Harpoon Item Number: Z 15316 from the MAA: University of Cambridge
Harpoon for whales. The catalogue card details the following information, found on an old card on Mr.Paterson' s desk . Harpoon with metal point, elk horn barbs decorated with Haietlik, i.e the mythical snake. It is said that when the thunderbird wishes to kill a whale he hurls the Haietlik at it, which spears the body of the whale like a harpoon. The rope is made of whale sinew strengthened in twine. The loop is covered with cherry bark. The harpoon head is covered with spruce gum. The line attached to the harpoon head is extremely long and thick. This harpoon is very probably 1925.333 as the description of the two objects is identical and one, 1925.333 is listed as missing.; Good
Provenance is given on the original catalogue card as Kwakiutl, however the whalers of the Northwest Coast were the Nootkans and the Makah, suggesting the original provenance may be wrong (G.Crowther). The original European tribal names and, where possible, current tribal names have both been given in separate GLT fields.; The harpoon head and line would have had a float, made of seal skin to slow the whale down, and was thrust into the whale using a stout yew lance. The whales were hunted in March through the summer months, the species being the Californian gray whale and the humpback. Whaling was carried out by chiefs and entailed a considerable amount of ritual purification to ensure success, such as bathing, praying and avoiding pollution. The hunting trips were undertaken with canoes and ritually purified crews. Once the whale was speared other canoes would also attach lines until the whale finally weakened and was killed. The whale was towed back to the village, with its mouth tied closed to ensure buoyancy, where it was cut up and distributed throughout the population.; Exhibited: Old anthropological displays at CUMAA, Maudslay Gallery case 34, dismantled 14081986.