The Makahs Attempt to Revive Their Culture

Tradition. To many Americans, when they hear that word they think of Christmas or Thanksgiving. These traditions have been celebrated by many families for hundreds of years, and are an important part of Euro-American culture. But to the Makah Indian Nation, tradition and culture lies deep at the roots of their beginnings, and much of it has been lost or taken away from them.

The Makah, are a tribe of around 1,800 people living on the Northwest coast of the United States. A seafaring and fishing peoples, at one time their main source of subsistence was the whale. Not only did the whale provide necessary food for the tribe, but it was also revered among the Makah culture.

In 1920, the Makah voluntarily ceased to hunt whales because they were near extinction from the whaling activities of white whalers. The Makah were granted the continuing right to hunt whales in their 1885 treaty with the United States, and these rights were never relinquished. By willingly ceasing to hunt the gray whale, not only did they seek to protect it and help to rebuild the herds, but the also gave up part of their culture to help the whales.

Now, 78 years later, with the population of Gray whales back to 23,000, the Makah feel that it is time to revive their own spiritual and cultural traditions. They applied and received permission from the International Whaling Commission to hunt five whales per year. Over the last month, a group of 16 men have been in training to conduct the hunt that will take place in either October or November of this year.

The hunt will be conducted as traditionally as possible, but will follow restrictions placed on it by the Whaling Commission. Following tradition, the main crew will participate in the hunt in a canoe, paddled by eight men. There will also be a powered chase boat to prevent the harpooned whale from escaping, and a back-up motor boat in case of emergency. The whale will be harpooned from the canoe and as soon as possible the animal will be shot with a high powered rifle to make the kill as humane as possible.

Following Makah tradition, the whale will then be taken to an area where it will be ceremonially butchered and a feast will be held. The meat remaining from the whale will be distributed throughout the community to fill freezers that in this area of high unemployment and poverty may otherwise have remained empty.

Go To Page: 1 2

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic