I received a shocking and graphic email on 1 Febuary 2010. It was a mail protesting against whaling in Denmark (the Faroe Islands, precisely). I was particularly shocked because Denmark is a country where there's a lot of talk about global warming and saving the planet - why would the State turn a blind eye to such a controversial tradition?There's a brutal tradition in the Faroe Islands, which has outraged nature activists, animal rights activists, environmental activists and might be outrageous to you, as well. Every summer, in the Faroe Islands, hundreds of pilot whales are savagely slaughtered in the sea. How is it done? When a school of whales is located, local inhabitants, in small boats drive the whales ashore (to shallow water), where they are killed by waiting islanders. Special hooks are used to cut the whale near the dorsal fin. The whales that are not beached are stabbed with hooks and pulled ashore. Although it has been written that whalers now implore "less brutal" techniques, it is worth mentioning that the whales don't die instantly and because of the large number of whales targeted, the sea in the area is stained red - polluted with blood. It's alleged that the "celebration" is to show that the main participants - mostly teens, are mature and adults. By brutally killing whales? Now, this sounds weird, doesn't it?
Whaling in the Faroe Islands has been a long standing tradition and it's considered to be an important part of the culture of the local inhabitants. Is this enough reason for it to be tolerated? Have you heard about it before? Surprisingly, I heard about it just a few days ago and I don't have much of an opinion about it, apart from the fact that it's cruel and environmentally unfriendly (for lack of a better word).
Some have argued that the pilot whale is not an endangered specie and is far from extinction and that the cultivation of vegetables and fruits is almost impossible in the Faroe Islands because infertile soil (Tholeiitic basalt lava). Hence the inhabitants (the Faroese) are forced to depend on a major food source - which happens to be the pilot whale. They kill to eat, not for commerce or for pleasure.
Whaling in the Faroe Islands has been a long standing tradition and it's considered to be an important part of the culture of the local inhabitants. Is this enough reason for it to be tolerated? Have you heard about it before? Surprisingly, I heard about it just a few days ago and I don't have much of an opinion about it, apart from the fact that it's cruel and environmentally unfriendly (for lack of a better word).
Some have argued that the pilot whale is not an endangered specie and is far from extinction and that the cultivation of vegetables and fruits is almost impossible in the Faroe Islands because infertile soil (Tholeiitic basalt lava). Hence the inhabitants (the Faroese) are forced to depend on a major food source - which happens to be the pilot whale. They kill to eat, not for commerce or for pleasure.
Many people mistakenly blame Denmark for not outlawing this controversial tradition. The truth is, the Faroe Islands has been an autonomous province of Denmark since 1948. If you understand what autonomy is all about, you'd agree that the Kingdom of Denmark cannot interfer in the internal affaires of the Faroese. Thus, you can't blame Denmark for the controversial tradition in the Faroe Islands.
The protest email I received earlier this week, contains the following graphic pictures. Viewer discretion is advised!
No doubt, there's a controversial tradition of whaling in the Faroe Islands, but the question is - do you advocate the saving of the whales and let a unique people - with a population of only 48,353 (as of 2004), go extinct?
