Images: The Landship
The landship is an organization founded in the 1860's by retired
seamen as an attempt to retain the spirit and comaraderie they had with each other on the
ocean. They developed a land-based "brotherhood of the sea" (Wilder
65).
The most visible aspect of the landship comes from its public
performances. The members wear costume--white bell-bottoms and shirts, along with
epaulettes and ratings--and satirize the pomp and circumstance of the traditional British
marching formation. They employ marching tactics and dance to the music of tuk
bands.
Insight's Guides: Barbados describes several of the
inventive dances:
The "wangle-low" is a semi-limbo, the "center
march" is done in time to African rhythm and in formation that would leave poor Lord
Nelson spinning in his briny grave and most civilian onlookers in hysterics.
In one dance, the sailors advance with the right hand swinging ahead
together with the right foot--shamelessly contrary to tradition!
With titles such as "Rough Seas," "Sinking
Ship," "Changing of the Guard," and "Admiral's Inspection," the
Landship dances are spoofs of real-life situations. (65)
But the Landship is more than just a performance group. It is
a savings and loan society and promotes the growth of character. The group also
gathers a communal pool of money (through regular dues) to aid individuals in case of
fire, flood, unemployment, or other disasters. This gathering is known as the
"Meetings Turn."
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