New Book on Whaling Offers Insight into Ancient Ways, Modern Tribes

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The practice of subsistence bowhead whaling by the native tribes of the western Arctic has a history dating back nearly as far as the people themselves. That history is explored in the new book "Indigenous Ways to the Present: Native Whaling in the Western Arctic." Edited by renowned Arctic anthropologist Allen P. McCartney, this volume offers a comprehensive look at the native whaling tradition and the many factors that have influenced it.

"Indigenous Ways" was published only weeks before McCartney's death after a hard-fought battle with Parkinson's disease. It is the last major work of a prolific career that spanned some 40 years and earned him international recognition as the world's foremost expert in his field.

On Nov. 23, 2002, the National Science Foundation sponsored a symposium at the University of Arkansas campus entitled Four Decades of Advances in Arctic Anthropology: A Workshop in Recognition of Dr. Allen McCartney's Contributions to Arctic Anthropology," which drew experts in the field from around the United States and Canada. These experts discussed their research as well as the influence that McCartney had on their lives and careers.

"Allen had such a tremendous impact on our field," explained Marvin Kay, chair of the department of anthropology at the University of Arkansas. "And it was out of that conference that the idea for this book came."

Some 4,000 years ago, Arctic hunters, armed only with primitive harpoons and seal bladder floats, began hunting the large bowhead whales that flourished in the icy waters of the Bering Sea. Today, the tradition of subsistence bowhead whaling in the western Arctic remains an integral part of the native Inupiat and Yupik cultures, surviving in many ways unchanged since prehistoric times.

Tracing the history of native subsistence whaling from 2000 years to the present, "Indigenous Ways" is a collection of essays written by more than 20 experts in Arctic anthropology, archeology and geological sciences. The book focuses on three major themes: different variations of whaling practices among the native tribes, the history of Inupiat and Yupik whaling traditions over time and how changing environmental conditions have affected and continue to affect whaling in the region.

For centuries, whaling was the chief livelihood of most of the native people of the western Arctic-a common thread that linked the various tribes throughout the region.

It remains an important practice in many communities today. To these people, the hunting of bowhead whales has always been more than just simple economics. Whaling is an integral part of the Eskimo culture. Whales are regarded not as mere prey, but as friends and sustainers of life. Within this common "whaling theme," each community has sustained its own rituals and customs surrounding the hunt that reflect its unique local ecology and culture.

Although the introduction of modern technologies, such as global positioning satellite systems, and changes in Arctic climates have somewhat altered hunting techniques, many of the traditions and customs surrounding the whale hunt remain virtually unchanged, passed down from generation to generation.

"Indigenous Ways" offers readers an in-depth look at native Arctic whaling in all of its many facets. Editor McCartney spent more than a quarter of a century studying the people and history of the western Arctic. Living and working with the local tribes, he developed a keen understanding of native culture that is evident in the manner in which the book addresses its subject. Although it offers very detailed analyses of the scientific factors affecting whaling, it never neglects the deep cultural significance of whaling to the native communities and the timeless bond that it provides.

As McCartney once noted, "Whaling is the way these people have always done things. To understand whaling is to understand the society itself."