Anti-whaling protesters-in-waiting

ROSS GIBLIN/The Dominion Post

DRAWN TO WHALES: Plimmerton School pupils Talosaga Malu, Nico Hackner and Goldie Crawford, with whale drawings they produced as part of an anti-whaling art project.

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What began as an art project at Plimmerton School has led to pupils forming a "special bond" with whales they are now working to help protect.

The year 3 and 4 pupils began learning about whaling in a project that started after eight-year-old Goldie Crawford's mother, Jo- Anne, suggested the class do some artwork and write poems for a new anti-whaling group she is involved with. The group, Friends of Tangaroa, aims to stop scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean in a way that respects both Japanese and New Zealand cultures.

The schoolchildren were at Parliament yesterday for the launch of the Wellington group's campaign, hosted by Green MP Metiria Turei. Friends of Tangaroa plans to tell universities, industry groups, schools, councils and other interest groups in Japan about New Zealand's connection with whales.

Plimmerton School teacher Kate Morgan said she would not be surprised if some of the children became anti-whaling campaigners.

"This could flick a light in some of them. They have become very passionate about whales and are really fascinated by them."

The class project also touched on Japan's annual whaling campaign in the Southern Ocean. "But it's quite brutal, so I was very careful about what we discussed. We couldn't ignore it because it has been all over the television and in newspapers. The children were very annoyed at the killing of whales."

A Dominion Post petition this year against whaling attracted the signatures of 13,854 readers from New Zealand and worldwide.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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Marcus   #2   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

People dont tend to go out of there way for things like Petitions or demonstrations.The Majority of NZlders are against Whaling. And this thing about Whaling being a tradition in Japan is abit of a joke.Japan only started whaling commercially after 1945.After the second world war.And id hardly call 60 odd years a "Tradition" or even cultural.Japans Whaling fleet returned to Japan just a month or so ago from hunting in the north Pacific where they killed 211 whales. including 59 piked, 50 Brydes, 100 Sei and 2 Sperm Whales. All of which are either Endangered or Threatened.Shows to me that Japan doesnt care about Endangered Species and that they will do what they want in international waters even if it does break international laws and treaties.

david   #1   05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Only 13,854?

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