some of the responses to my thread about the makahs killing a whale seem to believe it' the makahs right to feed their people. it's common knowledge here in wash state that the whale hunt isn't to feed their people( although of course the makah do plan to distribute the meat to their people), but rather to uphold what they believe is their traditional heritage. the makahs are merely pawns in the gov'ts plan with norway and japan to open up whale hunting on a large scale. the gov't sanctioned the hunt, gave the makahs 300,000.00, and paid all expenses for makahs to go to granada and elsewhere to learn about whaling.the indian tribes pay no taxes,have their own laws within the reservation, but still call themselves "a nation within a nation", but still vote in elections.!how far are we suppose to go with reparations? i think what we did to the indians years ago was horrendous and i also feel they deserve to be compensated for the many wrongs that was done to them -- but not the right to renew an outdated and totally unnecessary hunt for an animal that is not endangered anymore, but are still mysteriously dying more and more every year(mans pollution?) Japan already kills 400 whales a year and wants to up that to 1200 and norway kills many also(can't remember the exact #) believe me, this hunt has nothing to do with a tribes wanting to take care of it's people-- it's about clinton's behind the back handshake with other whaling countries, only this time it's not at the expense of the american people, but the expense of the whales.--dory

-- dory (crtwheel@eburg.com), May 17, 1999

Answers

Dory, I saw the footage too, and it does seem to be a savage and unnecessary act. The makah elders were upset that the hunters did not consult them on the proper spiritual and ritual tradition of the hunt. I suggest you write to your local papers and tune in to the local TV web sites to post your views. ABC news in Seattle was saying the local response has been overwhelmingly negative to the killing.

-- Rob Stevensen (Robsteve@no.spam), May 18, 1999.

Dory: This is a posting board for Y2K related subjects . I think you want the Sierra Club Web Site or warm-fuzzies.com

-- Nanook (muktuk@nothern.lights), May 18, 1999.

Clinton - intrigue and corruption - great huge pasty black and white bodies filled with blubber being photographed for TV while being used, abused, pillaged and destroyed for somebody's else pleasure and political advances - sure its on topic....

It's not about Monica this time, but it's on topic.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), May 18, 1999.

It's not about feeding. It's about bringing the tribe back to its traditions, which have been trampled on by the round eyes for HOW many generations? We have removed them from their land, in which resides their anchor of spirit (no- not the makah but other tribes), we have outlawed their way of life, and introduced them to alcohol, and all manner of other iniquities and inequities. If they are now permittede to return to something that is traditional, and it gives them a spiritual grounding, whoever permitted the return has done the REST of the world a service, for they take with a VERY DIFFERENT attitude than we whites do.

Or so an old Abenaki chief used to tell me.

Chuck

-- chuck, a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), May 18, 1999.

Oh, pulleeassee. Did he mention that the hapless whale was "dispatched " by a Barrett .50 cal semi-auto rifle-from another boat or that the mighty hunters were towed by motorboat to the general area? I wasn't there, but the appearance of the rowers suggested a noticeable lack of authentic apparel. No loincloths or bark hats. No mention of how they got it back in to shore, but I bet it wasn't by towed in by muscle power. How much you want to bet that the authentic butchering included chainsaws? Or did they maybe use obsidian knives? (snicker) This is and always was a sham with one or more hidden agendas from the beginning.

-- Greg Lawrence (greg@speakeasy.org), May 18, 1999.

I lived in Iceland for several years in the early 70s when they whaled. (Mostly baleen whales.) We used to visit the processing factory north of Reykiavik. They sold the meat for British dog food. Giant machines tugging hide from muscle and cranes lifting massive hunks of flesh into holes to the rendering pits. It was so terribly, terribly sad to me, but, then, I am a romantic.

As for the poor "Native American," I am 14th generation in the new world since one side of my family settled in 1629. When do I get to be "native?" Entire branches of my family were wiped out by Indians on the frontiers of Maine. We had to fight for the land.

Nationalities move in and overcome other nationalities throughout history. What is so special about the "poor" Indian? My Scottish ancestors got a raw deal too. Too bad. That's history.

-- roundeyes (roundeyes@anon.com), May 18, 1999.

It made me sick! The whales arpund here trust humans and go up to boats and the Ferries all the time. The Whale was looking at them when they hit it with the harpoon. They showed EVERTHING on KIRO Channel 7 here. I had gotten my daughter up for school and turned on the news where she saw therm replaying it. She was just SICK (me too). I called the station and told them it was discusting to show the killing, and unnecessary to show it over and over. I said kids were upset as it was with the killing in Columbine and this wasn't good for them to see. They continued to show it over and over again anyway. The whale screamed when shot with the harpoon and I have to wonder what message it gave out to the other whales. I don't know what they need with whale meat when they are running tax free casino's making big profits.

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), May 18, 1999.

Greg -

No it was not towed by the canoes back to shore. They threw the harpoon and then it took 4 50-caliber shots to kill it. Then the poor thing sank so they had to bring out a big fishing boat to get it off the bottom, towed it with the fishing boat to within a couple hundred feet of shore and rehooked it to the canoes to bring it ashore. Rumor I heard on the radio this PM was that most of it would be "sold" to other tribes (since the Makah are prohibited by treaty from selling it to non-Indians - other tribes are not) who will then sell the meat etc. The radio said the Makah could expect 1/2 a million or so from this one whale. They are allowed to take up to 20 between now and 2004.

Personally, I think they could "fulfill" their traditions if they would build a few more canoes and do photo whale hunts with nerf harpoons and everybody would be more supportive including the whales. By the way, I understand this was a California whale that was from a pod that has been known to swim up to the boats in Baha to interact with people.

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.net), May 18, 1999.

Roundeyes,

You are correct. You and your ancestors hold land by right of conquest. YOU are the native American. The Indians lost. Too bad; it's ours now. Some day another nation will conquer this land, and wipe out and assimiliate our descendants. Then they will hold America by right of conquest, and it will just be too damned bad for us.

-- Prometheus (fire@for.man), May 18, 1999.