The viral ‘Wellerman’ sea shanty: A window into cross-cultural whaling history of Aotearoa

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After Hours

The viral ‘Wellerman’ sea shanty: A window into cross-cultural whaling history of Aotearoa

Kate Stevens
Swiftsure and another whaling boat in Te Awaiti Bay in 1890
Swiftsure and another whaling boat in Te Awaiti Bay in 1890. Photo: McCusker, Marlborough Museum Archives

The whaling story behind “Soon May the Wellerman Come” reminds us of the crucial connections between Māori and Europeans that shaped early 19th century settlement, writes Kate Stevens, from the University of Waikato

In a year of surprises, one of the more pleasant of 2020 was the recent runaway viral popularity of 19th century sea shanties on TikTok. A collab, Wellerman, The Wellerman (Sea Shanty) – from TikTok to Epic Remix. Scottish postie Nathan Evans, centre