Leaders of the Makah Nation plan to meet with their Congressional delegation to contain the damage from an unauthorized whale hunt.
The tribe denounced the shooting and harpooning of a gray whale on Saturday. Chairman Ben Johnson Jr. said the incident hurt the tribe's attempts to gain a federal permit to exercise its treaty rights.
"We know it's going to hurt," he told The Peninsula Daily News.
Meanwhile, the tribe has set up a checkpoint at the reservation to prevent anti-whalers from staging protests. The tribe has receive death threats by email and by telephone.
Get the Story:Makah leaders rush to Washington, D.C., today (The Peninsula Daily News 9/10)
Checkpoint set up near entrance to Makah Reservation (The Peninsula Daily News 9/10)
Makah leaders promise to punish whale hunters (The Peninsula Daily News 9/10)
Hunter not ashamed of killing whale without a permit (The Seattle Times 9/10)
Tribal leaders promise prosecutions in whale killing (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer 9/10) Relevant Documents:
Tribal Council Statement | Makah Tribal Whale Hunt | Marine Mammal Protection Act Court Decisions:
Anderson v. Evans (June 7, 2004) | Anderson v. Evans (December 20, 2002) Relevant Links:
Makah Nation - http://www.makah.com Related Stories:
Makah Nation blasts unauthorized whale hunt (9/10)
Russian Natives, Makah Nation share culture, whales (10/25)
Appeals court shoots down Makah whaling case (06/08)
Makah Nation marks fifth year since first whale hunt (05/17)
Tribes and U.S. seek review of whale hunt ruling (03/14)
Opinion: Makah Nation whale hunt is not legal (02/12)
Makah whale hunt faces another review (12/23)
Federal judge shoots down treaty challenge (08/09)
U.S. pushes for whaling rights (6/10)
Whale hunt a go for Makah Nation (7/16)
Makah whale hunt faces threat (3/30)
Friends, foes turn out for Makah hearing (2/2)
Makah whale hunt up for review (01/16)
Court rules on Makah whaling (6/12)
Makah ruling overturned (6/9)
Metcalf's Indian history (6/9)
Metcalf pleased with ruling (6/9)
