A Cross-Discipline Overview of the Environmental Issue

Overview

The Makah tribe are traditionally whalers, and maintained the right to whale when they formed treaties with the United States. But they temporarily stopped whaling because the mammals were at risk of extinction. Now, whale populations are on the rise, but for the tribe, obtaining the right to whale again has been far from simple.

Lynda V. Mapes, a reporter who specializes in coverage of the environment and Native American tribes, writes in her article “Q&A | Makah whaling rights spring from 1855 treaty” that whaling has been a part of the Makah culture for thousands of years. In their 1855 Treaty of Neah Bay with the United States, when the tribe ceded thousands of acres to the United States, the tribe also maintained the right to hunt whales (Makah).

But in the 1920s, the tribe voluntarily suspended their whaling tradition when worldwide hunting made various types of whales endangered. Now the International Whaling Commission has set a quota of five gray whales a year for Makah subsistence hunting, under the terms that the Makah not sell the meat commercially and must demonstrate a shortage of whale meat on the reservation before each hunt (Mapes).

According to the Makah tribe’s website, the tribe traditionally hunted humpback, right, sperm, gray, fin, and blue whales. They used their meat and blubber, and used almost every part of the whale, with little wasted. They rendered oil from the blubber, and used the bones for making tools and personal adornments (Peterson-Renault).

The event of a whale hunt is a deeply spiritual ceremony for the Makah tribe. It is inspiration for tribal songs, dances, designs, and basketry. It also provides a purpose and a discipline for their entire community, in addition to providing oil, meat, bone, sinew, and gut—products used for food and various tools. Traditionally, to prepare for the hunt, whalers spent weeks praying, fasting, and bathing ceremonially. They used traditional knowledge to track whales, and to kill and transport them as efficiently as possible (Makah).

In 1994, grey whales were taken off the endangered species list. On May 7^th, 1999, the tribe hunted its first whale in more than 70 years. This was a momentous occasion (Makah).

But since then, the Makah tribe has only been allowed to hunt one gray whale per year (Evergreen). They can hunt up to five whales, but only if they prove they must to the International Whaling Commission. The tribe’s only goal is to be able to independently hunt to meet their needs (Mapes).

Outside opposition

Even though the tribe promises only to hunt a maximum of five whales a year in accordance to international law, opposition comes from state legislation and a portion of the Western scientific community. Some scientists worry about cruel hunting methods, and others worry about high levels of suffering on the whales’ part. National and international legislation is in place to keep whales from going extinct (Bernton).

In 1999, the Makah tribe faced outrage and protest from various groups, some more legitimate than others. One protester’s sign read, “Save the whales, kill a Makah.” But other protesters were animal rights groups, such as the anti-whaling group Sea Defense Alliance, who purportedly decried any racist sentiments. But after the whaling, the tribe received hundreds of threatening and obscene phone calls, as well as death threats. Much of the outrage over whaling is racist sentiment or cultural ignorance. The rest of the outrage comes from whale conservation organizations who find that the a ban on whale hunting trumps the tribe's right to ceremony and religious freedom (Andersen).

The NOAA released a study in 2015 that charts six alternatives from no hunting, which would be safe for the environment and be a sustainable model. In light of this, the concern for whale conservation seems unfounded. The Makah tribe is currently pursuing an exemption to the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act so they can whale independently again (Bernton).

References

Andersen, Peggy. "Makah Whale Hunt Sparks Death Threats, Obscenities, Prompts Call for Tolerance." Los Angeles Times, May 23, 1999. http://articles.latimes.com/1999/may/23/local/me-40138.

Bernton, Hal. "NOAA study could set stage for Makah whaling to resume." The Seattle Times, March 7, 2015. http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/noaa-study-could-set-stage-for-resumption-of-tribal-whaling/.

Evergreen State College. "RBCD Student Feature Vince Cooke." MPA Newshub, Tribal Newsletter, n.d. Accessed April 18, 2017. http://blogs.evergreen.edu/mpahub/tribal-newsletter/.

Makah Cultural and Research Center. "The Makah Whaling Tradition." Makah Tribe. http://makah.com/makah-tribal-info/whaling/.

Mapes, Lynda V. "Q&A | Makah whaling rights spring from 1855 treaty." The Seattle Times, March 6, 2015. http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/northwest/qa-makah-whaling-rights-spring-from-1855-treaty/.

Peterson-Renault, Melissa. "Makah Tribe History and More." Makah Tribe. http://makah.com/makah-tribal-info/.