Mano Aumakua - A Story About Sharks

Mano Aumakua A Story About Sharks caribbean reef sharks swarm the filmmaker.

It all really began in 1975 with the movie JAWS.  Slated as an inexpensive monster-horror film, nobody anticipated the monumental impact it would have on generations of people for decades to come.  Even to this very day, the image of the shark is continuously perpetuated as one of danger and death.


The media revels in stories of blood and gore.  Stories of aircraft tragedies, boat disasters, car crashes, psycho killers, cops gone bad, terrorists, and man eating sharks are extremely popular.  It doesn’t matter what the topic is as long as it’s bloody and scary.


I should know.  I’ve had my hand in a fair share of horror films.


Stories of the single-minded killers that stalk and savage anything or anyone stupid enough to dare enter the water abound.  Indeed, it’s not very difficult to find tales of terror, supported with photos and video of people being mutilated and killed by these allegedly fearsome creatures.

Mano Aumakua A Story About Sharks, popular shark movie posters.
Mano Aumakua A Story About Sharks, caribbean reef shark.

But can we really blame the media for our fear of sharks?  Isn’t it us, after all, who have blindly bought into the hype and mythology?


We’ve been raised to believe the shark is the spawn of the devil.  A creature of unimaginable evil.  We’ve been taught to fear the water and appreciate our status as land-lubbers.  A term that seems quite appropriate when you start to learn and understand the true nature of the shark.


Strangely, when you speak with anyone who has spent time on the water, or any time with these animals, they tell a much different story.  There tends to be an overwhelming sense of enthusiasm to know more about them and to interact with them. 

Don’t get me wrong.  There has to be a healthy respect for anything sporting razor sharp teeth that can, even with an accidental passing glance, have dire consequences for us thin-skinned creatures.  However, for every story of horror and terror, there are dozens more of positive interactions.  Many of the Pacific and mid-Atlantic cultures respect and revere the shark.  The Polynesians and Hawai’ians viewed the shark as a God, a protector and benevolent caretaker of man.  If you look deep enough, you’ll find tales of sharks working in the service of mankind, helping fend off predators, helping harvest fish, rescuing stranded mariners, and more.


Even today, scuba divers will excitedly and breathlessly tell you of their wondrous encounter with sharks and the thrill and excitement of it all.  And, much to their own amazement, they’ll tell you how the shark, an infinitely more graceful and powerful creature, seemed curious about the human visitors and uninterested in inflicting any harm.


So what then is the truth about sharks?  Are they here to protect us or to eat us?


Mano Aumakua - A Story About Sharks is a story about an ordinary land-lubber guy who feared the water so much that he’d even avoid swimming pools only to one day find himself surrounded by sharks.  It’s a tale about truth, friendship, spirituality, and a quest for the Mano Aumakua.