Walrus and Popular Culture

Walruses in Popular Culture

The walrus is easy to identify thanks to the tusks and to the shape of its head. It is also found in many aspects of popular culture including legends, history, books, films, and more. For those of you are that very impressed with the walrus, exploring these options will provide you with plenty of great insight. Some of the materials are entertaining while others are based on facts.

There is a great deal of history combined with legends involving the walrus and the people that have lived for centuries in the Artic cold. They understand all too well that without the walrus they wouldn’t have been able to survive. Their early ancestors killed the walrus for meat. They also found great ways to benefit from just about everything that the body of the walrus had to offer. They were very thankful for this and often included the walrus in their dance rituals and ceremonies.

There are stories to reference that the walrus was actually a person at one time that sacrificed itself to offer food, shelter, and clothing to the people of the Artic. There are quite a few versions of this story. One includes a father that pushed his daughter off a cliff and saw her turn into a walrus before she hit the water.

Children seem to be in love with the look of the walrus so it has allowed it to be a prime character for many books. One of the best known is called the Walrus and the Carpenter. It is also one of the earliest known books to include this animal as it was written in 1871.
Another great influence for it is a song by the Beatles called I am the Walrus.

One of the best documentaries on the topic is called Toothwalkers: Giants of the Arctic Ice. It took five years for this husband and wife team to complete the project. There is some great footage of the walruses including a great deal of it taken underneath the water. It originally aired on PBS and can also be found on DVD.

Growing up Walrus is another great film that is offered by Animal Planet. It is older though so you will only find it offered on VHS. You can also check the schedule for animal planet as they often run such programming at different intervals.

Some people take a keen interest in the migration process of the walrus. In some areas you can take a cruise which allows you to see the herds of them in movement. These types of events that are a combination of a relaxing vacation and an educational learning environment continue to be more and more popular all the time. Yet they are also an issue of concern as it is believed they can create unnecessary stress for the walruses to deal with.

Many books depict the mothers and the offspring together. This is because they portray many characteristics that are similar to humans. The purpose of these books is to offer education but also to help people to see the value of these animals. When they can relate to them on a personal level they will be encouraged to protect them.

You can find all of these types of references and resources about walruses online. Investing in them is a treat because you can your family will be able to enjoy them again and again. They are great looking creatures which is another reason they are familiar to people and commonly used in our culture. For some the walrus is tied deeply to their ancestors and for others it is a source of entertainment and fascination.