US Drops Support of Indian Whale Hunt
6/27/96
Summary: Controversy has arisen over a proposal by an American Indian
tribe, under an International Whaling Commission allowance, to hunt gray
whales. The allowance lets native groups hunt whales for their own
consumption, and under accordance to the IWC guidelines. Some in the
American Indian tribe say that the whale now has a large enough population
to allow limited whaling, and doing so would help restore their culture.
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Headline: US Drops Support of Indian Whale Hunt
Source: CNN
Date: 6/27/96
Author: CNN correspondent Rusty Dornin
Copyright 1996: Cable News Network, Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- The United States has
withdrawn backing of a controversial proposal to allow an
American Indian tribe to hunt five gray whales under an exemption
in the International Whaling Commission's commercial whaling ban.
The proposal was fought by other countries as well as some
members of the tribe.
The United States had submitted the request to the IWC's annual
meeting in Aberdeen, Scotland, but a spokesman said Thursday it
will be deferred until next year to give the Makah time to
respond to reservations expressed by delegates.
The IWC allows aboriginal groups with a long tradition of whaling
to continue their hunts as long as they use the whales only for
their own consumption. An allowance has already been given to
some Eskimos.
For centuries the Makah Indians hunted gray whales off the coast
of Washington, using them for survival and ceremony. They stopped
whaling in 1926 when gray whales came close to extinction. The
tribe contends that now that the gray whale population has
recovered to around 23,000, it would be safe to resume the hunt.
Some of the Makahs claim a U.S. treaty guarantees their whaling
rights.
A question of culture
Makah tribal member Jerry Lucas says killing five whales a year
could help revive their culture.
"This might be an opportunity to turn kids around (and back
toward their Makah culture)," he said.
But environmentalists and animal rights groups worry that the
request could start a whale-hunting frenzy.
Already, native tribes in Canada say they will resume whaling if
the Makahs are allowed to hunt.
"Other people will follow in their footsteps, and what we'll have
is essentially a commercial slaughter by another name -- cultural
whaling," said Will Anderson of the Progressive Animal Welfare
Society.
Japan rebuffed
A request by the Japanese to hunt 50 Minke whales a year under
the aboriginal exemption was turned down Thursday by the IWC.
"If they say yes to America and not to Japan, that is (a) double
standard," said Ichiro Nomura of the Japanese Whaling Commission.
The issue has placed the United States in a difficult position
because it is one of the most fervent advocates of the whaling
moratorium. The U.S. delegation voted Thursday against the
Japanese request.
But Washington is committed to supporting the rights of tribal
groups and took pains to stress that it had not dropped the
request altogether.
"The United States government continues to support Indian treaty
rights and the preservation of native cultures," James Baker,
leader of the U.S. delegation at the IWC meeting, said in a
statement.
Division within the Makah tribe
The hunt, which once unified this tribe, now pits member against
member. Seven tribal elders traveled to Aberdeen to testify
against killing the whales.
"I can't see killing a whale for subsistence when we haven't
eaten it for decades. We don't know how to cut it, how to cook
it," said Alberta Thompson, a Makah tribe member.
Some of the younger Makahs agree that the practice should remain
a part of their cultural history only.
"I'm against it, really. I mean I don't think it's going to bring
back any tradition," said a young tribe member.
The tribal council has been accused of soliciting advice from
Japanese whalers -- an accusation members deny.
"We don't allow people to come and talk to us about buying or
selling whale. It's not an acceptable thing," Lucas said.
Reuters contributed to this report.