Classroom lesson · Wildlife · 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands

Shark-Calling

A remarkable cultural tradition connecting people and the ocean

Photo · Wikimedia Commons

What is it?

Shark-calling is a special traditional practice on the island of New Georgia in the Solomon Islands. Skilled practitioners use a rattle made from coconut shells to call sharks to their canoe, establishing a deep connection between human communities and the sea. It is a sign of respect for the ocean and the powerful creatures that live in it — something passed down carefully from elder to younger generation.

Tell me more

The practice of shark-calling is rooted in a profound respect for the sea. Practitioners believe that humans and sharks share the ocean and must understand each other. The coconut rattle creates a vibration underwater, and trained sharks respond to the familiar sound. It takes years of practice and great patience to learn — and a deep, calm understanding of how ocean animals behave.

For communities in the Solomon Islands, the ocean is not something to be feared but something to be known. Children grow up learning to read the water — the colours that signal a reef, the ripple patterns left by fish, the way sharks move when they are curious versus when they are not interested. This knowledge is passed on through stories, observation, and practice.

The shark-calling tradition reminds us that people all over the world have developed deep relationships with the wild animals in their environment. These relationships are built on patient observation, respect, and the knowledge that humans and animals share the same world. The best way to stay safe around any powerful animal is to understand it.

In the classroom

Walk your class through this in 15 minutes.

Talk together

Discussion prompts

01Shark-calling is built on deep respect for a powerful animal. Why do you think respect — rather than fear — might actually be the safest attitude around a powerful wild animal?
02What do you think it means to 'know' an ocean? How might a person who has lived by the sea all their life experience it differently from a visitor?
03Are there any animals in your country or region that people have a special traditional relationship with? What is that relationship?

Try this

Classroom activity

Create a 'Know Your Ocean' guide for a child visiting the Solomon Islands for the first time. Draw three ocean animals and, for each one, write one thing you should know about how it behaves and one reason why it matters to the reef.

More about Solomon Islands

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