Songs of the Sea

It is a group of singing forms, each one concerned with one of the tasks the sailors carry out when preparing the ship to sail, during its sailing, and on its return from the voyage. Each of these forms has its own verse that goes along with what the sailors are doing, and the singing of the sea is accompanied by a rhythm of one type or another by which the sailors regulate the rhythm of the work they perform. The rhythm of the sea's singing is formed from three sources: the first — the set of drums, of which no Omani trading ship was ever without, and the sailors would take turns beating the drum among themselves while they all worked. The second — clapping: they performed it while doing the work, or some of them performed it — alternately — to spur on the others among their colleagues. The third — the movement of the oars, especially in small boats such as the (mashwa and the sambuk). The sea's singing has eight patterns: the first — Shillat Al Hamul: a song performed while raising the goods onto the ships, revolving around the sailors' longing for the voyage and the supplication to God Almighty to grant them safety on their coming voyage, and the yearning for their friends and loved ones in the ports they intend to sail to. The second — Shillat Al Nazil: a song performed while unloading the goods from the ship, most of it revolving around thanks to God Almighty for the safe arrival at the port, the dangers and events that befell them, and the welcome they expect to receive from the people of the land they have reached. If they were to reach the land of Oman or the formerly Omani African coast, then the verse and singing are in the joy of meeting family, children and friends. Third — Jarrat Al Mashwa (or Tihat Al Bahr, or Daqqat Al Bahr, or Jarrat Al Sambuk): the singing the sailors perform to the rhythm of the oars of the boat that carries them from the ship anchored far off to the shore, the oars striking the water. It is a song full of praise of God Almighty and thanks to Him for the safe return and His guidance to them across the raging sea and the fierce storms. Fourth — Nazgh Al Shira: a song accompanying the raising of the different kinds of sails on the ship; each sail has its own song, differing in speed and text according to the sail. Fifth — Saqbat Al Dijl (the mast): the song accompanying the raising of the ship's mast. Sixth — Khazr Al Dijl: the song accompanying the lowering of the mast. Seventh — Shillat Al Ammar: the song of entertainment and amusement for the sailors while repairing the ropes (by night or day). Eighth — Shillat Al Bawra: a song the sailors perform while raising the bawra — the anchor. Since the anchor is heavy and the sailors need to raise it in several (pulls), the rhythm of Shillat Al Bawra is — necessarily — synchronised with each pull of the chain to which the anchor is attached. Shillat Al Bawra is accompanied by clapping from the sailors who do not take part in raising it, while the (nahham), or solo singer, and the sailors raising it, sing in a call-and-response.