Ocean Songs: Traditional Instruments and the Importance of Blue Heritage

The ocean has always been a source of inspiration, and cultural identity for coastal and island communities around the world. One fascinating yet often overlooked aspect of our common oceanic heritage is music. From instruments to music inspired by the ocean currents, songs are a crucial part of the diverse tapestry that is being recognized as "Blue Heritage", the mosaic of cultural and historical connections that humans nurture with the marine environment.

Ocean Instruments Across Cultures

Many cultures have developed musical instruments using shells, bones, and driftwood from the ocean. These instruments have served different purposes in different places, but had as well an importance for ceremonial, spiritual, and even communicative purposes, showcasing how our culture is embedded in creativity. Examples of such practices are found in archeological remains but also today across communities safeguarding their traditions.

Shell Trumpets

Shell "horns" are instruments used ever since the Prehistory. Made of several different kinds of sea snails, they have been present in cultural ceremonies of Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, and many more.

The "Pu", used in Hawaiian and Polynesian rituals, is a conch shell trumpet often sounded to announce important events or summon divine presence. The "Shankha", originating from India, Nepal, and Tibet, is a sacred shell instrument used in Hindu and Buddhist ceremonies. The "Pututu", used by the Incas in the Andean region, is a large conch shell used for religious rituals and long-distance communication, and the "Horagai", from Japan, is a conch trumpet played by Buddhist monks and samurai for spiritual and battlefield signals.

Those are examples of how shells have been used for communicating. The conch sound evokes a powerful, "deep voice" and the ability to communicate with majesty, often announcing some important event.

Japanese Horagai. Source: https://carolidilli.tattoo/pt/glosario-de-tatuaje/shugendo/

Ocean Drums

The "Ayotl", found in Aztec and Maya cultures, was a drum crafted from a turtle shell and historically played in religious ceremonies. A similar instrument, the "Diyinge", from Inuit traditions in Alaska, was a drum made from whalebones and seal skin, integral to Inuit storytelling and spiritual rituals. Another similar artifact is the "Sonaja", used in the Caribbean and Central America, a rattle filled with small shells, used in Indigenous ceremonies.

Tortoiseshell used as a drum. Source: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5714725

String and Wind Instruments

The "Kaʻekeʻeke", found in Hawaiian and Polynesian music, is also a bamboo percussion instrument that sometimes incorporates driftwood, those are used to accompany hula cultural expressions. Another form of blow instrument is the "Ocarina", which is hand-made and artisanally produced with clay, representing marine animals with their formats. They have been of particular importance in Chinese and Mesoamerican cultures.

Ocearina. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/the-meir/4428830290/

Singed tradition

Human voices and songs are also a form of heritage. Songs can be part of fishing periods, describe the weather, or be used for work-related tasks such as sea shanties. Seafaring songs were traditional songs of sailors to synchronize work aboard ships and boost morale. Coastal cultures around the world developed their styles, from Hawaiian hula chants to Portuguese fado songs tied to the sea, representing "saudade" or homesickness of the land. These songs preserve stories and nautical traditions, connecting communities to the ocean.

The Cultural Importance of Blue Heritage

"Blue Heritage" is an emerging term being used mainly in social sciences to describe the human cultural connections tied to the sea. It can highlight the cultural, historical, and artistic connections between human societies and the ocean. For centuries, coastal communities have expressed their relationship with the sea through art, storytelling, and music, but little attention has been given to those aspects in long-term blue economy plans.

The preservation of ocean-related culture, including the musical aspect is of crucial importance, as those traditions are passed through generations-to-generations and might be at risk of disappearing. With the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, there is a growing movement to protect marine ecosystems while also recognizing the immaterial cultural significance of the ocean.

Why Preserving Oceanic Cultural Heritage Matters

Preserving oceanic cultural heritage promotes cultural identity by strengthening the traditions and customs of oceanic communities. It encourages sustainable practices, reinforcing the responsible use of marine resources, as many of these instruments were originally crafted in harmony with nature. Highlighting the connection between culture and the sea raises awareness of ocean conservation and fosters greater respect for marine conservation efforts. Recognizing and promoting blue heritage also supports indigenous and coastal communities, creating economic and social opportunities for artisans and musicians.

Connecting ourselves to the ocean

Music is a universal language, and the instruments born from the ocean tell stories of survival, spirituality, and sustainability. By valuing blue heritage, we not only honor the past but also contribute to a future where the ocean and its cultures continue to thrive.