The Makah and Intersectionality in the Environmental Movement

The Makah are an indigenous people whose homeland surrounds the Neah Bay in so-called Washington State. The Makah have a rich, complex culture filled with unique woodcarving, dance, and song. They are also known in mainstream media for their controversial practice of whaling. Whaling is a significant part of the Makah culture, so much so that the tribe gave up thousands of acres of their land in exchange for the right to hunt whales. Despite this, the Makah have been barred from hunting for 70 years due to a federal ban on whaling as a result of the Endangered Species Act. Gray whales were once endangered due to colonial overhunting but their populations are currently thriving. The Makah have fought for their right to hunt ever since gray whales were removed from the Endangered Species list in 1994. A new exemption to the federal ban was proposed by the NOAA on behalf of the Makah in 2019 that would allow tribal members to hunt whales once again to a limited degree. Over the next ten years, the Makah are allowed to hunt a total of 20 whales. While on one hand this exemption is a triumph in a fight to preserve their culture, it has also made the Makah a target for animal rights activists.

Indigeonous hunting rights have long been controversial amongst environmental activists. For native communities, hunting and fishing have enormous cultural and religious value and can be far less exploitative than the mainstream meat and dairy industries in the US. Treaty rights often grant Native Americans different hunting and fishing regulations than non-native citizens, even beyond formal reservation lines. As a result, some treaties give native peoples the right to hunt and fish off the reservation, prompting opposition from non-native hunters who are subject to stricter regulations.

Still, it is not just non-native hunters who target indingenous peoples, but animal rights activists as well. When the Makah people first announced their return to whaling in the 1990s, they attracted a wrath of activists who believed the lives of the whales to be more important than the cultural practices and health of the Makah tribe. These activists ignore the fact that the Makah willingly gave up whaling when the whales became endangered, only wishing to begin the practice again after the population had recovered. The tribe received such severe harassment—as far as death threats—that the National Guard was called in to protect the reservation.

Decades later, the threat of climate change further marginalizes native groups like the Makah. Native communities are more vulnerable to climate change, environmental degradation, and species extinction than their non-native counterparts. From rising sea levels and increasing severity of storms to declining animal populations, indigenous tribes are disproportionately impacted by climate change. As a result, native communities are often pushing for environmental conservation and research. An example is the climate change program of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, an organization of multiple tribes that aims to combat climate change through legislative action and education. By relying on traditional knowledge to identify the best ways to protect resources, the group aims to reduce emissions and identify the best ways to mitigate climate change. Despite this, the use of animal products by indigenous peoples is often heavily criticized by conservationists, often resulting in harassment similar to what the Makah people face. It is easier to blame already marginalized groups with limited resources than it is to take on large corporations whose profits depend on perpetuating climate change.  

The true culprits of environmental degradation are large corporations, many of which the average US consumer relies on for day-to-day life. According to the Climate Accountability Institute, 71% of greenhouse gas emissions can be traced to just 100 companies, with the biggest contributors being Shell, BP, Exxon Mobil, and Chevron. The meat and dairy industries are responsible for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions through the production and transportation of products as well as massive deforestation. Even the animal products that cause the least amount of environmental degradation still have a more severe impact than plant-based substitutes. With such wide-scale environmental damage being perpetuated by mainstream energy, food, and clothing industries, it is almost impossible for any person, no matter how environmentally conscious, to avoid contributing to climate change. The sustainable consumption of goods is even more difficult for indigenous people who cannot afford climate-conscious options that may be more expensive due to the elevated rates of poverty they experience. 

Despite this reality, the mainstream white-dominated media tends to focus on the individual instead of the systemic causes of climate change, often excluding BIPOC voices. We all hear the quick and easy fixes. We see the infographics detailing how much of the rainforest we could save by going vegan. We read the articles about reducing our personal carbon footprint. We are advised to only travel by bus, to recycle, to take short showers, and to never touch anything made of plastic again. It has been shouted from the rooftops: if only people cared enough about the environment, climate change would no longer plague us. Nevermind how expensive it is to be vegan, nevermind that the largest contributors to global gas emissions are the fossil fuel and agricultural industries. Often this guilting comes in the form of advertisements that claim to sell more sustainable products without any proof of follow-through. This narrative ignores the efforts of indigenous activists, essentially commodifying the environmental movement.     

When the mainstream media simplifies the issue and blames consumers, it causes environmental activists to turn on each other. As a result, some of the most vulnerable within the environmental movement—indigenous peoples—face descrimination not just at the hands of exploitative corporations, but also at the hands of so-called activists who claim to be on the side of justice. The backlash against the Makah trying to execute their legal hunting rights is just one example of environmentalists targeting the wrong group. The structural causes of climate change cannot be overturned quickly, easily, or by any one individual or community. As a result of the narrative that it is individuals that cause climate change, a sense of guilt and hopelessness has permeated the environmental movement. In an effort to alleviate that guilt, those that are privileged further shift the blame to marginalized peoples despite the fact that these people bear little responsibility for climate change and already see the worst of its effects. Climate change is an intersectional issue, a fact often overlooked by the media and the environmental movement as a whole. As individuals who care about the environment, it is our responsibility to see beyond misguided media and hold the right people accountable.