Whalers’ Shanties of Barouallie, St. Vincent: Observations on the Nature, Decline and Revival of a Unique Caribbean Maritime Tradition
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Barrouallie, a fishing community on the Caribbean islandof St. Vincent, has a unique cultural heritage associatedwith its history as a whaling centre. As a way to alerttownspeople of a successful catch, Barrouallie whalerssang occupational songs known as ‘shanties’ while rowingtheir whaleboats to shore. A product of diverse culturalinfluences, the shanties of Barrouallie may be viewed as asub-genre, distinct from the more general body of seachanteys, the work songs of international 19th centurymerchant seamen. As a mode of expression - not merelya work song -a shanty could function variously asentertainment, satire, and advertisement. While economicand cultural changes in this developing island nation didnot favour the continuance of shanty singing, a revival ofinterest in Barrouallie’s whaling traditions began in 2001,with particular attention to shanties and the generation ofmen who recall the role and significance of these songs inthe local whaling enterprise. This 21st century renaissance of a maritime musictradition among living practitioners represents aremarkable survival that deserves greater recognition. Through the performance and recording of shanties, TheBarrouallie Whalers have been interpreting andpublicising Barrouallie’s whaling heritage for aninternational audience since 2001.
Abstract
Barrouallie, a fishing community on the Caribbean islandof St. Vincent, has a unique cultural heritage associatedwith its history as a whaling centre. As a way to alerttownspeople of a successful catch, Barrouallie whalerssang occupational songs known as ‘shanties’ while rowingtheir whaleboats to shore. A product of diverse culturalinfluences, the shanties of Barrouallie may be viewed as asub-genre, distinct from the more general body of seachanteys, the work songs of international 19th centurymerchant seamen. As a mode of expression - not merelya work song -a shanty could function variously asentertainment, satire, and advertisement. While economicand cultural changes in this developing island nation didnot favour the continuance of shanty singing, a revival ofinterest in Barrouallie’s whaling traditions began in 2001,with particular attention to shanties and the generation ofmen who recall the role and significance of these songs inthe local whaling enterprise. This 21st century renaissance of a maritime musictradition among living practitioners represents aremarkable survival that deserves greater recognition. Through the performance and recording of shanties, TheBarrouallie Whalers have been interpreting andpublicising Barrouallie’s whaling heritage for aninternational audience since 2001.