Socio-Cultural Significance of Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling in Modern Societies

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25370957
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cultural anthropology
• Research Institution: Sonoda Women's College
• Principal Investigator: HAMAGUCHI Hisashi 園田学園女子大学短期大学部, その他部局等, 教授 (30280093)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 先住民生存捕鯨 / 捕鯨文化 / 国際捕鯨委員会 / ホエール・ウォッチング / 反捕鯨運動 / ベクウェイ島

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined the socio-cultural significance of the "aboriginal subsistence whaling" among the people of Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In 2012, an anti-whaling NGO launched a campaign aimed at converting whaling into whale watching in Bequia. In 2014, the same NGO bought a whaling boat from the most skillful harpooner who had led his whaling team since 1996. This purchase caused a stir within the local community, which had a well-established whaling tradition. As of 2017, two whaling teams and two whaling boats still operate in Bequia. However, the whaling activities have slowed due to the retirement of the most skillful harpooner. The retired harpooner and another ex-whaler have begun to prepare for the whale watching business with some financial aids provided by the NGO. During my research period, the socio-cultural circumstances surrounding the aboriginal subsistence whaling among the people of Bequia have changed considerably.

Free Research Field

文化人類学