Whaling culture celebrates revival

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More than 3,000 people crowded the shores of Neah Bay on the Victoria Day weekend to add their voices of support for the Makah Whale Hunt and sample a West Coast food source, gone untasted for 70 years.

From Anacla to Africa, and all points in-between, representatives from hundreds of Indigenous cultures congratulated the Makah whaling crew, and welcomed their whale, their guest of honor, to a day that will be forever marked in First Nation's history.

Hundreds of people began the weekend celebration with a parade starting from the Makah Museum, down the beachside road to the Elder's Centre for the ceremonial raising of the United States and Makah Nation flags.

Leading the parade was the day's central figures; 36-year old harpooner Theron Parker and the Makah whaling crew aboard their 40-foot canoe, Hummingbird, towed behind a five-tonne army-surplus transport truck.

Sporting a new tattoo of a traditional whale harpoon, woven cedar-bark rope and seal skin float on his bare chest, Theron smiled, waved, and thanked every voice in the crowd that shouted their congratulations.

The crew exchanged high-fives with the young people who ran up beside the canoe, and shook hands with the many Elders who rose up out of their folding chairs to present crew members with small, handmade gifts of appreciation.

A standing ovation greeted the whaling crew as they carried the canoe into the Neah Bay High School Gymnasium where thousands of people waited for the celebration to really begin.

"The whale has brought all of us together," said Makah Tribal Chairman Ben Johnson. "It has brought the Makah Nation together, and has brought all Native people together to celebrate the importance of our heritage, our culture, and our vision of who we are as the first peoples of this land."

"These traditions are our survival," said Billy Frank of the Nisqually Nation, and president of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. "What you see here today is a steady flow of life; a continuation into another generation. As long as we still have our songs, and we are together. That is our community and the power that is always there."

Frank thanked the U.S. government for recognizing the Makah Treaty signed in 1855; ribbon-bound copies of which were handed out to everyone as they entered the gym.

Ben Johnson caused another standing ovation after thanking the U.S. Coast Guard for their support in policing the hunt, keeping the many protester vessels at bay.

"We are here, and we are here to stay, and we are going to continue to do what we have been doing for thousands of years," said Johnson. "The Makah have a living treaty from whaling again."

After dining on whale it was time for the large Nuu-chah-nulth delegation from Canada to take the floor, with Robert Dennis Jr. dancing in members of Huu-ay-aht First Nation.

More than 150 Nuu-chah-nulth members made the journey to Neah Bay to celebrate the restoration of a cultural event central to their collective histories.

Related to the Makah linguistically, historically, culturally and through families, many of the Canadian Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations emigrated from areas south of the 49th parallel hundreds of years ago.

Nelson Keitlah, Jerry Jack and Edgar Charlie all rose to speak to the more than one thousand people gathered in the Neah Bay High School Gymnasium, and the center court became plugged with Nuu-chah-nulth singers, dancers and drummers.

Over the next five hours, the Canadian Nuu-chah-nulth delegation gave gifts to the whaling crew and sang many songs of congratulations and elation.

Harpooner Theron Parker was given a name by Nelson Keitlah and Jerry Jack. Theron was visibly moved as the name Cha-qua-sik-meek (meaning the fin on the right hand side of the whale) was bestowed upon him.

"We've never given that big of a name outside our own community," said Keitlah.

"I was so happy when I saw the pictures on the news," said Chief Hanuquii (Edgar Charlie). "I rushed down here right away to celebate this amazing event with my Makah relations."

The celebration lasted until the tables were brought in the next morning for breakfast. During the early morning hours, singers and dancers from near and far performed for the crowd. From Puyallup, Wash. to the Blackfoot dancers of Montana, the exercising of the Makah's treaty right to take a whale attracted Aboriginal people from around the globe to celebrate their successful return to tradition.