About this video

• Video Title: The Sharkcallers of Kontu, New Ireland, PNG
• Channel: drkavahed
• Speakers: None explicitly named in the transcript.
• Duration: 00:51:35

Overview

This video explores the traditional practice of shark calling by the indigenous people of Kontu village in New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. It details the cultural and spiritual significance of sharks, believed to contain ancestor spirits, and the rituals involved in calling, trapping, and killing them by hand. The video also touches upon the impact of colonization, missionary activity, and economic changes on this ancient practice, highlighting the community's struggle to preserve their traditions in a modernizing world.

Key takeaways

• Spiritual Significance of Sharks: The people of Kontu believe sharks embody the spirits of their ancestors, forming the foundation of their culture and religion.
• Traditional Shark Calling: For centuries, men have used outrigger canoes to call, trap, and kill sharks by hand, employing tools like snares and conch shells.
• Historical Context: The practice was once widespread but is now confined to a few remote villages due to colonization, economic exploitation, and missionary influence.
• Cultural Preservation: The video documents the efforts to maintain shark calling traditions amidst rapid social change, including specific rituals and taboos observed by shark callers.
• Rituals and Beliefs: Specific practices, such as observing taboos before going to sea, using rattles to mimic distress signals, and dividing the shark's body according to strict rules, are central to the shark calling ceremony.
• Impact of Modernization: Economic pressures like taxes and school fees are leading to the sale of shark fins, impacting traditional practices and the symbolic placement of these fins in ceremonial spaces.

After a successful hunt, the head and specific parts of the liver of the shark are given to the shark caller and his family. The shark's body is divided and eaten according to strict rules. The shark's fin is kept by the shark caller and symbolically thrown back into his canoe. Later, it is placed in the ceremonial men's house as a visible reminder of the shark caller's power to communicate with his ancestors.

Modernization has had a significant impact on the shark calling tradition. The introduction of taxes and school fees necessitates earning money, leading to the sale of shark fins to Chinese merchants for soup. This economic pressure has caused the shark fins to be removed from their traditional place in the men's house. Additionally, new pleasures that money can buy are influencing the community's priorities. The video suggests that the people of Kontu are struggling to maintain a place for their old beliefs in this changed world, although for some men, the magic connecting them to their ancestors and confirming the power of their traditional god, Morrow, still exists.

To preserve shark calling, specific rituals and taboos are observed:

• Pre-Hunt Taboos:
  • The shark caller must sleep apart from his wife the night before going out to sea.
  • He abstains from eating certain foods.
  • He is careful not to step on the droppings of pigs or flying foxes.
• Guidance for Timing: The time to go shark calling is revealed to the caller in dreams.
• Magical Practices:
  • The shark caller drops magic stones along the reef where he believes spirit sharks live, as he knows their god, Morrow, will tell the sharks to follow these stones.
  • A rattle made from half coconut shells is used, believed to mimic the underwater sound of a school of fish in distress and possess magical properties.
• Post-Hunt Rituals:
  • The shark's head and parts of its liver are given to the shark caller and his family.
  • If any rules regarding the division and consumption of the shark are broken, villagers believe their ancestors will stop helping them catch sharks.
• Feasts: An elaborate feast is held to ensure the soul of a recently deceased important man remains a good spirit, not an evil one, in the village.

After a successful hunt, the shark caller's connection to his ancestors is symbolized in several ways:

• The Shark Fin: The fin of the shark is kept by the shark caller and symbolically thrown back into his canoe. It is later placed in the ceremonial men's house as a visible reminder of the shark caller's power to communicate with his ancestors.
• Distribution of the Shark: Every part of the shark is divided and eaten according to strict rules. The heart and parts of the liver are specifically designated for the shark caller and his family. This ensures a symbolic connection and a share of the bounty attributed to ancestral aid.
• Respecting the Rules: The villagers believe that if the rules for dividing and consuming the shark are broken, even by something as small as a dog taking a scrap, the ancestors will cease to help that man in catching sharks. This highlights the importance of adherence to tradition as a way to maintain the ancestral connection.

The economic pressure from taxes and school fees has led to the shark fins being brought down from their traditional place in the men's house. This is because there is a market for them; Chinese merchants in town buy shark fins to make soup. Consequently, the fins are now being sold, rather than being kept as a traditional reminder of the shark caller's power and connection to ancestors.

Shark calling is a defining characteristic of Kontu culture because it is deeply intertwined with their spiritual beliefs and ancestral connections.

• Connection to Ancestors: The people of Kontu believe that sharks contain the spirits of their ancestors. The practice of shark calling is a direct way for the men to interact with and honor these ancestral spirits.
• Cultural and Religious Foundation: Their entire culture and religion are based on this unique relationship with sharks. The practice reinforces their worldview and spiritual framework.
• Link to the Past: For the community, shark calling remains their strongest link with the past. In a time of rapid social change and modernization, it serves as a vital connection to their heritage.
• Demonstration of Power: The act of calling, trapping, and killing sharks by hand, especially through the use of specific magic and rituals, demonstrates the power of their traditional god, Morrow, and the spiritual capabilities of the shark callers.
• Social Identity: The practice provides a sense of identity and purpose for the men who are initiated into the rituals, reinforcing their roles within the community.