People of the Whale

Despite her physical strength, Ruth carries an inner grief and anger. She feels a responsibility to prevent her people from falling apart, likening her effort to holding onto a rope to stop their collective slide into despair. Ruth is acutely aware of the ongoing impact of war and historical pain on her community, particularly on those her age and the older generation.

Ruth remains dedicated to preserving the A’atsika way, despite some claiming it’s over. She feels watched over by an ancestor or spirit who admires her resilience and beauty. Her love for whales is profound, reinforcing her belief in a higher power whenever she observes them.

Ruth’s mother questions why she doesn’t socialize more, but Ruth feels most at home on the water, embracing the natural world. Ruth experiences loneliness, not for herself, but for the historical suffering of her land and people and the destruction of the ocean. Thoughts of her son also occupy her mind.

While peeling potatoes, Ruth contemplates the paradox of growth and poison in life, as symbolized by the potato’s eyes. She muses about Marco Polo, the explorer after whom her boat is named, reflecting on the human quest for discovery and meaning.

The A’atsika tribe faces internal conflict over a proposed whale hunt. During a tribal council meeting, Ruth, the elderly Wilma, and Delphine confront the council about a secret plan to hunt a whale. Dwight, the tribal chairman, insists that the decision is final, but Ruth and Wilma challenge the council, advocating for the whales and criticizing the secrecy of the meeting.

A reporter, Ursula, enters the meeting and captures photos of the council members; the photos are published in The San Francisco Times, sparking public interest. The council argues for the hunt based on treaty rights and a return to tradition, but they face opposition from animal rights activists. Unbeknownst to most, the council plans to sell the whale meat to Japan.

Thomas, who has been estranged from Ruth, returns to the village, drawn by the news of the hunt. He carries a burden of lies and guilt from his past. Ruth and their son, Marco, who is now grown up, confront Thomas, but he remains detached, focused only on the whale hunt.

Marco is chosen to lead the hunt, causing further emotional conflict for Ruth. She continues to oppose the hunt, advocating for the whales and challenging the council’s motives. The situation escalates when Ruth’s and her mother Aurora’s homes are ransacked by those looking for whaling items.

Ruth’s dog, Hoist, is killed, deepening her resolve against the hunt. Marco, torn between his role in the hunt and his mother’s opposition, struggles with his identity and the lack of connection with his father, Thomas.

The A’atsika tribe conducts its first whale hunt since the 1920s, an event marked by controversy and tragedy. Ruth, Wilma, and Delphine stand at the shore, sending their hearts across the water, hoping the whales will stay away. The hunt becomes a spectacle, with reporters and protesters present. Ruth, deeply opposed to the hunt, stands with Wilma and Delphine in silent opposition despite her fears of the consequences of her protest.

The men, including Thomas and Marco, head out in canoes, but their lack of traditional knowledge and respect for the whale is evident. The hunt lacks the sacredness of the past, where women would ask whales to offer themselves while men would treat the hunt with reverence. Now, it’s marred by chaos, noise, and a lack of preparation.

During the hunt, Thomas is conflicted, recalling traditional teachings but caught in the frenzy. He ends up shooting the whale, leading to a chaotic struggle in which the whale is eventually killed, but not before the canoe is broken, casting the hunters into the sea.

Marco, who had sensed the whale and communicated with it, disappears in the chaos. Ruth, frantic, searches for him, confronting Thomas and others, but to no avail. The community believes that Marco drowned during the hunt. Thomas, wracked with guilt over his role in the hunt and the loss of his son, realizes too late the gravity of his actions. He reflects on his lost years, his estrangement from Ruth and Marco, and his inability to reconnect with his family and traditions.

The whale’s body is taken away by the sea overnight. The tribe is left to grapple with the aftermath of a hunt that was meant to revive tradition but instead deepened divides and resulted in loss and sorrow. Thomas, in particular, is left to confront his own actions and the impact they’ve had on his family and community.

The A’atsika tribe mourns the loss of their loved ones through a period of darkness and silence. Traditionally, when someone died, the tribe would keep their houses dark and fast for three days, followed by a gathering on the fourth day to sing mournful songs. In the past, bodies of the deceased were also taken to an ancestral island; this practice ceased due to the overwhelming number of deaths during the influenza epidemic and a massacre by white Americans.

With no body to bury, the community mourns Marco in the customary way of darkness and silence. Ruth, grappling with intense grief, is almost sleepwalking in her despair. She constantly searches for any sign of her son. Vince, an old fisherman, notices her dangerous nightly walks near the water.

Ruth becomes concerned when she notices that the white houses on the other shore, where the elders live, have disappeared. Braving stormy weather, she decides to check on the elders. Upon arrival, Ruth discovers that the houses are still there, but they have been blackened with charcoal as a sign of mourning. The elders, who had a special bond with Marco, are grieving deeply. An old man suggests that Marco, a skilled whaler who died at sea, might become a great whale and one day return to feed his people.

Ruth spends the night with the elders, crying in her sleep. The next morning, she is given Marco’s belongings, which include a carved canoe and gathered stones. As she leaves, an elder named Feather expresses doubts about Marco’s death being an accident, hinting at possible foul play. He ominously predicts a drought as a consequence of the wrongs committed, underlining the sense of unease and unresolved injustice surrounding Marco’s death.