Uploaded August 2017 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In April 2017, Chris Apassingok, 16, harpooned a whale in the Bering Sea. The meat was distributed among the community in the remote village of Gambell, Alaska, and sent to family members in other parts of the state. He was considered a provider. Although his village celebrated his kill as a great success for such a young hunter, Apassingok was met with death threats from afar.
The feat was written up in the state’s newspaper, spreading the teenage whaler’s tale beyond his remote village. When activist Paul Watson read the story, he took his complaints about the hunt to Facebook. His followers subsequently sent Apassinggok a slew of hate messages, some threatening his life. The young hunter, who was already reserved, became even more withdrawn during a formative time in his young-adulthood.
In this video, Apassingok’s family talks about what hunting means to their people and how integral it is for their survival. It ends with a celebration, hosted by his family, to show their appreciation for his innate hunting skills, which helped provide for their remote Alaska village.
High Country News is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) independent media organization that covers environmental news and other important issues and stories that define the American West. Through insightful, in-depth journalism, it strives to inform and inspire people to act on behalf of the West's diverse natural and human communities.
In April 2017, Chris Apassingok, 16, harpooned a whale in the Bering Sea. The meat was distributed among the community in the remote village of Gambell, Alaska, and sent to family members in other parts of the state. He was considered a provider. Although his village celebrated his kill as a great success for such a young hunter, Apassingok was met with death threats from afar.
The feat was written up in the state’s newspaper, spreading the teenage whaler’s tale beyond his remote village. When activist Paul Watson read the story, he took his complaints about the hunt to Facebook. His followers subsequently sent Apassinggok a slew of hate messages, some threatening his life. The young hunter, who was already reserved, became even more withdrawn during a formative time in his young-adulthood.
In this video, Apassingok’s family talks about what hunting means to their people and how integral it is for their survival. It ends with a celebration, hosted by his family, to show their appreciation for his innate hunting skills, which helped provide for their remote Alaska village.
High Country News is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) independent media organization that covers environmental news and other important issues and stories that define the American West. Through insightful, in-depth journalism, it strives to inform and inspire people to act on behalf of the West's diverse natural and human communities.
