19th C weapon found in whale

[jake_fink]

So, some people in alaska who never heard of spam and baked beans went out and killed a whale for this weekend's whal-e-que and found the bits of a 19th C whaling lance lodged in the big fella's tuckus. Seems he survived a simliar attempt to turn him into shishkabob over 100 years ago, which would make that whale 115 - 130 years old!

Wow.

Old whale

 

[scotrace]

Or someone was using old whaling gear at a much later time?

 

[jake_fink]

Or someone was using old whaling gear at a much later time?

A vintage whaling community. Sounds weird enough to be true.

 

[Story]

Or someone was using old whaling gear at a much later time?

An Inuit using a 50 year old system 50 years ago wouldn't have been that strange/out of order.

 

[ilcatex]

If you look closely on the spear-head...

you can see the name "Jonah" inscribed. :eusa_doh:

 

[MudInYerEye]

What a drag. People suck.

 

[Undertow]

An Inuit using a 50 year old system 50 years ago wouldn't have been that strange/out of order.

Probably more or less the case, although I wouldn't be suprised if the whale was 130+ years old. Some creatures of this earth are quite timeless.

Anyone ever read Moby Dick? After I read that book, I really began to appreciate whales' intelligence and cunning, as well as their longevity.

 

[Rooster]

Anyone ever read Moby Dick? After I read that book, I really began to appreciate whales' intelligence and cunning, as well as their longevity.

Moby Dick is a work of fiction.....

 

[Rooster]

What a drag. People suck.

Let's all go jump off a cliff!

 

[Smyat]

Moby Dick is a work of fiction.....

Based on a tremendous amount of first-hand knowledge. I don't believe you can pick on any of the tech and technique.

It is entirely possible that lancehead has been in that whale for ~100 years.

 

[Diamondback]

Let's all go jump off a cliff!

I move that Mr. Mud go first.lol

 

[Undertow]

Moby Dick is a work of fiction.....

That's it, I'm selling all my stock in Ahab's Whaling Inc. to some other sucker. I should have KNOWN it was too good to be true! :rage:

 

[dhermann1]

Moby Dick was based on a true incident that happened to a whaling ship named the Essex. The whale in question definitely seemed to know what he was doing. He sank the ship. In Eden, Australia there was for centuries cooperative fishing between humans and orcas, until an arrogant Englishman wrecked it. ( http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/killers/print/whaling.html )
I think the point that Mud was making was that in this day and age it's hard to justify the "cultural right" of certain peoples to suspend what would be considered moral by the rest of the human race. Just because it's "traditional" doesn't make it right. I wouldn't say that the entire human race sucks, but we're pretty hypocritical about a lot of things. I think it's too damned bad that this magnificent patriarch of his species had to die for the "cultural identity" of people who I guarantee you are using cell phones and computers and probably GPS to do their hunting.

 

[Undertow]

You know, I wish we would spend more money exploring the sea than space. Space is pretty neat but it seems like every few months we discover an entirely new, insane species of sea life, ie giant squid monsters. That or they find those thought-to-be-extinct dinosaur fish getting caught up in nets. Makes you wonder how long some whales actually live.

God...maybe there's some evil whale society living deep, deep below in the depths of the oceans. I suppose we'll never know.

 

[Rooster]

Moby Dick was based on a true incident that happened to a whaling ship named the Essex. The whale in question definitely seemed to know what he was doing. He sank the ship. In Eden, Australia there was for centuries cooperative fishing between humans and orcas, until an arrogant Englishman wrecked it. ( http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/killers/print/whaling.html )
I think the point that Mud was making was that in this day and age it's hard to justify the "cultural right" of certain peoples to suspend what would be considered moral by the rest of the human race. Just because it's "traditional" doesn't make it right. I wouldn't say that the entire human race sucks, but we're pretty hypocritical about a lot of things. I think it's too damned bad that this magnificent patriarch of his species had to die for the "cultural identity" of people who I guarantee you are using cell phones and computers and probably GPS to do their hunting.

CRIPES, It's just a freaking whale we're talking about here!:eusa_doh: You'd think somebody just harpooned Princess Diana or something.....Oh wait, she's already croaked....lol

 

[RIOT]

Uh huh! So that's where I left my lance! :eusa_doh:

 

[Nashoba]

I think the point that Mud was making was that in this day and age it's hard to justify the "cultural right" of certain peoples to suspend what would be considered moral by the rest of the human race. Just because it's "traditional" doesn't make it right. I wouldn't say that the entire human race sucks, but we're pretty hypocritical about a lot of things. I think it's too damned bad that this magnificent patriarch of his species had to die for the "cultural identity" of people who I guarantee you are using cell phones and computers and probably GPS to do their hunting.

And may I respectfully say that just because it doesn't mesh with what the 'rest of the human race' considers moral doesn't make it wrong either. One of the biggest problems that we have in the Native American community is that we're losing our culture. I'm all for progress, don't get me wrong, I'm much happier with indoor plumbing and not having to worry about whether or not my husband was able to trap, hunt, or fish dinner. But I wonder if you realize just how much ceremony and respect for the animal go into a traditional hunt such as the whale hunt. There are purification ceremonies, ceremonies that thank the animal for it's life and ceremonies to bless the hunters and to honor the animal itself. The cultural belief is that we have thanked the animal for it's life and for giving it's life and that the animal has willingly given itself. Traditionally also every part of that animal would be used. It only takes one generation for the old ways to be lost, languages to be forgotten, and traditions destroyed. Just ask the Cherokee. The trail of tears nearly wiped us out, and I see evidence every powwow I dance at that the old ways that I was taught are falling more and more by the wayside as children disrespect their elders, the dance arena, and in some cases even the dances themselves. I understand the animal rights stand point of it, but I also understand the desire to preserve what little we have left of our traditions and beliefs. I'm not looking to make waves or create controversy. Just two cents from someone who grew up in the Indian community.
Nash

 

[dhermann1]

Point well made. I think I went a little overboard. But you see my point.

 

[Nashoba]

Point well made. I think I went a little overboard. But you see my point.

I do see your point and I certainly respect it. But I hope you see mine as well

 

[LocktownDog]

How is killing and eating a whale any different than doing the same to a chicken or a cow or a pig, etc? They're all living creatures. Granted ... some taste a whole lot better than others. I can say growing up on a farm that no animal likes being slaughtered and nobody likes doing the deed. But there was never an empty seat at the dining room table that night.

Richard