The Vaporetto: A Symbol of Venice

In Clifford Geertz’s socio-anthropological analysis of Balinese cockfights, entitled “Deep Play,” he mentions the term “focused gatherings.” The term was originally defined by Erving Goffman as a “set of persons engrossed in a common flow of activity and relating to one another in terms of that flow” (Geertz, pg.7). Focused gatherings are a unique component to the modern world, exemplifying the impersonal nature that has come to define many of our daily activities. As an individual living in Venice with a strange identity of more than a passing tourist but without being a true Venetian, I have had the opportunity to explore the Venetian culture and the daily activities that occur in the narrow calles of the beautiful city. One activity that I have become quite accustomed with is riding the vaporetto. The vaporetto is the water bus that travels throughout Venice, functioning virtually as the main form of transportation in the city. Venice is unique in its absence of motorized vehicles in the streets, therefore for both Venetians and tourists alike, the vaporetto is utilized as the main mode of transportation aroud he city. The vaporetto serves as a space for the focused gathering discussed by Goffman because it houses a set of activities that are in complete synchronicity with the space around them. The persons on the vaporetto are interacting with one another simply in terms of the “flow” that Goffman describes. The passengers are constantly changing and coming together simply to share a common activity. Their actions are defined by the space around them- a space that dictates a specific set of rules and behaviors.

The vaporetto is not simply a vessel of transportation for Venetians; it is a heterotopia of social dynamism. There are unspoken guidelines and rules for the vaporetto that you will not find inscribed on any signs, however are simply inherent to Venetians and regular travelers, and often overlooked by tourists. When I first arrived in Venice I was, like many visitors, naïve of these social guidelines and only now after much experience am I beginning to understand them. Here are the unspoken guidelines for the vaporetto that I have discovered: When waiting to enter the vaporetti, a mass forms, rather than a line, where it is perfectly acceptable to push your way to the front, virtually “cutting” the others. Once on the boat, it is acceptable to sit in the seats reserved for the handicap, pregnant women or elderly- however, it is expected that as soon as one of these persons enters the vaporetto you will relinquish your seat. The vaporetto is not a social atmosphere that fosters friendships; therefore you are not expected to make small talk with anyone around you. Personal space does not exist on the vaporetto, and it is common to have someone’s arm in your face or a person bumping into you the entire ride. When exiting the vaporetto, you should stand up and make your way to the exit before the boat has come to a stop. If you stand up and do not swiftly work your way towards the front as the boat is beginning to slow down, expect to get shoved out of the way by a hasty Venetian muttering “Permesso.” The persons riding the water bus vary and the water bus is utilized by all sorts of individuals. As the main form of public transportation in the city, and one could argue more important transportation vessel that you would find in other cities because of Venice’s absence of cars, the vaporetto neutralizes social status and places all passengers on the same level. In other societies, vehicles such as cars represent social status; however Venice is absent of these vehicles. Although residents do sometimes own private boats, the vaporetto is the main public transportation around the city and therefore is utilized by virtually everyone because of its convenience and efficiency.

Not only does the vaporetto house focused gatherings that are imbued with a set of unique guidelines, it also serves as a space that connects sites in Venice to one another. In Michel Foucault’s essay “Of Other Spaces,” he describes our modern era as one where “space takes for us the form of relation among sites” (pg. 23). The vaporetto exemplifies Foucault’s idea of contemporary space as a bond that affixes sites together. The vaporetto as a space can also be analyzed in terms of its openness. The vaporetto is used for public transportation and therefore, unlike cars or personal vehicles, while riding the vaporetto all of your personal actions are constantly on display. The city of Venice as a whole is a very public space that promotes openness. Because of the pedestrian nature of the city, it is common to feel as though you are always on display. The canals weave throughout the city and often run right next to private residences. This is a complete contrast to the idea of neighborhoods where houses are sheltered from the outside world in a protected, private sphere. The concealment provided by a private vehicle is absent on the vaporetto, and therefore the boat serves a space where private actions are many times publically displayed. One interesting experience I had on the vaporetto occurred while standing next to a young couple. The two were tightly embracing and intimately kissing the entire ride. I was uncomfortable and taken aback by their actions; however others around me did not seem fazed at all. Additionally, cell phone calls commonly occur on the vaporetto and private conversations are held for others to hear. I conclude that because the sphere of travel is so naturally public in Venice, Venetians and others frequently utilizing the vaporetto are used to performing their private actions in a public space.

The vaporetto not only serves a functional purpose for the Venetians but also speaks to the culture of the city. The vaporetto exemplifies Venice’s complex relationship with water. The surrounding lagoon and Adriatic Sea serve a dual role as Venice’s barrier and gateway to the outside world. The canals that flow through the city both divide and connect the segments of the city. The vaporetto both exemplifies and serves as a tangible manifestation of this relationship between Venice and water. The interplay between the vaporetto and the city is fundamental to understanding the nature of Venice and the Venetian identity.

The vaporetto serves as both a transportation device and a symbol of Venice. The complex social guidelines surrounding the vaporetto speak to the Venetian culture while the space inside the vaporetto fosters the type of focused gathering discussed by Goffman. The vaporetto itself represents the character and personality of Venice and therefore acts as an important gateway to better understanding the Venetian culture.