The Endangered Hawaiian Shark Is Endangering Hawaiian Culture

Sharks have been venerated by Native Hawaiians for centuries. The two are intertwined so tightly that endangered sharks means endangered Hawaiian culture. As the sharks are hunted, the Hawaiian culture also finds itself under attack. The declining shark population was a topic of conversation at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, which met from March 13-25 2010 in Doha, Qatar.

Oceana, the international organization dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans reported that 73 million sharks are killed annually to supply the Chinese market with shark fin for soup. Traditionally, shark fin soup is reserved for middle class families and is a popular dish at weddings and other celebrations. As the economy of China flourishes, the demand for shark fin soup by the middle class increases as well. Consuming shark fin soup is a sign of wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture. As the Chinese economy becomes enriched at the expense of the ocean’s most powerful creatures, the culture of Hawaii is adversely affected. News stories covered the overt tragedy of the shark extermination, but accounts did not include the impact of this extermination on Hawaiian culture.

Historically, sharks have been a very sacred element to Native Hawaiian culture. Sharks or “mano” as called by Native Hawaiians were worshiped and thought of as “amurka” or family gods. Native Hawaiians specifically revered the great white and tiger sharks. The name for these great creatures is “niuhi”. Hunting for “nihui” was reserved for tribal chiefs because specific techniques were required to master the art. The eyes of “nihui” would be consumed by tribal chiefs because it was believed that doing so provided the chief with an ability to foresee the future. Eating “niuhi” was taboo for women. It was thought that ancestors of Native Hawaiians took on the form of the powerful great white and tiger shark. Hence these powerful sharks or “amurka” were not hunted by families. Rather, families with “amurka” or shark gods cared for the sharks and fed them. Of course, hunting sharks was also a part of Native Hawaiian culture. Just like Native American Indians who hunted wild buffalo and other creatures, Native Hawaiians used the entire body of the shark for food and tools. Shark fin hunters are only after the increasingly profitable shark fin and the rest of the shark body is thrown into the ocean to die after the fin is retrieved. If the shark body is large, it can be used as a decoration to be posted on a wall and sold for as much as $25,000.00.

Annually, the weight of over 2,000 adult African elephants in shark meat is imported to Hong Kong. Countries that are exporting shark meat to Hong Kong include the following in descending order according to amount exported: Spain, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica, United States, Yemen, Mexico, and Brazil. The sole motive to countries exporting shark fin is turning a profit, but it’s at the expense of marine life and Hawaiian culture. Sharks have inhabited the planet for 4,000,000 years and are not on the verge of extinction because of irresponsible fisherman. If the issue of shark extinction comes to be viewed as a threat to Hawaiian culture and tradition, perhaps efforts to protect this wildlife will be taken more seriously. Instead of viewing the extinction of sharks purely from an economic standpoint, adding the element of endangering a neighboring culture may influence Chinese consumers in a greater way. Chinese culture is ingrained with reverence for ancestors and tradition. If a campaign began to translate their consumption of shark fin as disrespecting a neighboring culture, we might witness a potential shift in their consumption of shark fin.

Please watch this video: Shark Species Lose out to Fin Trade

Other articles by Eryn on Hawaiian Culture:

Hawaii’ Queen