by Neill Atkinson
Enduring wretched quarters, unspeakable food, and the daily risk of death or injury, seafarers in the age of sail were a stoical band. Even with the advent of steamships, their working conditions remained primitive. But through their sense of mateship, their songs and sayings, and a powerful union movement, they helped shape New Zealand’s cultural identity for over 100 years.
Main image: Seamen’s Union banner
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