Wellerman

Wellerman is a traditional sea shanty associated with 19th-century whaling in New Zealand. The term refers to the supply ships operated by the Weller Brothers, a New Zealand-based whaling supply firm, whose crews were said to bring provisions to working whaling fleets. The song’s repeated line soon may the Wellerman come centers on the anticipation of these supply ships delivering items such as sugar, tea, tobacco, and rum to exhausted crews.

Historically, Wellerman exists as part of the broader repertoire of maritime work songs used to accompany labor aboard whaling vessels. Like many shanties, it features a call-and-response structure and a chorus that sailors could sing to synchronize tasks and maintain morale during long shifts. The exact origins of this particular song are not clearly documented, and multiple versions circulated in oral tradition before appearing in written collections.

In modern times, Wellerman gained wide worldwide attention in 2021 as part of a broader revival of sea shanties on social media. A version by Nathan Evans on TikTok helped propel the song into mainstream popularity, followed by numerous covers and arrangements by artists and ensembles. The trend contributed to renewed interest in maritime folklore and traditional work songs, and it highlighted the shanty form as a collaborative, communal musical genre.

See also: sea shanty, whaling history, Weller Brothers, New Zealand maritime history.