Indigenous Whaling

Information on Arctic Whales

A variety of sea mammal figures carved onto a sperm whale tooth by Inuit artist Peter Odak from Qaanaaq, Thule District, Northwest Greenland

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, prepare to butcher the carcass of a grey whale that will provide food for the whole community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, towing a dead grey whale back to their camp after a hunt in the Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

A face carved in whale bone by Edward Tachenko a native artist from Uelen. Chukotka, Siberia, Russia. 2004

Eskimo hunters secure the Bowhead whale from their Umiak. Point Hope. Alaska

Eskimo whale hunters cut lumps of skin & blubber, muktuk, from a Bowhead Whale Point Hope. Alaska

Jess Qujaukitsok prepares to get into his kayak from the ice, Inglefield Bredning. Thule, Northwest Greenland. 1971

Whale meat and intestines dry in the wind on an inuit family's drying rack at Inerssussat. Qaanaaq. Thule, Northwest Greenland. 1971

Inuit Hunters butchering a Narwhal at the floe edge in Inglefield Bay. It was harpooned from a kayak near Qaanaaq. Northwest Greenland. (1971)

Arnapaluk, an Inuit woman ,trimming Beluga meat for drying on a meat rack at Qeqertat. Thule, Northwest Greenland. (1971)

Inuit hunters with kayaks in a line, return towing a dead narwhal to shore after a successful hunt. Qeqertat. Thule, Northwest Greenland. 1977

After an autumn hunt, two dead Belugas are brought ashore at the Inuit community of Qaanaaq. Avanersuaq, Northwest Greenland.

After a successful hunt by hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, the carcass of a grey whale lies on the shore before it is butchered to provide food for the community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

A Yupik Eskimo hunter from the village of New Chaplino, stands on the carcass of a grey whale that will be butchered to provide food for the community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, prepare to butcher the carcass of a grey whale that will provide food for the whole community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, butchering the carcass of a grey whale which will provide food for the whole community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Artiom Yakovlev, a hunter from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, snacks on fresh Muktuk (whale skin) while helping to butcher the carcass of a grey whale that will provide food for the whole community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, cutting sections of whale blubber & Muktuk (skin) into manageable size pieces, while butchering a grey whale that will provide food for the whole community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, butchering the carcass of a grey whale which will provide food for the whole community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Max Adnagysak, a hunter from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, butchering the carcass of a grey whale which will provide food for the whole community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

A young hunter from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, butchering the carcass of a grey whale that will provide food for the whole community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Max Adnagysak, A Yupik Eskimo hunter from the village of New Chaplino, lifts a large pice of whale blubber & Muktuk (skin) during the butchering of a grey whale.The meat & Muktuk will provide food for the whole community. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, launch a boat at the start of a grey whale hunt in the Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, set off in boats at the start of a grey whale hunt in the Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, set off in a boat at the start of a grey whale hunt in the Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, towing a dead grey whale back to their camp after a hunt in the Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Hunters from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, arrive back at their camp with a dead grey whale after a hunt in the Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

After a successful whale hunt, men from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, prepare to drag the carcass of a grey whale ashore. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

After a successful whale hunt, men from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, prepare to drag the carcass of a grey whale ashore. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

After a successful whale hunt, men from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, prepare to drag the carcass of a grey whale ashore. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

After a successful whale hunt, men from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, drag the carcass of a grey whale ashore. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

After a successful whale hunt, men from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, prepare to drag the carcass of a grey whale ashore. Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Artiom Yakolev, a hunter from the Yupik Eskimo village of New Chaplino, walks along the carcass of a grey whale before it is dragged ashore after a successful hunt in the Checheykiyum Strait. Beringia National Park, Providensky Region, Chukotka, Russian Far East

Inuit hunters handle frozen muktuk (whale skin) to store on meat rack. Northwest Greenland. 1987

Inuit hunter eating muktuk (whale skin) from a Narwhal. The skin is a great source of vitamins, and is a delicacy. N.W. Greenland. 1980

Qulutanguaq, an Inuit man from Thule in Northwest Greenland, eating muktuk (whale skin). 1980

A whale bone carving of men carrying a baidara (walrus skin boat). Uelen, Chukotka, Siberia, Russia. 2004

Eskimo whale hunters paddling an Umiak, made from wood & skin. Point Hope, Alaska.

Eskimo Whale Hunter with a rifle watches and waits by the floe edge at Point Hope. Alaska

Eskimo sculptor, Jimmy 'Ataata Boo' Weyiouanna working on a large whale bone carving in his home. Shishmaref. Alaska. 2003

Inuit men hunting belugas (white whales) from a canoe. Cape Dorset, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada. 2002

Inuit hunters return to Cape Dorset with a beluga (white whale) they have caught. Baffin Is, Nunavut, Canada. 2002

Inuit hunters return to Cape Dorset with a beluga (white whale) they have caught. Baffin Is, Nunavut, Canada. 2002

Scrimshaw carved by whalers. Carved on a Sperm Whale tooth it shows an Inuk in a kayak hunting Walrus.

Inuit hunters with kayaks in a line, return towing a dead whale to shore after a successful hunt. Qeqertat. Northwest Greenland. 1977

Jess Qujaukitsok paddles his kayak round some tidal ice floes in Inglefield Bredning. Thule, Northwest Greenland. 1971

Ole Petersen with a white whale he has harpooned from his kayak. Qaanaaq, Thule, NW Greenland. 1971

Inuit hunter, Ole Petersen, in his kayak with a Beluga, (white whale) he has hunted near Qeqertat. Inglefield Bredning. Thule, Northwest Greenland. (1971)

Inuit hunters, Kigutikak (right) and Aserpanguaq, returning to the floe edge in their kayaks towing a Bearded Seal after a successful hunt.Inglefield Bay. Thule, Northwest Greenland. (1971)

An 1868 engraved print of a Greenland Inuit hunter 'spearing a narwhal'.