Overview of the Whaling of the Makah People

1441 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Whaling ethical essay

The Makah’s Whaling

The Makah people indigenous to the Pacific Northwest have a very close and long standing cultural bond to the ocean. This cultural bond is displayed in various forms such as their artwork, history, and lore. One key aspect of their culture has come scrutiny within the past twenty years—whaling. Since 1855, the Makah people have legally held the right to whale in designated waters around their reservation. In the 1920’s, the Makah decided to halt whaling due to a dwindling population of the whales. In 1986, the International Whaling Commission enacted a global moratorium on commercial whaling with two exceptions being scientific research and aboriginal subsistence. In the mid 1990’s the Makah people decided to resume their whaling practices with rising whale populations and successfully killed their first whale in roughly 70 years in 1999. This has led to much backlash from domestic governmental agencies and NGOs alike. Thus the problem lies in the question as to whether the Makah people should legally be allowed to whale with the answer being a resounding no. There many issues domestic and international issues with the continuation of the Makah people whaling with the most important being: other previously whaling states seeing the United States ‘pardon’ cultural whaling and failing to see the importance of the global whaling moratorium in effect, the possible discovery of a small population of rare resident whales in the area, and the immorality of slaughtering a highly sentient being.

The Makah’s seemingly domestic issue of whaling has and is taking on a larger international problem. The United States plays a large part in policing the hunting of whales, one of the most recent examples being the U.S.’s ...

... middle of paper ...

...imits. IWC, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

Gottieb, Paul. "U.S. Halts Makah Whaling Study after Seven Years over 'new Scientific

Information' (with Link to Video of 1999 Whale Hunt) -- Port Angeles Port Townsend

Sequim Forks Jefferson County Clallam County Olympic Peninsula Daily NEWS."

Peninsula Daily News. N.p., 23 May 2012. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

"How Do Whales Communicate?" WhaleFacts.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

Locke, Gary. "Department of Commerce." Secretary Locke Criticizes Escalation of Icelandic

Whaling. U.S. Commerce, 23 Nov. 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

"The Makah Whaling Tradition." Makah Tribe. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

"New Gray Whale Study Could Impact Makah Tribe." Chicagotribune.com. N.p., 20 July 2010.

Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

"NZ Dolphin Rescues Beached Whales." BBC News. BBC, 03 Dec. 2008. Web. 26 Feb. 2

Show More
Related

  • Exposing the Whale's Feeling in Blackfish: The Documentary

    604 Words  | 2 Pages

    Blackfish: The Documentary Entertainment is a word that invokes feelings of fun and pleasure. It is an exciting time with family and friends filled with joy and laughter, especially at amusement parks. However, what about the whales entrapped at water parks? How do they feel about this? Are they content with their environment?

    Read More

  • Why the Makah Indians Hunt Whales

    1724 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Whales provide us with the food for our bodies, bones for our tools and implements and spirits for our souls.” “We haven’t hunted the whale for 70 years but have hunted them in our hearts and in our minds.” “Whales are a central focus of our culture today as they have been from the beginning of time.”

    Read More

  • No Wild Orcas in Entertainment

    1169 Words  | 3 Pages

    Imagine yourself living in a bathtub for 25 years and you could do absolutely nothing about it. Wild orcas, better known as killer whales have been captured to entertain audiences world wide at aquariums. The most popular location being Sea World. Growing up in Miami, I could not control my excitement when it came time to go visit Lolita the killer whale at the Miami Seaquarium. To be able to see such an amazing creature right in front of me was mind blowing. How amazing is it that you can be face or face with an animal of that size? Well, I wish I'd known then what I know now. In the following paragraphs, I will start off with the difference between the life of a wild orca in the wild versus their life in captivity and I will end with reasons as to why families should not participate and give their time and money to these companies who commit such inhumane acts. I hope that towards the end of this essay, you will change your view on wild orcas and not look at them as just an animal that is used for entertainment purposes.

    Read More

  • SeaWorld: Behind the Scenes

    1561 Words  | 4 Pages

    Reza, H. G. "Whales Collide, 1 Is Fatally Injured in Sea World Tank." Los Angeles

    Read More

  • Whales in Captivity

    911 Words  | 2 Pages

    “… building a tank the size of Rhode Island wouldn’t be large enough for a six-ton male killer whale such as Tilikum, an animal capable of swimming 100 miles a day,” states an anonymous whale expert. Whales have been in captivity since 1861 when P.T. Barnum displayed the first live whale that was captured in Canada. However, Barnum had no idea how to care for the mammal and it died after only a week in captivity. (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2014) Being up close with killer whales could give us some clues about how they interact with each other, including physical behavior, their dialect, and how their pods work together as a family unit. However, what we are finding is that whales who belong in the wild are suffering in captivity. Killer whales have no record of ever harming a human being in the wild. In captivity, there have been many incidents of killer whales harming or even killing their trainers. What would cause them to do this in captivity, but not in the wild? They have been known to resort to aggression toward themselves and each other, in what scientist believe to be a stress induced behavior. (Animal Legal and Historical Center, 2014) Evidence against having these wild animals in captivity is increasing and we need reevaluate the value of capturing and holding killer whales for our educational purposes, enjoyment, and profit.

    Read More

  • Whale Rider: The Maori Culture

    1716 Words  | 4 Pages

    The purpose of this reflective outline is to demonstrate a thorough understanding of theories, concepts, and/or strategies relating to cultural and social religions. “Whale Rider” (Caro, 2002) , is a depictive representation of a cultural religion that has survived on the belief of male inheritance as their form of guidance; however, history has shown that change is inevitable. For example, throughout history, religion has played a pivotal role in the development of individuals, including the evolution of societies. This shows that because religion/s around the world have practiced their core beliefs in an attempt to guide humanities behaviors, yet , as we can observe with the “Whale Rider,” even the most influential community and cultural leaders can become miscued in their ideologies. Because The Maori of New Zealand have developed deep seated beliefs within natural creatures; Katu is term used to relate to their god (Maori.com, 2014) steaming for their ancestral Polynesian descendants. In addition to what can be observed, such as beliefs, practices, and/or symbolic terminologies, each religion will ensure its presidential knowledge is passed to those who receive it accordingly. The factual concept stands and history has proven is evolution that without guidance and continuous religious and cultural support, decedents of a heritage may become lost and/or miscued within their mislead ideology. Although many religions are centered on the belief of normality’s cultural expectance, often times we can observe drastic changes in the reorganization of a cultural religion.

    Read More

  • The Culture of the Makah

    1164 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Makah were very creative and smart. They were successful in making clothing, and shelter. They were able to hunt and gather food for themselves. The Makah were able to make good medicine and very good wood work. There real name is Qwidicca-Atx which means people who live among seagulls. The Makah live on the northwest coast. This is on the Pacific Ocean. Let us see what the Makah did.

    Read More

  • The Cove: an Analysis of Argumentation for Animal Rights

    930 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Cove is a film of activism, a film meant to move the hearts of individuals who love and support the rights of mammalian sea-dwellers like that of whales, porpoises, and most importantly dolphins. Produced in 2009 by the Oceanic Preservation Society it offers a unique perspective, when compared with other activist documentaries. In The Cove the producer and co-founder of the Oceanic Preservation Society was actually personally involved in the filming efforts and worked directly with dolphin trainer Richard O’Barry in drawing light on the events occurring in a private cove in the city of Taiji, Japan. The documentary is, of course, very biased towards the topic, with obvious pro-animal rights leanings supported indirectly with a strong utilitarian basis. When analyzing documentaries such as this it is vitally important to take as objective a perspective as possible, though humanity tends to be innately prone to bias, and scrutinize through perspectives that have established ethical guidelines.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Orcas In Captivity

    925 Words  | 2 Pages

    Millions of people visit Sea World each year (The Fate). They crowd into Shamu Stadium to be entertained by the killer whales as they perform. Their eyes widen, and they sit in awe, as these enormous creatures effortlessly propel themselves out of the water. The children in the audience squeal with delight as the orca’s giant tail sends a wave of ice water over the crowd. But these fast-paced, high-spirited shows hide a darker reality. They are designed to mask the reality of the bare, cold concrete walls that the Orcas are forced to call home. It’s time for people to realize the plight of these mammals. Keeping Orcas in captivity is both harmful and cruel.

    Read More

  • The Negative Effects Of The Documentary Blackfish

    1153 Words  | 3 Pages

    Currently, live whale performances have become well liked for tourists to visit. When they are there, they only see what they want to see and do not care or want to know all about the complications the whales go through just to make people smile. The documentary “Blackfish” exposes the truth about the whales, their habits, and why they act the manner they do when in captivity. The inhumane treatment of whales in captivity causes negative effects on the animals which, in turn, affects the humans who care for them.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of International Whaling

    800 Words  | 2 Pages

    I agree with the Norwegian and Japanese positions on permitting the hunting of non-endangered species of whales as a cultural exemption. Both of these cultures have been whaling for thousands of years. One stipulation that I would add in order to qualify for a cultural exemption is that the hunting should take place in a historically accurate manner. For the Japanese, this would mean using nets to catch the whales.

    Read More

  • Overfishing In Hawaii

    629 Words  | 2 Pages

    Have you ever thought about going to the store and not being able to purchase certain food because you are only allowed to buy it at a certain time? Here in Hawaii, the government is trying to impose laws and restrictions on fishing sanctuaries throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Articles such as “Rights and Respects for Native Fishing,” “Native Hawaiians And Streams,” and “Ancient Hawaiians Caught More by Fishing Less” discuss overfishing, and I use them to analyze my thoughts on the rights of Native Hawaiian fishing and preservation of marine life.

    Read More

  • Commercial Whaling: The Ethical and Political Debate

    1447 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... In the debate over the ethics of whaling and its regulation since the formation of the IWC, widely diverse arguments have been made concerning the legitimacy of the whaling enterprise and the economic, ethical, and practical aspects of international regulation. Different views of ecology, culture, and legitimacy as they pertain to a valued resource and its exploitation for human purposes. While it is safe to say one must preserve the historical and cultural value of whaling nations and nations around the world, it can also be said of animals. While many nations continue to cling to their cultural ancestry, background of whaling, and the right for scientific research, it is proven that such human endeavors must be carefully and faithfully regulated.

    Read More

  • Should Whaling Be Banned Essay

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the Antarctic Ocean, Japanese whalers hunt for whales. Could you imagine eating meat from an animal that you admire? The Japanese are saying that their being killed for scientific research, but in reality many people believe they are being eaten. Several organizations have helped to ban whaling, but all that ends up happening is reducing the amount of whales to be killed.

    Read More

  • Ethnography of the Maasai

    926 Words  | 2 Pages

    Within the Maasai culture there are several political decision makers. One decision maker is the father in a family unit. The father can decide where his children live within the kraal, which is an enclosed settlement. Another part of the decision making process in the Maasai culture are the elders of the clan. Another group that participates in the Maasai’s process of making decisions are the warriors. Warriors are the young men of a tribe; boys become warriors after they are circumcised. Thus decisions are made by elders, the head of the kraal, and by fathers in a tribe.

    Read More

More about Overview of the Whaling of the Makah People

Open Document