The Makah people of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State source the majority of their meat from fishing and whale hunting. Historically, a crew of eight men would load into a canoe on hunting days, each tasked with an important part of the hunt. Using harpoons, the men would make direct contact with the whale upon striking, etc. The hunters never left a single trace of their actions other than removal of the animal from the water. When the whale reached shore, the animal was thanked and blessed before being processed for materials. After the meat of the whales was divided and distributed amongst the tribe, the dorsal fin was treated, hung, and decorated ceremonially for days. The whale’s meat was then used for food and oil, and the guts used for storage.

In 1920, whale hunting in Makah territory came to a halt due to low numbers of grey whales, thanks to commercial hunting. In 1994, the federal government ended the protections for grey whales given to endangered species, and in 1995 the Makah Tribe petitioned to resume their right to hunt. Groups such as the Humane Society, the Fund for Animals, and Greenpeace were among the groups that challenged this petition. Despite these efforts by animal rights groups, on the morning of May 17, 1999, the Makah people legally hunted their first whale in several decades. In the almost 80 years between hunts, the Makah were stripped of their right to practice something sacred to their culture and way of life in order to respect settler conservation efforts.

Now, the Makah people are requesting an allowance of hunting five whales per year to maintain their tradition while also conserving whale populations.

Asking Indigenous communities to give up their values and traditions of hunting to make up for the mistakes of colonial settlers and industrial capitalism is like asking Native people to apologize for the occupation of land that was rightfully theirs in the first place. Indigenous peoples of yesterday and today were and are truly the original conservationists. They understood the dangers of misuse and overuse, and would never hunt to depletion, only what was necessary to survive—unlike the exploitative overabundance that our modern capitalist society promotes.

Chief Seattle was a Suquamish and Duwamish chief that is widely known for giving a speech about conservation and having respect for the land. Though the speech was delivered in 1855, his words are still relevant to this day:

“When the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses all tamed, the secret corners of the forest heavy with the scent of many men, and the view of the ripe hills blotted by the talking wires, where is the thicket? Gone. Where is the eagle? Gone. And what is it to say goodbye to the swift and the hunt? The end of living and the beginning of survival.”

Under modern treaty law, tribes tend to comanage fish and wildlife, working with the US government on local, state, and federal levels in order to preserve the environment while protecting sovereign rights to fish and game. Tribal members are almost always given explicit permission to decide the rules and laws pertaining to the hunting and fishing that occurs on their own lands. Laws range from attempts at banning animal testing to classifying animals as living sentient beings as opposed to personal property. For example, the Susanville Indian Rancheria in California has laws in place preventing any animals from being used for lab practices.

Allowing Indigenous communities to make decisions about the animal life happening on their land is incredibly important for the conservation and preservation of their culture and the animals involved with it.

As a vegan in this state of climate chaos, it is important to focus our energies on things that are causing our world to decay for the sake of profit. Challenging communities with a deep connection to the environment and animals will only create a deeper divide in a time when we should be working together. Rather than shaming and criticizing Indigenous cultures for their traditions, we as a connected people—through the common interest of the earth and all its creatures—should follow the lead of Native cultures and their practices when it comes to the environment.