Dear Sir

Call me a whale-watcher if you like but '‘Ofa-ki-Tonga'’s enthusiasm for whalemeat for the kingdom is unlikely to find favour in this part of the world where killing whales and dolphins for food is seen as barbaric. The recent Japanese success at the IWC was made possible by support from some Pacific nations who took money and changed their stance. And here in New Zealand there is a call for retribution through the withdrawl of aid or something similar.

But the proponents of aid withdrawl do not have it all their way. There is realisation here too that a vote buying war with Japan will leave New Zealand and Australia well behind and will also deprive them of the more important moral high-ground over an issue in which Japan is seen as being at out of step with the rest of the civilised world.

The cryptic messages which are coming through loud and clear in this part of the South Pacific is that the Pacific nations have sold their souls and now one of the world'’s most endangered species is about to be fair game. Ironically it is the reported increase in their numbers which has allowed Japan to successfully lobby for easement.

Like 'Ofa-k-Tonga I'’ve had whalemeat too as a youngster in Tonga and I can remember (but not too fondly) the lingering smell of whalemeat for weeks following the kill as the village struggles to eat its way through an over-abundance of protein. And that'’s after having given away as much as possible to the next island or two!

When O-K-T suggests that Tonga goes back to whalemeat I had a look around and found this from author Brenda Peterson (National Geographic Books 2002) and I quote:

As indicator species, whales and dolphins show us the health of our oceans. For example, subsistence Arctic whale hunters on Baffin Island have discovered that mothers can no longer nurse their infants because their milk is contaminated with heavy metals and PCBs. According to another International Whaling Commission meeting, reports on contaminant levels in whale meat in Japan "detected mercury some 1,600 times above the government permitted level, as well as large amounts of organic mercury and cadmium in whale meat that is widely available." Expanding whaling hunts and eating whale meat in a time of contaminated whales, some of which now must be buried as "toxic waste," is not only bad business ...— it is dangerous to our human health.

Cut to Nuku'alofa's Talamahu market menu board: Tofua '’a a la carte ...– tenderest steaks freshly diced and spiced with chilli and mixed herbs. Char-grilled and soy-flavoured to suit the most demanding palate. Naturally garnished with mercury and just a touch of cadmium. Best with wasabe. Enjoy!

Um.. make that two lu sipi to go please.

Sefita Hao'’uli

sef [dot] haouli [at] ihug [dot] co [dot] nz