Guardian said:
I SERIOUSLY doubt American Indians stood there laughing and taking pictures while their prey slowly suffocated to death in agony? In fact, I bet most Natives were taught how to quickly dispatch a catfish by shoving a river cane reed split up it's nose directly into its brain, causing instantaneous death? I'm just guessing here, but since an Indian taught me how to do that SO THE FISH DOESN'T SUFFER, I suspect it's been their practice for quite some time.
I was also taught that it is appropriate to thank the animal for giving up its life, not revel in its death throes.
I doubt too that Native Americans would have laughed at their catches suffering too and most probably would killed them quickly. However, I'd imagine the Native Americans would have enjoyed their day fishing, making jokes at each others expense, bragging rights and so forth. Later on, by the cookingfire, the stories, jokes and fun would have continued. There would also have been a message for the younger generation for respecting and conserving natures gifts in the days events too.
I watched this video 3 times I can't see them actively mocking their prey's suffering, indifference yes, their catch should, as I mentioned before be killed quickly. They taste better if you do that too.
Please just call it what it is "Recreational Killing"
Recreational killing it is but I shall still call it recreational fishing. Recreational Killing is a broad term and can be used to describe many types of killing. Pet ownership is often a form of recreational killing by proxy. If you own a dog and feed it meat then some other animal has died for your desire and choice to have a pet dog. I've had dogs and cats, none now but have no problem with people keeping them. If you own a cat in suburban, semi rural or rural Australia you often justify the killing of many native animals by proxy. The last person I lived with owned a cat, every second or third night some native creature would be brought indoors. I'd wake to it's remains strewn across the kitchen floor or sometimes, in lengthy process of killing that cats practice, the animal would escape and would found in some bolt hole (usually by the smell or flies) or, if the animal flew, clinging desperately to the curtains or trying to smash it's way through the window. I used to wake to a bat flying around the house sometimes. The only other way of doing it is to put the cat in a run, which is cruel to the cat.
Yes, most likely the fish did suffocate, skinning a live fish would be extremely difficult and I don't think they're that stupid.
What skill? They convinced the catfish that they were just big chunks of meat. They convinced me they were just big chunks of meat barely a minute into the video.
The skill of observation, of understanding your prey's behaviour, the best part river to fish. The physical skill of swimming, diving and wrangling a large fish to the surface. Avoiding it's spines, preparing, cooking and eating it.
