2025. A chapter by me, KALDA, titled "Hákarlamennska" (sharkmanship) that delves into Icelandic shark fishing and recounts my encounter with Njörður Sæberg, a talented model builder of shark boats. This chapter is part of a book centered on Njörður's remarkable career, entitled "Langt var róið og þungur sjór," penned by the ethnographer Sigurður Ægisson. See
abstract
For centuries, the Greenland shark has shaped the work of Icelandic shark fishermen out at sea. This article examines the hunting relationship between Icelandic shark fishermen and the Greenland shark from the perspective of shark fishermen in the 19th to the 21st century. Emphasis is placed on examining how shark fishermen formed a connection and gained knowledge about the ocean and the Greenland shark through their practice of shark fishing. Furthermore, the article discusses the evolution of the relationship between shark fishermen and sharks due to technological advancements in the Icelandic boat and ship fleet, as well as the shifting exploitation of the Greenland shark. The article is based on the memoirs of fishermen who hunted sharks in rowboats and schooners during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is also based on my oral history interviews with shark fishermen who hunted for sharks on motorboats in the 20th and 21st centuries. The article sheds light on the agency of the ocean, the Greenland shark, and shark fishermen in the history of Icelandic shark fishing.
Greenland shark; shark fishermen; ocean history; oral history; masculinity; Iceland
Old Grey
The Greenland Shark Through the Eyes of Icelandic Shark Fishermen
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE
