| Summary: | Traditional fishermen in the North Coast of Central Java commonly have a simple life economically, and their income is sometimes sufficient only for fulfilling their very basic needs, especially food. However, their social life and environment are worth appreciating. The tough life in the sea has taught them how to behave with others. They believe that the sea is inhabited by many supernatural creatures, and so they have to avoid doing improper behavior as reflected in seafaring myths. This paper aims to discuss the kinds of seafaring myths related to forbidden acts among fishermen in the North Coast of Central Java, and the factors causing their belief of the myths. In this case, an eco-linguistics perspective is used to uncover the phenomena of the seafaring myths. This study used the data taken from interviewing fishermen, randomly chosen as the informants, who live in fishing areas in Semarang, Kendal, and Demak. The result of the study shows that seafaring myths still exist, and they are preserved because of the empirical facts they often experience when violating the myths. From an eco-linguistic perspective, the existence of the myths cannot be separated from biological, sociological, and ideological aspects of the fishermen.
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