Southern Shark Lore Forty Years after Jaws: The Positioning of Sharks Within Murihiku, New Zealand

Authors

Keywords:

Sharks, Great White Sharks, Cage Diving, Jaws, Shamanism, Maori, Mythology, Multispecies Ethnography, New Zealand,

Abstract

Forty years after the release of Steven Spielberg’s Jaws the image of the shark in popular culture and public memory still bears the influence of that film. This article explores: recent high-profile human/ shark interactions, the impact of the Stewart Island shark cage diving industry, the body of traditional beliefs and lore about sharks exists along the southern coast of New Zealand, and the way that Jaws has influenced modern perceptions of sharks. The theoretical perspective of multispecies ethnography is suggested as a possible vehicle for further unpacking our understanding of human/ shark interactions.

Author Biographies

A. Asbjørn Jøn, University of Canterbury

A. Asbjørn Jøn is currently researching tensions between public memory and the authorized heritage discourse. He is conducting that research through the Department of Anthropology, University of Canterbury [New Zealand].

Raj S. Aich, University of Canterbury

Raj S. Aich holds a Ph.D. in Applied Aesthetics Psychology. He is currently a shark anthropologist and Great White Shark social researcher at the University of Canterbury [New Zealand]. 

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Published

2015-11-06

Issue

Vol. 30 (2015): Outreach to surrounding countries and the commemorating of centennials

Section

International and Comparative Studies

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