On Tue, 26 Aug 1997, Michael Price wrote:

[snip..]
>
> Actually, it's good this thread came up again, 'cause I think some thanks
> are due. I want to say that after the whizbang and everyone got back down to
> business, this turned into a richly educative thread on the elaborate
> relationships and tensions between laws, cultures, commerce, histories and
> politics--

Michael et al--

I had occasion yesterday to talk to a local Native fisher
friend and I told him that a Makah had told me of the
value of the whales and indicated some of the incentive
was money into the tribal coffers. I suggested to the fisher
my notion of a government buy out..i.e., the Fed gives
the Makah $1 million to not hunt the whales. (as I
suggested they've been doing with farmers for decades..i.e.,
paying them not to plant) He, however, indicated the
problem was cultural and that the return to the hunt
is seen by the Makah as fulfillment of their spiritual
life...so, until they are able to let go of that
and the Japanese become convinced they really don't
need whale meat after all, etc etc etc
heavy sighh-hhhh...

Tom