Bear Witness: a film by BC's Coastal First Nations

[Voyageur]

Watched a film put out by Bears Forever, a BC coastal nation groups of Wuikinuxv, Nuxalk, Kitasoo/Xai'xais and Heiltsuk Nations, along with the Raincoast Conservation Foundation and University of Victoria.

The film is about Trophy Hunting and Grizzly habitat and the peoples who live within the regions. Note there are some graphic views, however, the film has some amazing footage and the message to those who kill - not for food, is getting awareness. The film (22min.) also looks at DNA sequencing of the Bear population and contains some interesting interviews from people and some old guilds.

From the Bears site _http://www.bearsforever.ca/ the film can be watch and articles/links accessed.

Times have changed on the BC coast. With fewer fish and smaller trees, both animals and people are trying to adapt. For a large majority of British Columbians, killing bears for trophies no longer fits with modern values of stewardship and sustainability.

Across the province, 87% of citizens agree: it's time to end the trophy hunt for bears in the Great Bear Rainforest. Even more (92%) say hunters should respect First Nations laws and customs when on First Nations territory. Now nine First Nations on the coast have decided to take the lead.

The film can also be accessed on YouTube here _www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDg24d8fF1Q&feature=youtu.be

Published on Sep 3, 2013
When 'Cheeky' the bear is ambushed and decapitated in front of a lone witness, a chain of events is set in motion up and down the coast. You're the next link.

After viewing, was thinking about the culture of our times of this, the shows and magazines dedicated to the "Trophy", some of the people I know who guild and their clients from all over the world who come here (strange bunch). Also recall some popular recording artist in the U.S. (can't remember his name) who lives for the "Kill" and "Trophy" and pontificates often about coming up here and taking care of the "bear problems".

Coexisting in bear habitat, as these people discuss, takes considering and offers a unique view of life and its symbiotic relationships, which seems to have been forgotten in the main.

 

[SeekinTruth]

Never understood "trophy" hunting of any kind. I can't think of too many things that are more stupid, wasteful, and vain that this activity.

By the way, could the recording artist you're talking about be Ted Nugent?

 

[Voyageur]

Never understood "trophy" hunting of any kind. I can't think of too many things that are more stupid, wasteful, and vain that this activity.

Indeed this is so, SeekinTruth. Can't say how many times i've walked into someones home only to be greeted by their "trophy" collection on the wall and a long tale told of how it came to be; rarely ever for food.

That being said, see that a new "trophy" is catching on in the U.S. "Colorado townspeople line up for drone-hunting permits - _http://news.msn.com/us/colorado-townspeople-line-up-for-drone-hunting-permits

Apparently, the FAA is not pleased and have issued "thall shall not" decrees, and it is possible some people may say it is in self defense.

By the way, could the recording artist you're talking about be Ted Nugent?

Yes, the very same - think i even mentioned this before a few years ago.

 

[Leonarda]

Never understood "trophy" hunting of any kind. I can't think of too many things that are more stupid, wasteful, and vain that this activity.

Indeed this is so, SeekinTruth. Can't say how many times i've walked into someones home only to be greeted by their "trophy" collection on the wall and a long tale told of how it came to be; rarely ever for food.

A few years ago I saw on television a Texas millionaire who showed his mansion. The walls were full of those trophies. It was disgusting. He explained that years before, as a teen, he saw how a bow (archery?) had killed an animal, he said that since then he "couldn't stop" (he specifically used these words..) so he was traveling all over the world only for killing exotic animals with such method.

 

[Nancy2feathers]

In the US there are animal preserves where one would pay X amount of dollars to hunt on this preserve. They would have a guide take you and place you in a "blind"(where the animal can`t see you). You sit and wait for the" trophy" to come to the bait. That`s called hunting for them.

Very sad way to hunt. A lot of the time the hunter doesn`t take the meat, just the head with antlers or full body depending on animal.
I can only say that maybe the spirit of the animal comes back to haunt the hunter who has no conscience.

 

[MK Scarlett]

In the US there are animal preserves where one would pay X amount of dollars to hunt on this preserve. They would have a guide take you and place you in a "blind"(where the animal can`t see you). You sit and wait for the" trophy" to come to the bait. That`s called hunting for them.

Very sad way to hunt. A lot of the time the hunter doesn`t take the meat, just the head with antlers or full body depending on animal.
I can only say that maybe the spirit of the animal comes back to haunt the hunter who has no conscience.

The same here in some part of France, at least where I used to live (near Chamonix) where hunters did not eat the meat but gave it (at least) to others who wanted to eat some.

I saw a little documentary a couple of years ago, where we can see people (rich ones) who pay for hunting. If they want to hunt a lion, for example, a lion who always lived in zoo or circus (and obviously which was too old to be use in this way anymore) was released in Africa (of course they want the decorum for they pics and movies, you know, as snuff-movies but for animals ) just for the hunter pleasure.
I remember have cried, so strong, when I saw a hunter woman with her rifle with telescopic sight shoot an elephant, several times, this poor one which could not run anywhere.

Edit: delete an unappropried smiley

 

[Leonarda]

I saw a little documentary a couple of years ago, where we can see people (rich ones) who pay for hunting. If they want to hunt a lion, for example, a lion who always lived in zoo or circus (and obviously which was too old to be use in this way anymore) was released in Africa (of course they want the decorum for they pics and movies, you know, as snuff-movies but for animals ) just for the hunter pleasure.
I remember have cried, so strong, when I saw a hunter woman with her rifle with telescopic sight shoot an elephant, several times, this poor one which could not run anywhere.

Edit: delete an unappropried smiley

Last year, when there was the Spain's King scandal, Juan Carlos (he got injured when he was haunting elephants in Africa -paid with public money) the prices of the hunting went public. Of course they variate, depending on the source, but anyone can kill a lion or an elephant for 15-20k. It's such an impotence, I cannot describe it with words. I understand that this kind of anger/sadness that those news provoke in me are the food source of 4D STS so I would like not no feed them. Now I have to figure out HOW to stop the anger. More easy to say it than to do it.

 

[MK Scarlett]

I saw a little documentary a couple of years ago, where we can see people (rich ones) who pay for hunting. If they want to hunt a lion, for example, a lion who always lived in zoo or circus (and obviously which was too old to be use in this way anymore) was released in Africa (of course they want the decorum for they pics and movies, you know, as snuff-movies but for animals ) just for the hunter pleasure.
I remember have cried, so strong, when I saw a hunter woman with her rifle with telescopic sight shoot an elephant, several times, this poor one which could not run anywhere.

Edit: delete an unappropried smiley

Last year, when there was the Spain's King scandal, Juan Carlos (he got injured when he was haunting elephants in Africa -paid with public money) the prices of the hunting went public. Of course they variate, depending on the source, but anyone can kill a lion or an elephant for 15-20k. It's such an impotence, I cannot describe it with words. I understand that this kind of anger/sadness that those news provoke in me are the food source of 4D STS so I would like not no feed them. Now I have to figure out HOW to stop the anger. More easy to say it than to do it.

I second that Leonarda, working on it is a good way especially for very sensitive people I guess... I do not understand this kind of behavior and I will never do (against a human being or any kind life), but, today, it is hurtless. A bit. Or to be more specific I do not let the pain take the control as I used to do a couple of years ago...

 

[Voyageur]

I saw a little documentary a couple of years ago, where we can see people (rich ones) who pay for hunting. If they want to hunt a lion, for example, a lion who always lived in zoo or circus (and obviously which was too old to be use in this way anymore) was released in Africa (of course they want the decorum for they pics and movies, you know, as snuff-movies but for animals ) just for the hunter pleasure.
I remember have cried, so strong, when I saw a hunter woman with her rifle with telescopic sight shoot an elephant, several times, this poor one which could not run anywhere.

Edit: delete an unappropried smiley

Last year, when there was the Spain's King scandal, Juan Carlos (he got injured when he was haunting elephants in Africa -paid with public money) the prices of the hunting went public. Of course they variate, depending on the source, but anyone can kill a lion or an elephant for 15-20k. It's such an impotence, I cannot describe it with words. I understand that this kind of anger/sadness that those news provoke in me are the food source of 4D STS so I would like not no feed them. Now I have to figure out HOW to stop the anger. More easy to say it than to do it.

I second that Leonarda, working on it is a good way especially for very sensitive people I guess... I do not understand this kind of behavior and I will never do (against a human being or any kind life), but, today, it is hurtless. A bit. Or to be more specific I do not let the pain take the control as I used to do a couple of years ago...

There are a great many senseless things happening in the world; trophy's of this type are one and perhaps the people who enjoy this leak their frequency to human affairs as we see the results to this day. The film however, as it evokes feelings, carries a message about people saying no more. They are not saying don't fish, don't hunt, they are saying we care deeply for where we are and who we are and what we live with in nature and we will not allow this unconscious affront on the lands and to what coexists with them.

Notice how they were being criticized by the provincial biologists; out right dismissed (by the science/politics that affix animal population levels to be harvested - an old game) over their sound observations. This did not stop them, so they did more, they networked and became the researches and adopted their scientific ways, with results that could not be denied - although they usually are when money is at the root and there is great deal sadly involved here.

Anyway, i thought it was a good example of people networking - here were we live, the GMO gangs are offering up $5,000 dollars an acre to unsuspecting farmers (they prey on them) to hold genetic and chemical dominion on their natural grass lands. However, people are noticing more and more, there is duologue, they are reading and networking and it is becoming such that the farmers are learning and saying no, we will not allow this anymore, not for any money.