Why the Makah Indians Hunt Whales Essay -- essays research papers fc

why the Makah Indians follow whalesWhales provide us with the food for our bodies, bones for our tools and implements and spirits for our souls. We harbourt traceed the whale for 70 years but guide hunted them in our hearts and in our minds. Whales are a rudimentary focus of our nicety today as they have been from the beginning of time.This has been a tradition of the Makah Indians for more than 2000 years. They had to stop in 1926 due to the scarcity of colourize whales. But their abundance now makes it possible to resume their ancient work out of the hunt. They have had an intensification of interest in there own history and glossiness since the archeological dig at their village of Ozette in 1970, which uncovered thousands of artifacts perambulator witness to their whaling tradition. Whaling and whales have remained central to Makah coating. They are in their songs, dances, designs, and basketry. Their social body structure is based on traditional whaling families. The conduct of a whale hunt requires rituals and ceremonies, which are deeply spiritual. And they believe hunting imposes a purpose and a discipline, which they believe, will benefit their entire community, especially the young, whom the Makahs believe to be despicable from lack of self-discipline and pride.Why the Makahs have they right to hunt time-honored whalesBefore entering into negotiations with the Makah for cessions of their extensive lands on the Olympic peninsula in 1855, the joined States government was fully aware that the Makahs lived primarily on whale, oceanl and fish. When the joined States Territorial Governor, Isaac Stevens, arrived at Neah bay in December of 1855 to enter into negotiations with the Makah leaders, he was met with strong declarations from them that in exchange for ceding Makah lands to the United States they would be allowed to hunt whale. They demanded controls of their rights on the ocean and specifically, of the right to take whale. The treaty m inutes bespeak Governor Stevens saying to the Makahs The Great Father knows what whalers you are--- how you go far to sea to take whale. Far from wanting to stop you, he will servicing you sending implements and barrels to try the oil. He went on to promise U.S. assistant in promoting Makah whaling commerce. He then presented a treaty containing the specific guarantee of the United States securing the right of the Makahs to contin... ...hey should rise to a higher level of culture by not whaling. Whether or not you like what they are doing or not you should respect their culture and their traditions. The Makahs are just trying to aliveness their culture alive.Bibliography Makah Indians may become pirate whaling nation. www.eye.net/news/enviro/1995/env0803.htmWhales die, a culture lives. www.seattle-times.com/extra/browse/html/altwhal_101396.htmlAn open letter to the public from the prexy of the Makah Whaling Commission. www.Conbio.rice.edu/nae/docs/makaheditorial.html Makah w haling questions and answers. www.makah.com/whales.htm Edsanders.com Politics The new bigots. www.edwanders.com/pol.bigots.htmTreaty of Neah Bay, 1855. www.nwifc.wa.gov/tribes/treaties/neahbay.htm U.S. Indians plea to kill whale. www.whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet96/0247.htmlMakah circumspection plan for the Makah treaty Gray whale hunting for the years 1998 - 2002. www.nwifc.wa.gov/whaling/whaleplan.htmlHow this happened the Treaty. www.seashepherd.org/wh/us/mktreaty.htmlIndian tribe gets OK to resume whaling. www.japan.cnn.com/earth/9710/23/whales.indian.tribe/index.html