The Old Ship of Zion: Sacred Singing as Expression of Identity in North-East Scotland's Coastal Communities

In the fishing communities of North-East Scotland, sacred singing has performed a fundamental role in strengthening and reflecting religious, regional, and occupational identity among its singers since the early days of the fishing industry in the eighteenth century until the present day. The singing of hymns and psalms whilst at sea played an important role in the spiritual lives of the fisherfolk as a means of both prayer and praise, while congregational hymn singing in Deep Sea Missions and evangelical churches has been key to the reflection and reinforcement of fisher identity and values. The aim of this chapter is to examine the ways in which sacred songs have been used by members of North-East Scottish fishing communities both on land and at sea to mould and strengthen belief, identity, and community. Drawing from three years of field research in the region from 2005 until 2008, the chapter will be illustrated by photographs, musical examples, and extracts from interviews collected during the research project.