster fisheries, the fishermen employed there, and the broader community. However, Matthew, an Essex native, clarified that his motivation for creating the film stemmed from his interest in the contemporary fishing community, not from a personal fondness for oysters. Furthermore, he maintains significant ties to Mersea Island because his grandmother resides there. He conveyed to the BBC, “There’s just something about the place that I’m really attracted to.” Even though he was raised close to Colchester, the filmmaker revealed he had not consumed an oyster prior to commencing filming. He further commented: “You can taste absolutely everything. The whole of the ocean was in your mouth.” The documentary, initially conceived as a mere five-minute piece, has expanded to nearly half an hour in duration. Matthew stated that the film has motivated him to explore “a whole world of coastal documentaries” and he anticipates his next project will concentrate on the culture of Essex islands, specifically mentioning Canvey Island and Mersea Island. For updates on Essex news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.