The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #120078   Message #2608364
Posted By: Gibb Sahib
09-Apr-09 - 07:44 PM
Thread Name: Indian sea songs & chanteys/shanties
Subject: RE: Indian sea songs & chanteys/shanties
Bloopers in my original post:

-I meant to say that this material is relatively scant.

-By "two pieces" in Hugill I meant "Eki Dumah" and the "Hindustani sing-out" reproduced from Whall's book.
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Pure fiction, but interesting nonetheless:

In Ghosh's novel, one of the main characters is a mix-race man, Zachary, registered in the ship's log as "Black," but who "passes" for White. At one point, he breaks out his penny-whistle and plays the shanty "Heave Away Cheerily." Hearing this, a Bengali priest, who believes that Zachary is an incarnation of the god Krishna (famous for his flute-playing), becomes convinced! It is quite clever, because "Krishna" means "the dark/black one." That Zachary's true nature is "Black," though he does not openly appear so, makes him more god-like.

Funny how the author chose the shanty as a melody to play on whistle. It does have a good tune, though.