Ocean Culture Hub

Maritime traditions express the spirit of our interactions with the sea over time

Many maritime customs and traditions arise from the elemental activities of daily life on the sea. The vast realm of expression around our human experience of the sea is less tangible, but equally vibrant. People create poetry and music, literature and mythology, games, and religious ceremonies, all related to the sea. Language and oral tradition, festivals and community worship, superstition and belief all contribute to maritime traditions. Here are a selection of maritime traditions, documented visually and in a variety of other ways.