Bridging The Gulf: Maritime Cultural Heritage of the Western Indian Ocean

Even if this collection of essays focuse on Western Indian Ocean, its apportation to a better knowledge of ancient sailing techniques (for instance the use of coastal landmarks in navigation), intercontinental cultural and material exchanges, is important for Southeast Asia. Just an example: ​“monsoon”, ​“mousson”, which appeared in Western languages in the late 16^th century, comes from Portuguese monção, from Arabic mawsim ​‘season’ [from wasama ​‘to mark, brand’], and is known in Khmer as ខ្យល់មូសុង, kchyal mousong, ​“the wind of monsoon”. 

Among the many considerations of note:

• African origin of Indian crops: ​“There is a growing body of literature on the origin of major crops of peninsular India, such as sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana) in Africa and their presence at sites in India in the second millennium BCE. It is suggested that these contacts were systematic and frequent, rather than being occasional and peripheral.” (p 22)
• Boat building techniques: ​“The building of the dhow or traditional watercraft involved trade and transportation of wood for planking and coconut coir for stitching from different regions of the Indian Ocean, thereby creating and sustaining networks of interaction.” (p 21)
• East Africa and India trade: ​“The numerous deep-sea vessels plying the monsoon routes consisted mainly of Kotia, Navadi, Machhava, Dhan, Tar and Hodi from Kachchh; Padav, Konkani, Fatehmari and Valsadi Batela from Bombay; and also the popular Baghelas and Arabian Dhows, which were lateen-rigged sailing vessels. Some of the boats employed in East African and Mocha trade were of the largest and best variety. According to Postans, ​‘many are decked and some carry four carronades [a short large-calibre cannon in naval use], with which they do not fail to announce their arrival when near the Port’. The ships were owned by a range of merchants and seafarers. They were traversed by Muslim Bhadala Nakhwas, Kharwa Malam and a range of other people. There were Hindu as well as Muslim Kharwas. The etymology of the term Kharwa is traced from the Sanskrit meaning ​‘carrier of salt’. The vessels were mainly engaged in coastal ferries and deep-sea trading and were well-equipped with ammunition for protection. The coastal sails connected Sindh, Kachchh, Kathiawar, Surat, Daman, Bombay and Malabar in one long arc.” (p 153)

Map of Dhow Ports on Aden – Mangalore Route, 1976 (Map Collection, Perry Castañeda Library, University of Texas)