In the beginning, Moroa created the first shark; sometime after, the magic to catch the shark was given to Man. In the village of Kontu, and others along New Guinea's west coast, men have continued an age-old ritual of calling and killing sharks, bearers of the soul of man's ancestors. This remarkable feat is performed from a frail outrigger, the villager armed with a coconut shell rattle, magic stones and a vine noose. To these men, sharkcalling is their most tangible link with the traditions of the past. But the unerring influence of Western culture, especially the growing presence of Christianity, has eroded much of the tribal ritual. Fascinated by the white man's economy, the younger generation of villagers has sought the distractions of the modern world, leaving behind "retrograde" customs. O'Rourke's arrival in Kontu coincided with dramatic changes in village life. The remorse of the elders is evident as they see the spiritual world of their ancestors dissipating. Resonant images of the lone shark caller, vulnerable upon the watery expanse, suggests an existence intimately tied to cultural isolation. Yet Sharkcallers reveals the quickly escalating relationship of tribal tradition, community and encroaching civilization. A mere five years since the film's completion, one wonders if the shark callers can still be heard above the waves of progress. -Steve Seid