Whaling was a key industry for Long Island, and aided in the development of the trade in the Americas. The Long Island History Project explores a unique aspect of whaling – the Whalemen’s songs that sailors would croon while working on boats.
Prior to these whalers were Native Americans who would share their knowledge with early settlers, leading to chartered companies and competition for what became, for much of the 19th century, a very lucrative industry. The city of Sag Harbor served as a hub for the industry, where men boarded ships for multi-year voyages around the globe, pursuing the giant cetaceans while singing their shanties.
Stephen Sanfilippo has been tracking whaling songs for the better part of 60 years, preserving and performing them with his wife Susan at festivals, libraries, and historical societies. Some his best finds have come from reading the private journals of seaman in the Sag Harbor whale fishery. These literate young men recorded life on ship, including the lyrics to many of the ballads, shanties, and ditties sung by the crew in the course of their work.
On the most recent episode, Stephen relates the history and preservation of these Whalemen Songs along with what the sources can and cannot tell us about oral traditions and the life of a whaler. Along the way you’ll get a masterclass in the history of Long Island whaling and the chance to sing along.
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