Do all tribal members support the plan to resume whaling?
While there is overwhelming support for whaling within the Tribe, there is some dissent. We respect the right of all Tribal members to express their own opinions on any issue, even though some of the dissenters have been aggressively exploited by anti-whaling groups. However, whaling is supported by the overwhelming majority of the Tribe. In 1995 there was a Tribal referendum on the issue and 85% of those voting favored whaling. In the most recent Tribal election for a seat on the five member council, one of the most vociferous opponents of whaling ran for office, but received only 35 votes out of 360 casts. While some of our elders signed a petition against whaling several years ago, many of them have repudiated their position and disclaim opposition now. The Tribe is governed by a democratically elected five-member council and the council recognizes that whaling is the mandate of an overwhelming majority of the Tribe.