Seedies and Kroomen

Seedies and Kroomen were African sailors recruited locally into the British Royal Navy in the 19th and early 20th century.

The Kroomen were experienced fishermen from the Kroo or Kru tribe in Sotta Krou, in what is now Liberia in West Africa. Because of their knowledge of the west African coast they were sometimes employed as pilots.

Horatio Bridge, a USN officer in the 1840s, described them as follows:

"The Kroomen are indispensable in carrying onthe commerce and maritime business of the African coast. When a Kroo-boatcomes alongside, you may buy the canoe, hire the men at a moment'swarning, and retain them in your service for months. They expend no timenor trouble in providing their equipment, since it consists merely of astraw hat and a piece of white or colored cotton girded about their loins.In their canoes, they deposit these girdles in the crowns of their hats;nor is it unusual, when a shower threatens them on shore, to see themplace this sole garment in the same convenient receptacle, and then makefor shelter. When rowing a boat, or paddling a canoe, it is their customto sing; and, as the music goes on, they seem to become invigorated,applying their strength cheerfully, and with limbs as unwearied as theirvoices. One of their number leads in recitative, and the whole companyrespond in the chorus. The subject of the song is a recital of theexploits of the men, their employments, their intended movements, the newsof the coast, and the character of their employers. It is usual, in theseextemporary strains, for the Kroomen attached to a man-of-war to taunt,with good-humored satire, their friends who are more laboriously employedin merchant vessels, and not so well fed and paid." [ [http://www.fullbooks.com/Journal-of-an-African-Cruiser.html Journal of an African Cruiser by Horatio Bridge - Full Text Free Book ] ]

Their object in leaving home, and entering into the service of navigators,is generally to obtain the means of purchasing wives, the number of whomconstitutes a man's importance. The sons of "gentlemen" (for there is sucha distinction of rank among them) never labor at home, but do not hesitateto go away, for a year or two, and earn something to take to theirfamilies. On the return of these wanderers--not like the prodigal son, butbringing wealth to their kindred--great rejoicings are instituted. Abullock is killed by the head of the family, guns are fired, and two orthree days are spent in the performance of various plays and dances. The"boy" gives all his earnings to his father, and places himself again underthe parental authority. The Krooman of maturer age, on his return from anexpedition of this kind, buys a wife, or perhaps more than one, anddistributes the rest of his accumulated gains among his relatives. In aweek, he has nothing left but his wives and his house."

The Seedies (the name comes from a Hindi word (sidi)) were mostly employed in less skilled jobs. They were Muslem, and were recruited from ports on the Indian Ocean, mostly from Zanzibar and the Seychelles. Some seem to have been ex-slaves. This Royal Navy rating of "Seedie" was renamed "Somali" on May 14th 1934 at the Court at Buckingham Palace. This was due to the fact most recruits were now from Somaliland.

One example of a Royal Navy ship of the line they served on was "HMS London", stationed in Zanzibar bay during its Slave Trade suppression duties.

When released from their normally three-year contract many of these people settled in various parts of the British Empire.

References