Iñupiaq Whale Hunt

This video, adapted from material provided by the ECHO partners, shows a whale hunt with Native Iñupiaq hunters. The Iñupiaq people have been hunting whales for thousands of years, and many of their hunting methods and traditions continue to be passed down from generation to generation. On this expedition, the crew successfully kills a bowhead whale. The entire community joins together to bring in the whale, butcher and distribute it, and then celebrate the hunt.

[@sitkadear4535]

Whale hunting is very important to my culture (Iñupiaq) it has been done for over 2000 years. But I'm guessing many of you aren't familiar with the land we live on. In our small communities of sometimes less than a 100 people, you will not find any Wal-marts or McDonalds around, so hence our heavy reliance on the sea mammals. We did not have chickens, or cows; we did have seal and whales though. My ancestors would think animals above ourselves because they are wise, and that the animals make a great sacrifice for us. You may continue to think of us as savages, but my people come from a culture where the very foundation is built on respect. With a EMPHASIZED regard for the environment/animals. A single whale can feed a lot of families and we have many songs in respect for the whale, and as for all animals. We do not waste, we do not hunt recklessly. We do this to live, as we have always done. Please understand that this is an ancient practice. Thank you!

[@leggozombieslayin]

Rawr Nekoz I understand as well as I can. While I think it is not good to eat animals when not necessary, I realize the cultural and practical significance of your people's hunting and subsistence habits. In this case, I support this for it is for survival.

[@shelleymagnussen1959]

Rawr Nekoz I am so sorry that so many people are heartless, caring more about whales than about you and your family. I pray you have a really good whale season this fall!

[@miron1189]

you do not need to beg for bigots forgiveness that cannot even fathom the importance of your practices

[@thelastneanderthal3171]

SitkaDear anti hunters liberal suburbanites just don't get it. Their will never will. I find comfort knowing that if things go to shit, without basic survival and hunting skills, they will be the first to die.

[@WildlifeSeriaLKiller]

LMFAOROFL!!! What a dipshit.....

[@niayuq]

Our people " The Inupiaq" through the whale hold one of the worlds longest living traditions and ways of life. We subsist of the land because it is healthier, easier. Our land is chemical free, free from the damaging ways of the industrial trespasses to the earth, water and air.

[@Powerranger-le4up]

niayuq The zoo I volunteer at has also been working together with your people to promote climate change awareness. I know that climate change is making things harder for you to get your food so we want to help.

[@joeyquintana8916]

Keep ur culture going Thank all animals 4 feeding us. Stay strong my Alaskans natives

[@ShiningGalaxy01]

@Joey Quintana You mean Alaskan Mongols? They are of Mongolian origin, that arrived to Alaska 800 years ago through boats, theh are not Indigenous. These Inuit Mongols are cruel, just as their ancestor Genghis.

[@yqbzrxs]

​@@ShiningGalaxy01what are you on dude?

[@ShiningGalaxy01]

@@yqbzrxs If your asking me what drugs I am taking, I never took any, once in my life.

[@shelleymagnussen1959]

I really appreciate this video. A native woman from Barrow encouraged me to google and watch some of these videos. She also explained the hunt, how it's done and its significance to her people. It was clear she had taken part in it. What she told me grabbed my heart. I discovered I was woefully ignorant on the subject and when I saw this, I was in tears. This video is one of the reasons I'm going to Barrow next year. I'll never be the same.

[@damienemelianoff2224]

What village do you live in?

[@Powerranger-le4up]

If you want to see more, there is a show on Netflix called Human Planet

[@Jake73B]

It is great to see how the whale is so appreciated by the entire community and how the hunt team puts on a get together!. I can only imagine a hard working way of life, but a great way of life no less. May the Lord smile on yalls hunts to come. Be safe, Jason

[@shelleymagnussen1959]

If our government decided to ban consumption of meat and raising stock for slaughter, we'd begin to understand where native Alaskans are coming from. I don't think people realize how much beef and other meets are intertwined into our culture. No, we don't spiritualize this, but just imagine, no more steak barbecues, no more hot dogs at the baseball game. No more Thanksgiving turkey. My family wouldn't even bother to have a 4th of July picnic if we couldn't barbecue steaks or hamburgers. I know there are vegetarians out there, but most people in this country still eat these meats and we don't understand what a shock it would be if they were suddenly unavailable.

[@xazzelwillcuts1311]

Shelley Magnussen what is your point? If you are comparing the whale hunt in this video to factory farming in America, there are no similarities. Americans don’t even associate the meat they eat with a living animal because it is so far removed from their minds. Therefore the two cannot be compared. You have no relationship with any animal you eat, you just eat because you like to eat, never taking a moment to think about the incredible sacrifice made for you and your overweight family.

[@niayuq]

Our way of life makes us closer than someone from anywhere else. We feast together many times a year as a community, all Inupiat get together many times a year to celebrate the successful seasons of hunting and gathering where there is trading of all things that also keeps bond of our people and tradition and culture strong and together.

[@niayuq]

The animals that live on our lands are healthy, truly wild, and unaffected by the hand of man this is why we choose to live the life we live over all the chemically processed meats and vegetables that are born, raised and farmed with chemicals.It us our culture and way of life to take only what we need from mother earth and give great thanks afterwards in many ways and give some back sometimes. Our way of life makes us closer than someone from anywhere else.

[@G0IMB]

These people are connected to their food, and clearly have respect for the animals they hunt. The sea is clearly their garden as the climate is too cold to grow vegetables.

[@nielsm76]

hold on to your lives and culture and do not back down. we are having a hard time holding on to our whaling of pilot whales due to the seasheppard occupation of our country at this time. sincere regards from the faroe islands

[@shelleymagnussen1959]

nielsm76 Ever notice how people harrass you while the rest of us are at work?

[@nielsm76]

yeas i`m sorry to say

[@niayuq]

Our people the Inupiat are a very unique people that our countrymen should be proud to be able to call them people of their country as we are proud to be of this country which made us part of their country whilst we had no idea of each others.

[@workerworker7961]

Beautiful culture. Amazing how the whale brings the community together. That’s how humans should live

[@barbarapowell1957]

my dear grandfather from barrow, you rest in peace and will walk with god, i am happy to learn that you were so close to nature , Jean Numnik, you are in my heart and i understand your knowledge in whaling

[@dawngomezofficial5635]

Beautiful people of Inupiaq. My father side (Tegoseak) is from Point Barrow Ak. Seeing this video brought back my earliest childhood memory of a visit to Barrow when I was just 2 yrs old. I dont remember eatting Mucktuck but I do remember eatting moose. Bless my people from Barrow Ak.

[@rezzygirl238]

Wow, interesting video.. thanks for the upload! I love the Iñupiaq people and their culture.

[@mzcarolk]

Thank u

[@arctic6088]

I'm always trying to seek videos with my family in them....here is one my cousin John Nusunginya

[@teelevi5656]

Everybody have different ways of living ! if you take away the gas and electricity from this world, the big cities would crumble and turn into a concrete jungle. so think twice before you judge cultures and traditions becoz they will survive in the cold dark world ! chek

[@valleyg2347]

Whale hunting is very important to all these nimcompoots

[@MangoTree651]

Meanwhile you walk drive past homeless people in your 2010 Tahoe.

[@boxermomma1918]

This is beautiful as our cultures are the same giving thanks to God for the harvest. Utilizing the entire animal is respectful and beautiful. Only some know the importance of the calories & probiotics the animal gives which our bodies need for survival. Here is to a good harvest for the years to come. I am Aztec and I understand your cultures and way of life

[@choocello]

So they have snowmobiles, phones and baseball caps, but cannot survive without whale-hunting ...

[@niayuq]

we were doing this way before Columbus was a twinkle in his great grandfathers eye, We believe god made these great beings along with all other animals to take for sustenance for living in an ecosystem with one of the harshest climates in the world. There are strict guidelines and regulations that are set by the "AEWC" Alaskan Eskimo Whaling Commission who in turn abides by the laws and regulations set by the "IWC" international whaling commission.

[@inkydragon27]

People who live in surburbia and do not know how to subsist or coexist with their environment should not have an opinion on people who have learned to live in cooperation with their environment, and have done so for hundreds of thousands of years.

[@shelleymagnussen1959]

I think that if the U.S. government banned beef, chicken and pork, some of these self-righteous name-callers would be singing a different tune.

[@joeyquintana8916]

U got that right...lol

[@kungfubellydancer]

God gave us animals so that we can benefit from them. This is such an amazing example of that relationship!

[@metals2546]

This is how you co-existe with nature. Sadly most of the rest of the world has forgotten how to do that.

[@Powerranger-le4up]

I have a lot of admiration for subsistence hunters. They rely on wild animals in order to survive and I don't think I'd ever be able to live like they do. It's not fun to watch if you aren't used to it. However, once you realize what they go through, you start to have a bit of respect for them

[@info145]

Germany quits whaling in 1939! U.S. quits whaling in 1940! Argentina quits whaling in 1960! U.K. quits whaling in 1963! Holland quits whaling in 1964! New Zealand quits whaling in 1964! Norway withdraws from the Antarctic Ocean in 1972! Canada quits whaling in 1973! South Africa quits whaling in 1975! Australia quits whaling in 1978! Brazil quits whaling in 1980! Chile quits whaling in 1983! Peru quits whaling in 1984! Spain quits whaling in 1985! U.S.S.R quits whaling in 1987!

[@stjjames]

They look 100% Asian, because they are. Have we all forgotten that 'native', is a relative term. These folks, as well as all Amerindian's ( I know, there's some Polynesian blood in the south), from the top of Canada, to the tip of Chile - immigrated here via a land bridge. Mostly Mongolian blooded.

[@ratatouille1682]

1:53 I guess...only the Inupiaq would make a comment about good ice for consumption....

[@taylorstumpf8337]

Hmmm... not much vegetation, but PLENTY of government handouts, huh?

[@hitmann2300]

@NorthernMostTours Pilot whales are in no danger of going extinct, and the Faroes hunts only take about 0.1% of their population yearly. With a mean average of about 700 whales, these whales are actually more part of the Dolphin family, being the second largest to Killer Whales.

[@ContrastNY]

@info145 @hitmann2300 So based on your comment, you agree with the Faroese pilot whale hunts! The Faroese use ALL of the pilot whale meat and the need it as they can not afford to live entirely on store bought food, just as the Inuits. THE FAROESE AND INUITS CONTINUE WHALING FOR THE SAME REASONS, PRESERVATION OF CULTURE AND TO SUBSIDIZE THE COST OF STORE BOUGHT FOOD!

[@jordmusky]

ok as a meat eater i'll be the first one to end this... I agree with you on animals getting skinned alive, I agree cows and chickens should be treated better instead of being massively slaughtered. I agree everyone should respect animals such as my native culture does... I was immature in the prior comments, but do not get infront of me and my tradition.

[@taylorstumpf8337]

The whales have brains and are very smart. However, they realize that they can't fight. the moment the Eskimos spotted one of them, they knew they never had a chance. Their blood will stain the ice and the ocean longer than the people themselves will be alive. I do bowhead whale acoustics research. These whales are not in good shape. No one is going to admit this, but I will. This practice is wrong, and I am sorry you are getting abused for being the only one with a brain.

[@shmittyworman]

That is not completely true, white people come from all different types of cultural backgrounds. The Romans invaded my ancestors land and they were far darker than my people. The Egyptians were dark skinned and they inslaved those darker and lighter than them. This is not a color issue, its all a matter of divide and conquer. Im white, and I side with you.

[@stevenpoulard1535]

The man they hunt in the whale

[@aishastates]

Amazing Creatures & Amazing People

[@sweetkilla70]

These people have been hunting whales for thousand of years in a very sustainable manners..and .respectful manners ..not like some industrialist idiots who hunt them in the past ..like there is no tomorrow..and now they call these people savages...?..what a pathetic world...

[@rayquigley1327]

This is as Nobel an exercise as a man could undertake. Very cool tradition combining danger, food, skill and family...I can't name a religion which beats that.

[@rayquigley1327]

Family?

[@shelleymagnussen1959]

Ray Quigley Many of these people are Christian. Just listen to them prayinghere. When word comes that they've caught one, businesses and schools close. Everyone takes part in bringing the whale ashore and cutting it up for processing. I very recently met a lady who is a spokesman for this tribe. She has taken part in these harvests. When she explained the process, I was spellbound. I discovered how seriously wrong I was. Humbling.

[@rayquigley1327]

Pretty sure the tradition began 1,000's of years before a christian prayer book arrived in the region. Just saying...what?!

[@shelleymagnussen1959]

Ray Quigley That doesn't mean some of them aren't Christian. That's like saying I can't claim I'm Christian and drink water because people drank water before Christianity came to be.

[@rayquigley1327]

Shelley Magnussen The tradition of eating whales to survive in the Arctic has absolutely nothing to do with any religion from the middle east; such as christianity.

[@coolgirlfrozenfeet]

I wouldn't kill a whale, but I don't really blame these native people for it. What else are they going to eat?

[@taylorstumpf8337]

This does happen in Alaska. Your comment was not sutpid.

[@Scott0Brien]

This is nothing compared to Japanese Whaling. Although at one stage whaling was a tradition, the over cultivation and pure disregard for the preservation of a species has led to much dispute over the issue. As seen in this video, the traditional tribes people are using historic and traditional methods of hunting whales for Consumption of meat! (did see outboard motors) compared to the Japanese whaling fleets travelling half way around the world in an industrialized fleet and selling for profit.

[@invinoveritas6859]

One must respect,protect and preserve the creature that his life depends upon for survival......

[@taylorstumpf8337]

Yes, they are intelligent and they have lived for longer than humans. Sometimes I wish a whale would just crush every whaling boat and kill every person in it so they would stop. However, that would only give the Eskimos a greater reason to kill the whales. I think the whales know this and I think that is why they have to surrender their lives. They know they should go peacefully rather than forcefully. It makes me cry knowing they never had a chance the second they were targeted by a whaler.

[@info145]

@NorthernMostTours Goofball hitmann2300 just doesn't do his homework. Inuits are NOT "Americans".

[@taylorstumpf8337]

Don't support them. Do you live in Alaska? Have you met Eskimos? You don't understand how they are.

[@Terraceview]

Ok, so you call out all whites racist while this person is calling white people a plague? Who's the racist here?

[@ShiningGalaxy01]

@BarryEssex These Inuits should get their yellow asses back to Mongolia.

[@taylorstumpf8337]

Hell yes! I'd shit on the igloo's door to give it a nice little door knob....

[@taylorstumpf8337]

You are insightful. However, I would rather that the bowhead whales, which have very few natural predators, became extinct because of a natural cause rather than because they never had a chance once the species evolution gave the highly developed cerebral cortex decided they would be worth a lot of money.

[@SkepticalChris]

I think he means that they are dependent on the whales for their survival.

[@peace60s]

Very well presented!

[@MrNunivak]

This is really important. Keep it up.

[@2bns08]

Don't Fuck w/ the north slope whaling...

[@zOMGLaserGunzPewPew]

Oh my dear native man, the whales can certainly live without you. 0:30

[@Cordely]

GREAT VIDEO THANKS

[@NortherHunter]

gvenema its u guys that which depleated the whale and took only blubber, the over sea destroyers who still take ntake and look down on

[@taylorstumpf8337]

You are awesome! This guy was native to get a Klondike bar with his foodstamps!

[@rabbitskinner]

Lol we are one we cannot live without each other. Hmm I'm pretty sure the whales can live without innuit

[@user-gh7go3nx9i]

American double standard・・

[@monoluktaalak9398]

Pedro Sepulveda I mean it’s not bad

[@info145]

@inuit222 As for Wikipedia, if you check, you'd see that ALL info has to be backed up with genuine sources. All links are listed at the bottom of each Wikipedia page. Read Wikipedia policy: All info submitted is verified with references posted. So don't believe them when they say "Wikipedia can't be trusted". They're only half right. (The sources can be)

[@theodoremartin6153]

Wikipedia cant be Trusted ? i absolutely agree. Anonymous sources are useless and dewserve scorn.

[@info145]

THE SOURCES can be trusted (just not Wikipedia)

[@matthewmann8969]

We're Eskimos And Amerindians not already attacking each other before Whites arrived?

[@chasebrewersr.2467]

Don't Europeans attack each other on a regular basis?

[@ShiningGalaxy01]

@matthew mann The Algonquin red man refer these Yellow Mongol Inuit hordes as Eskimo(which an algonquin language, means those who lost blood, or eater of raw flesh), which is what they really do. The Algonquins related these Mongol Inuits(who they called Eskimos) to the Wendigo.

[@taylorstumpf8337]

AGREED! You're the smartest person on here.

[@victorcopado5568]

absolutely beautiful

[@rafaelmangrone721]

❤️

[@toweblair4life5150]

My Grandmother Tillie would order dried fish, seal oil, and muktuk from Alaska. Yum! my!

[@TheJeromemm]

@jelloleggedjedi lol +1. i couldnt agree with you more

[@strawberry_hawk]

poor bowhead whale :(

[@Joanie1130]

nature like that

[@jordmusky]

yep whatever you say

[@treela2003]

Very Cool!

[@info145]

@tasteegold7772 So am i, but people will not ever stop eating animals, so there are guidelines that should be followed: 1) Don't kill animals whose subsistence is in question. 2) Kill quickly and humanely. 3) Replenish. 4) Respect an animal's sanctuary! (The poachers ignore all of these basic common sense points of logic and human decency)

[@hochiminh8068]

good

[@randyjaco69]

Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you.

[@binofak98]

Any one know the name of the hymn that they sang at 4:28 or who was singing, Thank you

[@VvarezZ]

its called anguläleh langele

[@n0yn0y]

Whaling should be banned. Period. No subsistence whaling, no commercial whaling. If you don't like it, then too bad. No culture is worth the loss of whales.

[@Powerranger-le4up]

klutz395 subsistence hunting affects less than 1 percent of the whales and is strictly regulated. They do it to survive.

[@shmittyworman]

You really need help!

[@taylorstumpf8337]

You are my best friend! Please help me kick these people's asses! You are so right! I've been on here trying to rile people up about this all day!

[@minhxavan5271]

Thịt chó ngon hơn

[@MangoTree651]

Where can I get some whale tenderlions? Dammnit imma eat one of these magnificent creatures before I stop walking this earth.

[@ballistic350]

eat what they can who cares..

[@CocaColaDance]

more whale huntin here /watch?v=iGMpBkzL0fE

[@7juaninho7]

Yummy

[@DAVIL1M4]

O POVO FEIO

[@taylorstumpf8337]

HAHAHA! There is no such thing as an intelligent Eskimo. There are smart ones. Don't get me wrong, I have friends that are Eskimo, but I also know that they are only smart to an extend, and the majority of them are inbred. I'm not even kidding. A friend of mine married her cousin and had his baby.

[@jordmusky]

tradition is needed.. when a polar bear kills a seal do you complain? no. Its the way of life, we don't have much vegetation up here so go hug a tree somewhere else

[@luukeluketer1024]

He says in the beginning of the video that man and whale cannot live without each other......I'm sure the whale begs to differ.....

[@Powerranger-le4up]

luuke luketer It’s part of their culture. They have to eat sea animals in order to survive.

[@taylorstumpf8337]

The Japanese hunted traditionally as well but just go advanced. Neither of the cultures are right. I could see the Eskimos getting all pompous and becoming worse than the Japanese whalers because of how highly they think of themselves.

[@nativebeans8594]

That was a huge ass whale!!

[@situated4]

The poor, defenseless whale likely did not enjoy getting harpooned and sliced-up that afternoon. Just sayin'.

[@vetusdoctrina80]

This whale can easily demolished all those boatss if want

[@69newportking]

Animals have no soul that's why we can eat them

[@ShiningGalaxy01]

@69newportking Every living thing has a soul. If animals don't have a soul, that means they are not living, moving, nor alive. If animals don't have souls, neither do we, cause we are animals.

[@taylorstumpf8337]

I care. I'm going to stop this. These Eskimos are going to get a "come to Jesus" moment from me someday.

[@joefogg3907]

Stumpf I just keep waiting and please hold our breath for the resurrection

[@taylorstumpf8337]

HAHAHA!

[@taylorstumpf8337]

We all shouldn't get to hunt whales, but I do see your point. I think these people who hunt whales are hypocrites.

[@taylorstumpf8337]

See? You are smarter ;)

[@monoluktaalak9398]

Taylor Stumpf but you aren’t

[@taylorstumpf8337]

Tell me, do you still agree with the whale hunt? If you don't agree with it anymore, you should delete your comments or else you are going to be one more point for the Eskimos. Don't call me a racist bigot. I grew up in Alaska. I got threatened for being white. You just watched a video, as far as I know. I don't want to be your enemy. I just don't find whaling acceptable in any way. Until people see this is wrong, the whales will be hurt.

[@fofotheclown1051]

Shut the FUCK up.

[@monoluktaalak9398]

I agree that curtain type of whaling is ok not the mass killings of whales for their oil iñupiats are completely ok for killing whales to feed their village, it is not wrong

[@ShiningGalaxy01]

@@monoluktaalak9398 They are torturing, and killing several baby Bowhead whales. Bowhead Whales are endangered, only 50,000 of them left in the world, takes over 25 years for them to reach sexual maturity, and could only give birth to one baby, and the Mongol Inuits are killing the only babies of these Female Bowhead whales, after seperating the babies from the females. Inuits are dishonorable, and have no respect towards nature.

[@ShiningGalaxy01]

@@monoluktaalak9398 Japan kills Minke Whales, who are 935,000 of them left, who are less endangered, and Inuits are killing bowhead whales, who are 50,000 of them left, very endangered. Keep that in mind that these Mongol Inuits are causing severe damage to the Ecosystem than Japanese whalers are.

[@CCSofChocolatesvill]

why is this video trying to romanticise whale hunting ?

[@Powerranger-le4up]

Adamski51 They aren’t. These people are highly reliant on subsistence hunting in order to survive. They don’t waste anything. I don’t like it when people hunt whales, but I am okay with the people who hunt them for survival.

[@taylorstumpf8337]

I am a vegetarian too.