Cultural Connections with Antarctica and the Southern Ocean

Antarctica and the Southern Ocean have a rich human history of imagination, exploration, exploitation, and admiration. Although most people will never visit, the region has captured the imaginations of artists, musicians, and storytellers for centuries. This chapter traverses cultural representations of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica across a range of media, including oral histories, fine arts, music, literature, and advertising. It then addresses the in situ importance of Antarctic heritage and tourism mediation, before examining local Antarctic connections in the Antarctic gateway cities. The Antarctic Treaty System, through its Protocol on Environmental Protection, enshrines the need to protect the Antarctic environment and ecosystems. This chapter demonstrates the cultural conditions required to create and maintain this framing of Antarctica as a place to protect.