Within Solomon Folklore
When Sharks Are Guardians, Not Monsters
Shark traditions reveal how ancestry, danger, protection and ritual practice meet in Solomon Islands sea folklore.
On this page
- Shark calling and feeding in Malaita
- Karemanua and shark human beings
- Bonito, canoe houses and sacred sea relationships
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Introduction
Across the Solomon Islands, sharks have often occupied a very different place from the one they hold in modern Western popular culture. In many island traditions, they were not simply dangerous predators. They could be ancestors, guardian spirits, protectors of communities, embodiments of powerful deceased people, or beings with whom humans maintained ritual relationships. Stories about shark spirits reveal how closely sea life, ancestry, religion and social identity were intertwined in an island world where travel, fishing and survival depended on the ocean. Historical accounts, oral traditions, museum collections and ethnographic studies all point to a long-standing belief that certain sharks were spiritually significant and could act as intermediaries between the human world and the realm of spirits.[solomonencyclopaedia.net]solomonencyclopaedia.netSolomon Islands EncyclopaediaConcept: Shark CallingIt was once a constant event on 'Aoke Island, Langalanga Lagoon, Malaita, where the fa…
Rather than treating sharks as monsters to be defeated, many Solomon Islands traditions asked a different question: how should people live with powerful beings that share the sea? The answers varied from island to island, but recurring themes included respect, ritual feeding, ancestral transformation and guardianship.[metmuseum.org]metmuseum.orgThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtShark Reliquary - Solomon IslandsThis allusion to the shark is partly based on an important myth which reco…
Why Sharks Became Spiritual Beings
The central place of sharks in Solomon Islands folklore reflects the realities of life in an oceanic archipelago. Coastal communities depended on reefs, lagoons and open-water fishing, while sharks were among the most powerful creatures encountered at sea. In many traditions, strength, danger and spiritual potency were closely linked. A creature capable of moving effortlessly between visible and unseen depths became an obvious candidate for supernatural significance.[The Metropolitan Museum of Art]metmuseum.orgThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtShark Reliquary - Solomon IslandsThis allusion to the shark is partly based on an important myth which reco…
In eastern Solomon Islands traditions especially, sharks were associated with ancestors and the transition between life and death. Museum documentation of shark-related ritual objects from Makira and neighbouring islands notes that sharks were regarded as both protectors and predators and were linked to the world inhabited by ancestral spirits. This dual role helps explain why stories rarely portray them as purely benevolent or purely malevolent. A guardian shark could protect a lineage, but the same power could punish those who ignored ritual obligations.[The Metropolitan Museum of Art]metmuseum.orgThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtShark Reliquary - Solomon IslandsThis allusion to the shark is partly based on an important myth which reco…
Shark Calling and Feeding in Malaita
One of the best-documented shark traditions comes from Malaita, where ritual specialists were said to call sharks and feed them. Historical observers recorded practices on islands in Langalanga Lagoon where priests summoned sharks to approach the shore and receive offerings, including pig meat. Witnesses described the animals arriving in response to ritual actions and feeding ceremonies.[Solomon Islands Encyclopaedia]solomonencyclopaedia.netSolomon Islands EncyclopaediaConcept: Shark CallingIt was once a constant event on 'Aoke Island, Langalanga Lagoon, Malaita, where the fa…
These events were not merely spectacles. Anthropological accounts suggest that the sharks involved were understood as spiritually connected beings rather than ordinary fish. Researchers who later discussed the tradition reported that local explanations described the sharks as guardians and protectors. The ritual relationship created obligations on both sides: people honoured the sharks through offerings and respect, while the sharks were believed to provide protection or maintain a special relationship with the community.[Connect Science]connectsci.auConnect ScienceThe sharks and rays of the Solomon Islands: a synthesis…by S Hylton · 2017 · Cited by 25 — Anthropologists observing th…
The practice also illustrates an important feature of Solomon Islands folklore. Many stories and rituals were tied to specific places and family lines. Shark calling was not a universal national custom but a local tradition whose authority rested on inherited knowledge, ritual expertise and community memory.[Solomon Islands Encyclopaedia]solomonencyclopaedia.netSolomon Islands EncyclopaediaConcept: Shark CallingIt was once a constant event on 'Aoke Island, Langalanga Lagoon, Malaita, where the fa…
Karemanua and the Shark-Human Boundary
Among the most striking shark traditions is the story of Karemanua, a figure remembered in parts of the eastern Solomon Islands as a human who gradually transformed into a shark. Versions of the story appear in ethnographic records, museum descriptions and later interpretations of ritual art. According to the tradition, Karemanua eventually lost his human form entirely and became a shark.[Penn Museum]penn.museumVengeful.pdfFinally, Karemanua lost his exter- nal human features altogether and became all shark. On Ulawa Island there was a man named…
The importance of the story goes beyond simple shape-shifting. Karemanua represents a blurred boundary between human beings, ancestors and powerful sea creatures. The tale suggests that the distinction between person and shark was not always absolute. Under certain circumstances, spiritual power could allow movement between the two states. This idea appears in carvings and ritual figures depicting shark-human beings, sometimes called shark-men, which combine human and shark features in a single form.[bidsquare.com]bidsquare.comsolomon islands sea spirit figure karamanua 1851264Solomon Islands Sea Spirit Figure, KaramanuaJul 22, 2020 — Solomon Islands Sea Spirit Figure, Karamanua, standing figure with th…
The story also reflects a wider Melanesian pattern in which exceptional people continue to influence the living after death. In some interpretations, powerful individuals could become associated with shark forms after death, allowing them to remain active in the sea as guardian beings or feared supernatural presences.[The Metropolitan Museum of Art]metmuseum.orgThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtShark Reliquary - Solomon IslandsThis allusion to the shark is partly based on an important myth which reco…
Shark-Men in Art and Ritual
Museum collections preserve numerous carvings that embody this idea. Shark-human figures from Makira, Ulawa and nearby regions often display a human body combined with a shark head or other shark features. These were not decorative curiosities. They formed part of a ritual landscape in which sharks, ancestors and spiritual authority were closely connected.[British Museum]britishmuseum.orgR24 Solomon LPGThe coffins were kept with ceremonial bonito fish canoes in canoe houses, which also served as shrines…Read more…
Some reliquaries and ritual sculptures explicitly reference Karemanua, indicating that the legend was influential enough to shape ceremonial art. Such objects provide rare physical evidence linking oral tradition to material culture.[The Metropolitan Museum of Art]metmuseum.orgThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtShark Reliquary - Solomon IslandsThis allusion to the shark is partly based on an important myth which reco…
Bonito, Canoe Houses and Sacred Sea Relationships
Shark traditions were often woven into a broader network of beliefs surrounding fishing, canoes and ancestral power. In parts of Makira and neighbouring islands, ceremonial canoe houses functioned not only as storage places for canoes but also as sacred spaces where spiritual relationships with the sea were maintained. Archaeological and museum evidence shows that skull coffins, ancestral remains and ritual objects connected to bonito fishing were kept within these structures.[British Museum]britishmuseum.orgR24 Solomon LPGThe coffins were kept with ceremonial bonito fish canoes in canoe houses, which also served as shrines…Read more…
Bonito fishing held special prestige in several Solomon Islands societies. Successful fishing was frequently understood as depending on proper relationships with ancestors and sea powers rather than on skill alone. Shark-themed reliquaries and carvings found in canoe houses suggest that sharks were integrated into this ritual system. They symbolised protection, access to spiritual power and the ancestral forces believed to influence success at sea.[curiositiesfromthe5thcorner.com]curiositiesfromthe5thcorner.comsolomon island fish reliquaryDated between 1910-1940. Carved from a single piece of wood with a hollowed cavity at…Read more…
The result was a worldview in which the sea was not merely an environment. It was a social and spiritual landscape populated by ancestors, guardian beings and powerful marine creatures. Canoe houses became places where these relationships were remembered and renewed.[British Museum]britishmuseum.orgR24 Solomon LPGThe coffins were kept with ceremonial bonito fish canoes in canoe houses, which also served as shrines…Read more…
From Ancestral Guardians to Modern Cultural Memory
Christianity transformed much of the religious landscape of the Solomon Islands during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and many older shark rituals declined or disappeared. Yet shark traditions were not simply forgotten. Stories of guardian sharks, shark-men and ancestral sea beings continued to circulate through oral history, local identity and cultural heritage projects.[Connect Science]connectsci.auConnect ScienceThe sharks and rays of the Solomon Islands: a synthesis…by S Hylton · 2017 · Cited by 25 — Anthropologists observing th…
Today, shark folklore often survives in a different form from the ritual systems that originally supported it. Museums preserve shark-man carvings and reliquaries. Community histories continue to recount stories of ancestral shark guardians. Cultural tourism and heritage writing sometimes highlight places where sharks remain symbols of identity and connection to the sea.[metmuseum.org]metmuseum.orgThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtShark Reliquary - Solomon IslandsThis allusion to the shark is partly based on an important myth which reco…
What makes these traditions distinctive is their reversal of a familiar modern image. In many popular stories from elsewhere, sharks are threats. In Solomon Islands folklore, they are frequently relatives, protectors, transformed ancestors or spiritual partners. The enduring fascination of shark spirits lies in that alternative vision of the sea: a world where the most feared creatures are also among the most respected.[metmuseum.org]metmuseum.orgThe Metropolitan Museum of ArtShark Reliquary - Solomon IslandsThis allusion to the shark is partly based on an important myth which reco…
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Endnotes
1.
Source: penn.museum
Link:https://www.penn.museum/documents/publications/expedition/41-1/Vengeful.pdf
Source snippet
Vengeful.pdfFinally, Karemanua lost his exter- nal human features altogether and became all shark. On Ulawa Island there was a man named...
2.
Source: penn.museum
Link:https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/vengeful-spirits-and-guardian-dieties/
Source snippet
Expedition Magazine | Vengeful Spirits and Guardian DietiesFinally, Karemanua lost his external human features altogether and became all...
3.
Source: bidsquare.com
Title: solomon islands sea spirit figure karamanua 1851264
Link:https://www.bidsquare.com/online-auctions/skinner/solomon-islands-sea-spirit-figure-karamanua-1851264
Source snippet
Solomon Islands Sea Spirit Figure, KaramanuaJul 22, 2020 — Solomon Islands Sea Spirit Figure, Karamanua, standing figure with th...
4.
Source: curiositiesfromthe5thcorner.com
Title: solomon island fish reliquary
Link:https://curiositiesfromthe5thcorner.com/blogs/n-kondi-and-voodoo-fetishes/solomon-island-fish-reliquary
Source snippet
Dated between 1910-1940. Carved from a single piece of wood with a hollowed cavity at...Read more...
5.
Source: solomonencyclopaedia.net
Link:https://www.solomonencyclopaedia.net/biogs/E000275b.htm
Source snippet
Solomon Islands EncyclopaediaConcept: Shark CallingIt was once a constant event on 'Aoke Island, Langalanga Lagoon, Malaita, where the fa...
6.
Source: metmuseum.org
Link:https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/762069
Source snippet
The Metropolitan Museum of ArtShark Reliquary - Solomon IslandsThis allusion to the shark is partly based on an important myth which reco...
7.
Source: connectsci.au
Link:https://connectsci.au/pc/article/23/4/324/37422/The-sharks-and-rays-of-the-Solomon-Islands-a
Source snippet
Connect ScienceThe sharks and rays of the Solomon Islands: a synthesis...by S Hylton · 2017 · Cited by 25 — Anthropologists observing th...
8.
Source: oceanicartsaustralia.com
Link:https://www.oceanicartsaustralia.com/art-for-sale/a-fine-old-solomon-islands-carved-shark-man-figure-star-harbour-area-makira-island-collected-c-1960s/
Source snippet
Oceanic Arts AustraliaA Fine Old Solomon Islands Carved Shark Man Figure Star...This allusion to the shark is partly based on an importa...
9.
Source: britishmuseum.org
Title: R24 Solomon LPG
Link:https://www.britishmuseum.org/sites/default/files/2020-08/R24_Solomon_LPG.pdf
Source snippet
The coffins were kept with ceremonial bonito fish canoes in canoe houses, which also served as shrines...Read more...
10.
Source: facebook.com
Title: SOLOMO N ISLANDS
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/721734017963433/posts/1220612391408924/
Source snippet
SOLOMON ISLANDS - SAN-CRISTOBALThe shark spirits like "Waumaumu" or "Karemanua" were famous all over the southeastern islands. This was t...
Additional References
11.
Source: researchgate.net
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320341327_The_sharks_and_rays_of_the_Solomon_Islands_a_synthesis_of_their_biological_diversity_values_and_conservation_status
Source snippet
(PDF) The sharks and rays of the Solomon Islands12 Oct 2017 — This study provides a systematic synthesis and review of the biological div...
12.
Source: reddit.com
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/Cryptozoology/comments/1eg76pj/kakamora_sighting_in_the_solomon_islands/
Source snippet
Kakamora Sighting in the Solomon Islands?: r/CryptozoologyA small humanlike creature that lives in the thick mountain jungles of the cen...
13.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/South.Pacific.Post/posts/feature-have-you-ever-witnessed-the-rare-and-ancient-tradition-of-shark-calling-/1188150396662708/
Source snippet
Post CourierThe ritual of shark calling is more than just a method of fishing; it is a cultural heritage that underscores the symbiotic r...
14.
Source: tianmu.org
Link:https://tianmu.org/good-work-library/living-traditions/pacific/solomon-islands-religion-the-way-of-the-reef
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Solomon Islands Religion — The Way of the ReefA profile of the indigenous religious traditions of the Solomon Islands — shark calling, sk...
15.
Source: theguardian.com
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/30/sharks-hiding-locals-claim-deep-sea-mining-off-papua-new-guinea-has-stirred-up-trouble
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'Shark calling': locals claim ancient custom threatened by...30 Sept 2021 — 'Shark calling', a Papua New Guinea tradition of singing to...
16.
Source: horizon.documentation.ird.fr
Link:https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers21-03/010019083.pdf
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tree and the canoe: history and ethnography of TannaThis personal observation of Tanna, an island in the southern part of the...
17.
Source: uog.edu
Link:https://www.uog.edu/_resources/files/schools-and-colleges/college-of-liberal-arts-and-social-sciences/pai/pai_pgs33-52.pdf
Source snippet
pre-colonial, colonial to post-colonial eras in the Solomon Islands.Read more...
18.
Source: tianmu.org
Title: solomon islands religion the way of the reef
Link:https://tianmu.org/good-work-library/ethnotheology/pacific/solomon-islands-religion-the-way-of-the-reef
Source snippet
Solomon Islands Religion — The Way of the Reef23 Jun 2026 — A profile of the indigenous religious traditions of the Solomon Islands — sha...
19.
Source: danielealfarone.substack.com
Link:https://danielealfarone.substack.com/p/headhunting-shark-calling-and-black
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substack.comHeadhunting, shark calling, and black magic20 Aug 2025 — They do not regard sharks as sacred, but venerate large spiders, eel...
20.
Source: sikaianaarchives.com
Link:https://www.sikaianaarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sikaiana-Ethnography-1980-93.pdf
Source snippet
I lived there for a total of about 3 ½ years...Read more...
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