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Why not hunt whales?

Traditional whaling wasn’t commercial. It was unpredictable, and happened wherever the whales came.

Hunts were exciting, and all the folk in the district stopped what they were doing to take part; in Orkney and Shetland it didn’t even matter if it was Sunday. Everyone worked as a community, in boats or on the beach.

People launched boats whilst others ran to the shore with every sharp farm tool available. The hunters rowed beyond the whales and formed into two lines, then herded the animals into the bay where they were beached. Once the lead whale grounded, the killing began.

The right to the catch was centuries-old, divided amongst participants, but in the Northern Isles landowners claimed a large share, without taking part in the hunt.

People in the district ran and shouted the exciting news when whales were spotted, just like in this modern hunt in Faroe.plus
People in the district ran and shouted the exciting news when whales were spotted, just like in this modern hunt in Faroe.
Melted blubber produced oil for lamps.plus
Melted blubber produced oil for lamps.
Whales were divided between the community. The blubber was sliced away and melted into oil, and the meat was cut-up. The first stage, cutting into sections, is seen here at Westvoe, Shetland.plus
Whales were divided between the community. The blubber was sliced away and melted into oil, and the meat was cut-up. The first stage, cutting into sections, is seen here at Westvoe, Shetland.
Whales were divided between the community. After the blubber and meat was removed, larger bones were saved for use. These at Birsay, Orkney, are from a sizeable stranded whale, and being too big for any purpose were set-up as a monument.plus
Whales were divided between the community. After the blubber and meat was removed, larger bones were saved for use. These at Birsay, Orkney, are from a sizeable stranded whale, and being too big for any purpose were set-up as a monument.
People needed sharp knives to cut the whalemeat into sections, and flay-off the blubber. This hand-made one from Shetland was normally used to split open ling, in commercial fisheries.plus
People needed sharp knives to cut the whalemeat into sections, and flay-off the blubber. This hand-made one from Shetland was normally used to split open ling, in commercial fisheries.
Once the boats were behind the whales, the hunters threw rocks to herd them to the beach. The crowd waiting on land had to keep quiet until the whales were ashore.plus
Once the boats were behind the whales, the hunters threw rocks to herd them to the beach. The crowd waiting on land had to keep quiet until the whales were ashore.
Whale meat was boiled. Before salt was imported, the only preservation was drying. In the Hebrides, the flesh was packed in kelp ashes, then dried.plus
Whale meat was boiled. Before salt was imported, the only preservation was drying. In the Hebrides, the flesh was packed in kelp ashes, then dried.
Once the boats had driven the whales into shallow water, the killing began right away before the beasts could turn back. This striking 1850s scene shows the end of a hunt at Stornoway, as harpooners are ready to strike..plus
Once the boats had driven the whales into shallow water, the killing began right away before the beasts could turn back. This striking 1850s scene shows the end of a hunt at Stornoway, as harpooners are ready to strike..
After a whale catch was divided-up, the families of the participants had a supply of oil that kept their lamps burning for years.plus
After a whale catch was divided-up, the families of the participants had a supply of oil that kept their lamps burning for years.
In the Hebrides, some folk took a spoon of whale oil as a tonic. Don’t complain about having to take cod liver oil!plus
In the Hebrides, some folk took a spoon of whale oil as a tonic. Don’t complain about having to take cod liver oil!
Whale oil made the best lamp fuel, because it burnt bright and without smoke. Similar lamps were used in all three archipelagos; the Orkney example shows how the pan holding the oil was tilted to run the oil out, whilst the Shetland one sits in a stand called a kolihekk.plus
Whale oil made the best lamp fuel, because it burnt bright and without smoke. Similar lamps were used in all three archipelagos; the Orkney example shows how the pan holding the oil was tilted to run the oil out, whilst the Shetland one sits in a stand called a kolihekk.
Whalebone was durable, and better than wood for some marine uses. In Shetland, a boat’s yard was held to the mast with a clamp called a rakki, and people laid skids called linns down to run the keel up over the beach.plus
Whalebone was durable, and better than wood for some marine uses. In Shetland, a boat’s yard was held to the mast with a clamp called a rakki, and people laid skids called linns down to run the keel up over the beach.
Islanders made whale bones into tools of all kinds. This cup is 2,000 years old, and was left unfinished. A porpoise jawbone commonly made a grain scoop, but this one was used to dig a hole to bury a spectacular Celtic silver treasure in Shetland!plus
Islanders made whale bones into tools of all kinds. This cup is 2,000 years old, and was left unfinished. A porpoise jawbone commonly made a grain scoop, but this one was used to dig a hole to bury a spectacular Celtic silver treasure in Shetland!
There were no special killing tools, just the available farm implements. Hunters stabbed with peat cutters, hayforks, or boathooks; this ditching spade from Orkney has sharpened edges. In the Hebrides, arrows and swords were still used in the 17th century whale hunts.plus
There were no special killing tools, just the available farm implements. Hunters stabbed with peat cutters, hayforks, or boathooks; this ditching spade from Orkney has sharpened edges. In the Hebrides, arrows and swords were still used in the 17th century whale hunts.
A hunt at Inganess, Orkney. Dead whales were hauled up and secured by ropes if necessary to stop the tide taking them off.plus
A hunt at Inganess, Orkney. Dead whales were hauled up and secured by ropes if necessary to stop the tide taking them off.

A Timeless Scene...

“A boat arrived with intelligence that whales had entered Yellsound. Females and boys issued from cottages, making the hills reverberate with joyful exclamations. Men launched boats and stored them with stones. Whales were seen for a quarter of an hour, rising to blow. The object was to drive them on the shore of Hamnavoe. The boats ranged in semi-circular form, a reserve keeping at distance.”

Samuel Hibbert,Yell, 1818

“They tumbled into the boats on shore, throwing in heaps of stones to be used as shot for the enemy. In a few minutes thirty boats were steering close to the land, rowing as for dear life. Soon a barrier of boats formed across the bay; another line of boats, arriving later, formed a second barrier one hundred yards nearer the ocean.”

John Mackenzie,Lewis, c.1820

“The monsters dashed forwards a few yards, pursued by boats, and were soon floundering in the shallows. Fast and furious the boatmen struck and stabbed to right and left. The blood of the dead and dying gave a dreadful aspect of butchery to the close of the summer whale-chase.”

Daniel Gorrie,Stronsay, 1868

All the Atlantic islanders used to hunt whales. Only the Faroese still whale today. Why did the other islands stop?

The culture of Britain’s islands changed in the 18th century, and some traditions declined. Islanders adopted a genteel notion against eating whales. By the 1750s just poorer Hebrideans ate them, and Shetlanders just did during famine. By 1800 whales weren’t eaten at all. People still caught them for oil, but the meat wasn’t even used for manure. By the 1890s, prosperity and imported oil meant the blubber wasn’t needed, and islanders abandoned hunting.

Whaling isn’t necessary for survival today, but many things we do aren’t. There are two reasons it won’t return though. Firstly, our indigenous whaling stopped before legal protection could be given as it has elsewhere. More importantly, our culture is now more shaped by outside society, so views on whales are guided by environmentalism not traditions.

Northern and Western islanders are today more influenced by wider culture, and their society is now squeamish in a way Faroese isn’t. In the latter islands, processing the catch is part of normal island life.plus
Northern and Western islanders are today more influenced by wider culture, and their society is now squeamish in a way Faroese isn’t. In the latter islands, processing the catch is part of normal island life.
Northern and Western islanders are today more influenced by wider culture, and their society is now squeamish in a way Faroese isn’t. In Faroe, hundreds of people join the hunt on sea and shore to drive and kill the whales, as they have for centuries.plus
Northern and Western islanders are today more influenced by wider culture, and their society is now squeamish in a way Faroese isn’t. In Faroe, hundreds of people join the hunt on sea and shore to drive and kill the whales, as they have for centuries.
Northern and Western islanders are today more influenced by wider culture, and their society is now squeamish in a way Faroese isn’t. Beached whales here are today buried as litter!plus
Northern and Western islanders are today more influenced by wider culture, and their society is now squeamish in a way Faroese isn’t. Beached whales here are today buried as litter!

Northern and Western islanders are today more influenced by wider culture, and their society is now squeamish in a way Faroese isn’t. Beached whales here are today buried as litter!

The drama and excitement of whale hunting in the Northern and Western Isles: a communal effort that was vital for islanders’ survival.

Image Credits

Our range of images and photography are provided by:

Shetland Museum & Archives

Orkney Library & Archive

Orkney Museum

Rod Huckbody

Alamy

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