Faroe Island's Grindadráp

1. Martin
   December 29th, 2005 at 11:50 pm

   I am Faroese, I was brought up in Greenland but have lived a big part of my life on the Faroe Islands.

   It saddens me that there is no text anywhere to explain this phenomenon. It might look brutal, but is, nevertheless, as humain as it possibly can get. These whales die within one or two seconds - and every aspect of the killing is highly controlled.

   Only certified men with experience are allowed to kill the whales. There is absolutely no waste of any kind, 100% of the whale is being used. No part of the whale is being sold, it is all free for whomever would like it...i.e. this is not commercial whaling - none of it is being exported or sold in any way.

   This kind of hunting is extremely well coordinated and regulated, a lot of the time, whales are being driven back out to sea (so as not to get stranded on the beaches). The Faroese people put a lot of effort into conserving the population of these whales.

2. OLsen
   July 1st, 2006 at 5:58 pm

   Whales are just fish with lungs. I´ve killed so many fish in my life. We tend to humanise certain animals and still we kill flies just because they fly around in our bedroom !
   Let the islanders kill whales - its only thier buissness !
   Love to humans
   Svenning Svenningsen

3. OLsen
   July 1st, 2006 at 6:00 pm

   Yuo can read about how to kill whales here on this site
   http:/liderkarle.blogspot.com
   Love to humans
   Svenningsen

4. OLsen
   July 1st, 2006 at 6:02 pm

   Here it is:
   http://liderkarle.blogspot.com

5. Kovacs
   July 1st, 2006 at 6:06 pm

   I don´t think you understand the difference between a flie and a whale, Mr. Svenningsen.
   I could understand You if you had whales flying in your bedroom !
   Oskar Kovacs of Budapest

6. Smukke
   August 28th, 2006 at 5:14 am

   Well, mr. Kovac if you don´t know the difference then perhaps you should try swollowing a fly and then afterwards try swollowing some excellent pilotwhale meat!

   Huge differance!

7. Nature fresh
   August 28th, 2006 at 5:40 am

   Why on earth do you write “usually an idyllic and very scenic place. Except when…”?! Do you have any idea how rhetorical and malicious that sounds! Shame on you!

8. jennifer
   September 15th, 2006 at 4:58 pm

   hi....
   first I want to request excuses for my poor english because i'm just learning. I my english class we are discussing about the haunting of whales in faroe island and i really don't what believe because some text say that is a cruel haunting and other that is neccesary for faroese........ i want know the true.

   jenni

9. Yasu
   February 11th, 2007 at 8:05 pm

   I am a Japanese man. I have never eaten whale's meat for more than 20 years. Japanese also didn't wasted 100% of the whale. I think people who wants to sell beef to Faroese or Japanese take objection to killng whales.

10. Bagus Suasono
    November 21st, 2007 at 6:57 am

    son of a BiTCh!!!!!
    that`s a worst habbit..
    if you wanna killed just kill your self!!!
    (indonesian)
    biadab manusia hanya bisa membunuh dan membunuh... tidak bisa menjaga alamnya!!! maka pantas saja bencana alam terus terjadi!!

11. heribertus
    November 27th, 2007 at 12:40 am

    I'm indonesian.whaling should b respect to whale life.It's horribele and barbaric men. Men prefer destructing to reserving. The bussiness mind had carried on the destructing instincts.Stop whaling! Give them life more!

12. Romanos
    December 4th, 2007 at 7:15 am

    Wow, comment from Pak Bagus Suasono is not a reflection of a gentle Indonesian.
    Anyway, I think that we have to respect the opinion from Martin, who admits that he is a Faroese. He is supposed to know better about his homeland than any of us.
    FYI, some tribe in Indonesia also have tradition of whale hunting.
    It is still fine as far as you don't start using modern fleet and make is as industry.

13. Bejo
    December 5th, 2007 at 9:00 pm

    I'm Indonesian, Yes it is true Romanos say that some tribe in Indonesia also have tradition of whale hunting because they do it for eat and for special ceremony once a year, but i never seen like the picture before.
    Indonesia have a lot of tribe and culture and there still far away from technology and education, some tribe just know that they have to hunting for living. So it's different from Faroese cases.

    But once again if Martin said is true "This kind of hunting is extremely well coordinated and regulated, a lot of the time, whales are being driven back out to sea (so as not to get stranded on the beaches). The Faroese people put a lot of effort into conserving the population of these whales", i hope the Faroese people decrease the number of whale.

14. ikafian
    December 5th, 2007 at 10:24 pm

    Hi, I'm also from Indonesia. I'm not trying to blame anybody. IMHO, what make human difference than animal is that animal kills for living, while some human kills for the fun of it and the taste . What's the difference with we kill cows, chicken, fish, etc? Aside of the way we kill animal, the more important thing is to keep balance of the nature.This what oftenly forgotten, causing nature disaster, climate change or whatsoever.

15. Andya
    December 10th, 2007 at 7:52 pm

    OMG...
    That's really a massive blood. Will it disturb the ocean ecosystem?
    Well, i am dont agree with killing so many whales like that. If is it for tradition, then 3-5 should be enough..
    Are they really for tradition? not for industry? cuz i know whales are expensive...
    If you (Faroese) really want to conserve the population of the whales, why don't you donate it to some country for "Sea World Zoo" or something? Well we, Indonesian, only have small variety of whales, so its better to have more in our zoo. Don't you think?
    I hope Free Willy doesn't get killed... hiks..hiks..

16. dedi
    December 18th, 2007 at 11:17 pm

    not kill them? be vegetarian then !! as long as we lived, we will be animal killer..period!!

17. Morten
    January 3rd, 2008 at 10:06 am

    A whale is a mammal! Grindadrap is hunting, it is just like hunting a dear, a moose or whatever. I don't care if you think hunting is horrible, 'cause I love it. I love the experience, and the meat! By the way, Grindadráp is a way of living for some people, so dont condem them!

18. yeng
    September 6th, 2008 at 8:03 am

    hello, im from the philippines... faroe islands is a fantastic place to visit, wish i could visit there someday... im very interested about the culture and the places of the islands... wanted to learn more... looking at the scenic pictures makes my heart melts

19. Evicka
    October 30th, 2008 at 4:03 pm

    It is so cruel to kill the whales...you people who do this or support this are an embarrasement to EU citizens..

20. Andrew Y
    November 10th, 2008 at 8:00 pm

    @ Evicka

    The citizens of the Faroe Islands do not have EU citizenship. Faroe Islands declined to join the EU when Denmark joined.

21. Diana
    November 18th, 2008 at 5:27 am

    ...

22. Diana
    November 18th, 2008 at 5:28 am

    Martin, come one.. You are sad that there is no text who explain "this phenomenon"??? PHENOMENON? Your mother is Freddy Krüger or what? What of kind of childhood you had?? You said, it MIGHT look brutal????? ARE YOU KIDDING US?

    Sad its that you support this.. You try to justified this saying that the whales die within one or two seconds? DONT LIE!!! You know perfectly that the whales DONT DIE WITHIN SECONDS!!! The suffer much more than seconds and minutes.. How you would feel if they do the same with you? And before you die, you see how your family are brutal killed? How Martin, how you would feel...

    Only certified mens with experience are allowed to kill the whales.. WHERE THEY TAKE THE EXPIERIENCE?? And certified mens??? In Faroe Islands exist a University to learn how to kill.. They will become a diplom? Pff.. Certified men.. They just want to know who have the bigger eggs.. Really, this people make me so sick!!

    Dont try to justified this telling that this is not commercial whaling.. What instead?? Sport??

    I know very much about this, dont try to lie to the people who havent idea..

    PEOPLE: DONT SUPPORT THIS!!! DONT VISIT FAROE ISLANDS!!!

23. Diana
    November 18th, 2008 at 5:29 am

    I encourage you to contact the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an organization that fights to protect marine mammals everywhere. Please see http://www.seashepherd.org/editorials/editorial_080610_1.html for more information.

    Please urge the prime ministers of the Faroe Islands and Denmark and the High Commissioner of the Faroe Islands to take strong positions against this cruel whale slaughter.

    Please send polite comments to:

    His Excellency Jóannes Eidesgaard
    Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands
    Prime Minister's Office
    Løgmansskrivstovan
    Tinganes
    FO-110 Tórshavn
    P.O. Box 64
    Faroe Islands
    +298 351010
    +298 351015 (fax)
    info@tinganes.fo

    His Excellency Anders Fogh Rasmussen
    Prime Minister of Denmark
    The Prime Minister's Office
    Christiansborg
    Prins Jørgens Gård 11
    1218 Copenhagen K
    Denmark
    +45 33 92 33 00
    +45 33 11 16 65 (fax)
    stm@stm.dk

    The Honorable Dan M. Knudsen
    High Commissioner of the Faroe Islands
    Amtmansbrekkan 6
    FO-110 Tórshavn
    P.O. Box 12
    Faroe Islands
    +298 351300
    riomfr@fo.stm.dk

24. Diana
    November 18th, 2008 at 5:30 am

    I also encourage you to contact the Danish ambassador to your country to urge him or her to speak out against killing whales. You can find contact information at http://www.embassyworld.com.

    Another great way to alert people to cases of cruelty to animals is to send letters to the editors of local newspapers and magazines. One letter from you can educate thousands of readers at once!

    For letter-writing tips, visit http://www.PETA.org/actioncenter/letter-writing-guide.asp, and for information to include in your letter, please see http://www.FishingHurts.com.

    Regards,
    Diana

25. Davur
    December 7th, 2008 at 10:17 am

    It's not commercial, just believe it. Nothing is sold or exported. It is illegal to sell whale meat in the faroe islands. It is a tradition, back in the day it was even a neccessity.. granted the necessity is no longer there. But it is good meat, and it's nobody's business but the faroe islanders'. The blood does seem a bit excessive in that picture IMHO, i wouldn't rule out a touch of photoshopping. I have seen this 'phenomenon' before and, i won't lie, it does get pretty bloody. After all we are talking numerous tonnes of meat, and where there is meat there is blood. A (cattle) slaugther house would be a prime example.

26. Dulce
    December 27th, 2008 at 5:26 pm

    Hello. I'm Portuguese. We also used to hunt whales, but only in the Azores (a small group of islands that belongs to our country). That is not done anymore. Nowadays, instead of killing whales, hunters take people on boats to watch them, which is far better!
    I do not agree with commercial hunting and I think it should be banned by all contries because there is no need to slaughter these animals. In Faroe it's a tradition and I can only understand this killing if you tell me it's a way not forgetting how it is done (because in the future who knows how things will be?), so, killing 1 or 2 whales is more than enough, don't you think?

27. JulieAnn Zserdin
    February 26th, 2009 at 1:18 pm

    I think killing whales is disgusting also. there is no reason to kill them for food, or to sell them. It is not nessary to eat any animal.
    I also agree it is hyprocritical to say killing whales is wrong when cows, chickens, deer, pigs, ducks, sheep, goats etc etc are killed by the billions every day and poeple eat them and get upset if you say it wrong or unethiical. It is wrong to kill and eat ANY ANIMAL.

28. christ
    April 22nd, 2009 at 11:03 pm

    i think is not good...so please stop and dont try again...Gbu

29. WillieBobo
    May 8th, 2009 at 2:22 am

    Vegetarians are the biggest hypocrits of all. Million of animals have their habitats destroyed, are poisoned, or are killed outright growing grain, beans, and vegetables.

30. Boril Milanov
    September 10th, 2009 at 4:10 pm

    Hi all i seem to got to this site while looking for cute animals xD and got to this site looking into the killed whale. I think they should be killed but it should be limited like 2-3 whales a year. i am NOT A VEGETARIAN so don t think thats why i m against the killing of the animals. Some countries have traditions but these traditions don t have to get too far away.I like meat and sometimes i think about the killed chickens or other animals but i say its OK becose i know that almost every day there s a killed animal or human and i continue with the eating
    BB i going to sleep

31. Boril Milanov
    September 10th, 2009 at 4:13 pm

    BB i m going to sleep*

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