Yamal | Journey's Song!

Seafarers could unify their collective needs with ceremonies that tune and singing were their two most important elements. In addition to reducing the hardness of the trip, these ceremonies helped the sailors to follow a main aim easily. And nowadays, when we look back, we can sea that these ceremonies are the reason that Iranian seafaring inheret is so unique. One of these seafaring formalities is Singing "Yamal" Songs, which is assigned to Kong city sailors. "Yamal" is a group of songs that the sailors of Kong city sang whilst getting ready for their journey. In addition to creating enthusiasm, these songs also create harmony in the work of sailors.

Wgat is "Yamal"?

یامال شعر سفر است؛ یاور دریانوردان از زمان آغاز سفر، تا لنگرکشی و برافراشتن بادبان ها تا بازگشت غرورآفرین پس از یک سفرطولانی به خانه و کاشانه. خواندن اشعار یامال، ضمن ایجاد نظم و هماهنگی میان جاشوها و دریانوردان، نیروی مضاعفی به آنها می بخشد و تغییر حرکات و آواهای یامال، ضمن تنوع و جلوگیری از کار یکنواخت و خسته کننده ی دریانوردی، سبب تنظیم نفس گیری دریانوردان می شود. موسیقی یامال حرکات منظم طبیعت و طپش های غیر ارادی حیات را به حرکات ارادی و آگاهانه مبدل می کند تا بدین وسیله دریانوردان بتوانند مصائب مسیر را تحمل کرده و از سختی سفر بکاهند. نهمه های یامال به سه دسته تقسیم می شوند:

• Yamal Mashveh
• Singing Yamal while anchoring
• Singing Yamal whilst opening the sail

Yamal Mashveh

Yamal Mashveh is actually about the starting of the journey. When sailors were about to go on long trips, they would have gathered in the beach and rowed to get to the ship. The boat that the sailors used for getting to the ship is named "Mashveh"; so they call this part of singing Yamal songs "Yamal Mashveh". Each boat has a capacity of 16-20; So the sailors would divide into two groups of 8-10 sailors and started to row. in addition to the sailors we have two singers that would sit on the bow and stern of the boat. The two singers will sing "Yamal lyrics" with a rythm and the sailors answer them with the word "Ya Allah" until they all get to the ship.

Singing Yamal while anchoring

After getting to the ship, now is the time for anchoring and the second part of singing Yamal songs. At this time, the seamen raised the anchor with rhythmic movements and humming Yamal lyrics. Singing these lyrics while anchoring helps to regulate and coordinate the movements of the hands and feet of the seamen and also make them feel the difficulty and fatigue of the work less.

Singing Yamal whilst opening the sail

After anchoring, it's time for preparing for the journey by opening the sails. For this purpose, the seamen will divide into two equal groups and stand on the two sides of the sails. Then they start pulling the rope whilst answring the Yamal singer with "Ya Allah" word. In this part of the Yamal ceremoney, Yamal singer stands at the top of the ship and sings. His singing will be accompanied with the sound of Shiring and Kettledrum.

At last, when the works of oppening the sail is done, the sailsmen start to sing and dance with music to celebrate the start of their journey and refreshment.

Yamal lyrics:

We can say that Yamal is a song of seeking God and worshiping him. The content of these songs is praise and thanksgiving to God. Seafarers chanting "Ya Allah Ya Allah" refreshes their breath and creates a pleasant and spiritual atmosphere. The lyrics of Yamal while anchoring are a little distant from the atmosphere of godliness and along with the rhythmic movements of the seamen whilst raising the anchor, embodies their effort.

After anchoring, with a little delay, the singer begins to sing lyrics that their ontent is about the tired fishermen wishing to be able to steer and anchor their ship on the Hijaz coast during this trip and set foot in the land of revelation and build a pillar in the Prophet's mosque for prayer. This is the ultimate hope of the fishermen of the southern shores of Iran (because they are muslim); and in fact, by expressing these wishes during singing Yamal songs when raising the sail and starting the journey, they are praising God in a way.