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By:

ABSTRACT: This article examines the controversy surrounding Faroese pilot whaling (grindadráp)

KEYWORDS: pilot whaling, tradition, political ontology, eurocentrism, anthropomorphism.

Katarina Heradóttir Andreassen

December 2025

European Ethnology

## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02 December 2025

cultural sovereignty. By comparing Faroese perspectives of subsistence, cultural sovereignty, and

## FAROESE PILOT WHALING IN A COSMOPOLITICAL WAR

A study on political ontolog ies , multinaturalis m and eurocentrism

By: Katarina Heradóttir Andreassen European Ethnology

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ABSTRACT: This article examines the controversy surrounding Faroese pilot whaling (grindadráp) through the lens of political ontologies , encapsulating  how differing  worldviews  shape the interpretation of pilot whaling in the Faroe Islands, and what implications these have for local -global dynamics and cultural sovereignty .  By comparing Faroese perspectives of subsistence, cultural sovereignty, and sustainable local governance with activist framings of animal rights and global ecological protection, the article  highlights the clash between multinaturalist and  eurocentric 'One World World' ontologies. The findings suggest that the conflict extends beyond debates on sustainability, revealing deeper struggles over authority and the right to define ethical relations with nonhuman life.

KEYWORDS: pilot whaling, tradition, political ontology, eurocentrism, anthropomorphism.

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The case of Faroese pilot whaling is significant as it embodies a deeper conflict between global

This case study draws on the article "Love-iathan, the Meat-Whale and Hidden People: Ordering

December 2025

Introduction

## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02

## Introduction

On September 24, 2024, The Great Escape Festival, the premier festival for emerging music in the UK, announced via Instagram that they would sever their partnership with the Faroe Islands as their lead country partner (The Great Escape Festival, 2024). Thi s decision was prompted by criticism from the Sussex Dolphin Project (SDP), which condemned the traditional whaling practices (known as 'grindadráp') of the Faroe Islands (Sussex Dolphin Project, 2024). The partnership was part of a collaborative effort wi th Faroe Music Export (FMX) to promote Faroese musicians such as Æggrasoppar and Joe & The Shitboys, both of whom have earned international acclaim (Faroe Music Export, 2024). Previous collaborations between the festival and FMX had established the partnership, which was now under scrutiny. The Sussex Dolphin Project's c laim was that FMX engaged in 'artwashing', using Faroese music exports in attempt to distract from the negative international media coverage surrounding pilot whaling.

The case of Faroese pilot whaling is significant as it embodies a deeper conflict between global environmental advocacy and local cultural practices. This case highlights how multiple ontologies ascribe varying values to natural resources based on historic al, social, and economic contexts. By investigating this topic, I hope to gain insights into how cultural practices can become battlegrounds for larger ideological wars and what this means for balancing tradition, environmental ethics, and global responsibility.  In this case study I want to examine the conflict through the lens of political ontologies, seeking to understand the deeper cultural and environmental stakes at play. The primary research question guiding this analysis is: How do differing worldviews shap e the interpretation of pilot whaling in the Faroe Islands, and what implications do these have for local -global dynamics and cultural sovereignty?

This case study draws on the article 'Love -iathan, the Meat-Whale and Hidden People: Ordering Faroese Pilot Whaling' by Benedict E. Singleton (2016), which frames the conflict as a 'cosmopolitical struggle' involving two opposing systems of ordering. Singleton's approach is useful

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Local governance and ecological protection

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for understanding how cultural practices and environmental ethics intersect in the debate. Additionally, statements from The Sussex Dolphin Project and comments by Fríði Djurhuus, the lead singer of Joe & The Shitboys, provide empirical material for assess ing different perspectives. Key theoretical insights from the course are drawn from Marisol de la Cadena's work 'Uncommoning Nature', which discusses the anthropo -not-seen and OWW (one world world) , which John Law defines as a hegemonic metaphysics that as sumes there is only one  objective reality -being the Western -a colonial imposition that erases or subordinates other realities  (Law 2015). T o further discuss the OWW, I engage with the work of professor of anthropology Tania Murr ay Li, 'What is Land? Assembling a Resource for Global Investment,' which highlights how resources gain value through socio-cultural processes. Lastly, I will briefly touch on Emily Yates -Doerr's text 'The world in a box? Food security, edible insects, and 'One World, One Health' collaboration', where I shall discuss the edibility of whale meat.

## Local governance and ecological protection

Li's notion that resources acquire 'resourceness' through social, cultural, and economic assemblages is essential for understanding the Faroese perspective on pilot whaling (Li 2014). For the Faroese, grindadráp is more than a resource; it embodies cultural identity, sustenance, and local governance (Singleton 2016). Anti -whaling groups, by contrast, frame whales as part of a global ecological system that should be protected, reflecting divergent values surrounding nature and animal rights. Recognizing thes e different 'assemblages' of meaning regarding  whales could help both sides understand the cultural and economic stakes involved. Li's analysis of 'inscription devices' like statistical data, maps, and regulations could relate to how anti -whaling groups use media and graphic documentation (images, videos) to make the Faroese whale hunts visible and morally questionable on a global scale  (p. 594) . These devices often frame whaling in terms of animal rights and ecological health, aiming to shift the perceptio n of whales from a local resource to a protected global asset. Conversely, the Faroese use their own devices, such as communal gatherings, education on sustainable practices, and local regulatory frameworks, to legitimize whaling within their cultural context. The ethical debate over the 'right manner of disposing things,' as discussed by Li, frames

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Anthropomorphism plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions of whales. As Rowley

Resistance to external values is a recurring theme in Li's work and is echoed in the Faroese response

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the conflict as a question of authority (p. 591) . Who has the right to decide how whales should be treated, as a cultural and nutritional resource or a protected species? This framing leads to larger questions about the rationale behind resource regulation, and the tensions between local autonomy and global norms (which can be key to understanding the Faroese desire to retain local control).

Anthropomorphism plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions of whales. As Rowley (2018) notes, animals perceived as intelligent, social, or capable of empathy are met with greater sympathy. Whales, known for their complex communication and soci al behaviours, are often anthropomorphized, creating a stronger emotional connection with humans. This contrasts with livestock animals, which are typically met with moral disengagement and thus evoke less public empathy (Camilleri 2020). Media portrayals and advocacy campaigns amplify these biases, influencing public opinion and policy. In the statement released by the SDP, the grindadráp is portrayed as a 'medieval practice' that has 'no place in an ethical and progressive society' (Sussex Dolphin Project 2024). This claim positions SDP within the modernist activist movement, as they portray whaling practices as incompatible with contemporary ethical values. They argue that 'Tradition can no longer be excuse for the barbaric massacre of animals' as this co nflicts with environmental stewardship  (ibid .). This, however, leads to further debate on whose authority it is to define what is considered ethical or acceptable.

Resistance to external values is a recurring theme in Li's work and is echoed in the Faroese response to anti-whaling activism. Fríði Djurhuus, the frontman of Joe & The Shitboys, encapsulates this sentiment in a popular Instagram  post, which circulated among Instagram users,  by pointing out that replacing traditional whaling with imported industrial meat does not offer a sustainable or ethical alternative  (Djurhuus 2024) .  His argument challenges the selective moral focus of global environmentalism, questioning why Western nations, such as the US, which leads in oil and beef production (Reuters 2024; Ritchie 2017), are not subjected to similar boycotts. It also frames the importance of recognizing the limitations and potential backlash when global norms conf lict with local customs. He challenges critics to 'compare the grind to what's going in your backyard' (Djurhuus 2024). Fríði's statement offers an aggregate  of opinions and assertions expressed by critics of anti-

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Singleton's analysis of pilot whaling highlights the clash between Faroese Pro Whaler (FPW) actors

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whaling groups, such as  biologist  Bengt Holst  which  states that the grindadráp is no different to what happens in  other abattoirs  and therefore not permitted the immense global criticism (Thomsen 2015). In 2015  the Faroese political party Tjóðveldi  (republican separation  party), campaigned for the upcoming election  with a draft bill for a Faroese constitution,  as a replacement to the current Danish constitution ( Floksskrivstovan 2015). In t he proposal Tjóðveldi highlighted the 'fundamental right to kill pilot whales' , which  demonstrates the  importance of grindadráp in the continuation of a  Faroese national and cultural identity . Thus,  the grindadráp practice symbolises the Faroese separati st struggle against Danish rule.

Singleton's analysis of pilot whaling highlights the clash between Faroese Pro Whaler (FPW) actors and the anti-whaling activist group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) (Singleton 2016). The FPW view grindadráp as a lawful, sustainable practice integral to Faroese heritage and livelihood. It supports local food security, reinforces cultural identity, and is regulated to ensure minimal suffering. Proponents argue that the practice is a form of resistance against globalization and the imposition of for eign values preserving a connection to local resources and reinforcing Faroese identity. (Many Faroese people, including government officials, see whaling as a right backed by national autonomy within the Kingdom of Denmark, with grindadráp considered a purely Faroese matter.) SSCS, on the other hand, frames grindadráp as an unethical assault on marine life and opts for direct action to prevent it. Their confrontational tactics are intended to raise international awareness and frame the practice as a 'barba ric' and 'sadistic' act that must be stopped (Singleton 2016: 37). The killing is performed in a glass abattoir; a spectacle in which the locals take part or stand by and witness, utilized by the SSCS and appealing to global audiences through powerful visual and emotional storytelling, illustrated in the picture with bloody waters and emotive text (p. 29).

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SEA SHEPHERD

BREAKING NEWS - FAROE ISLANDS

CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02

## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02 December 2025

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This argument points to the selective moral outrage that prioritizes certain animals like whales, dolphins, and elephants over others, based on perceived intelligence, social complexity, and emotional behaviour. Whales have sophisticated communication skills, live in family pods, and exhibit behaviours interpreted as empathy or mourning, making them relatable to humans, who project human -like qualities onto them. Public perceptions are shaped by media portrayals and advocacy that highlight these traits, fostering empathy and a sense of responsibility. Conversely, animals used for food, such as cows, receive less sympathy as their behaviours  are less

anthropomorphized and society rarely portrays them as individuals with complex lives (Rowley 2018). Valentina Crast,  second in command at Sea Shepherd Denmark, asserts that  there is no need for pilot whale consumption in a modern globalized world , and that the hunting is  therefore  only for entertainment  purposes   (Thomsen 2015). She states that the grindadráp is a barbaric  and unnecessary   act  of violence  against the ocean's ecosystem and points to the same barbaric acts committed in other commercial abattoirs. The whales serve an important role in the ocean's ecosystem , which the Faroese people disturb. She  emphasises the difference between  the slaughter in  commercial abattoirs and the grindadráp ,  where commercialized meat-animals are production animals and do not affect  the surrounding ecosystem  (ibid.) . This argument does however  disregard the  considerable   methane emissions  in the meat and dairy   industry  (Foodrise/Friends of the Earth/Greenpeace Nordic/IATP  2025). Crast highlights the importance of a healthy ecosystem  and simultaneously enacts the ecocentric ontology of anti -whalers . Captain Alex Cornelissen, CEO of Sea Shepherd Global, denotes the same nature -centred system  of ordering:

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"Considering the times we are in, with a global pandemic and the world coming to a halt, it's

Alex Cornelissen expresses deep respect for nature and the earth. In his statement, nature is

Archaeological findings prove that people in the Faroe Islands have hunted pilot whales for food

48. Hård var striden og kostede blod,

'Whaling.fo: "450 years of statistics"

December 2025

2 The old Faroese folk ballad Grindavisan, was translated from Faroese to Danish by the Danish bailiff Christian Ployen and

her kunde man få at vide,

published in Copenhagen in 1835.

at Færøs drenge med mandemod

## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02 December 2025

(Sea Shepherd 2021)

'Considering the times we are in, with a global pandemic and the world coming to a halt, it's absolutely appalling to see an attack on nature of this scale in the Faroe Islands. […] If we have learned anything from this pandemic is that we have to live in harmony with nature instead of wiping it out.'

(Sea Shepherd 2021)

Alex Cornelissen expresses deep respect for nature and the earth . In his statement, nature is personified and sacralised, where 'the attack on nature' evokes imagery of violence, implying that nature itself is a moral subject deserving protection. This reflects an ecocentric environmental ideology, common in Western acti vist discourse, where nature's purity is contrasted against human exploitation. However, this also works a discursive move that universalizes Western environmental ethics, while implicitly ' othering' local, culturally embedded practices like the grindadráp -a moral framing positioning the Faroese as 'perpetrators' of ecological violence, while Sea Shepherd assumes a universal moral authority over what counts as right or natural.

Archaeological findings prove that p eople in the Faroe Islands have hunted pilot whales for food since the Viking Age, with  official records dating back to 1584. 1 This long -standing practice is seen as a vital component of cultural heritage and food security. FPW actors view pilot whales as a sustainable local food resource, embedded in Faroese culture and heritage. They assert that the grindadráp practices are scientifically managed and regulated, with government oversight and measures in place to ensure minimal suffering  (Singleton 2016: 29) . This is however a relatively recent change in the organization and execution of the practice, as described in the folk ballad Grindavísan 2 , it was a rather ruthless and violent affair.

48. Hård var striden og kostede blod, her kunde man få at vide, at Færøs drenge med mandemod

1 Whaling.fo : '450 years  of statistics'.

2 The old Faroese folk ballad Grindavísan , was translated from Faroese to Danish by the Danish bailiff Christian Pløyen and published in Copenhagen in 1835.

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The ballad recounts the warlike nature of the grindadráp, as practiced before modern regulations,

December 2025

tør gå i kampen og stride.

49. Til grinden iler med glæde enhver;

det rinder ingen i tanke,

at mellem døden og ham der er

man and nature are inseparable.

ikkun en skrøbelig planke.

50. Hisset knuses en båd med brag,

den fyldes med blodigt vand;

her får en mand et vældigt slag

og bæres, som død, på strand.

## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02 December 2025

- tør gå i kampen og stride. 49. Til grinden iler med glæde enhver; det rinder ingen i tanke, at mellem døden og ham der er ikkun en skrøbelig planke. 50. Hisset knuses en båd med brag,
- den fyldes med blodigt vand; her får en mand et vældigt slag og bæres, som død, på strand.

Sámal

Joensen-

Mikines,

1942,

painting,

Watercolor

over pen and

The ballad  recounts the warlike  nature of the grindadráp , as practiced before modern regulations, similarly depicted in the painting below . The chaotic  watercolour brush strokes  portray the bloody ocean during a hunt , hence successfully conveying the fragility  between life and death during  the struggle. The picture  also portrays the men as  a swarm of shadowy figures, looming over the whales , symbolizing death  and suggesting that this is a slaughter. At the same time,  man, boat, ocean and whales flow into one another in Mikines' brushstrokes, becoming hard to tell apart, illustrating that man and nature are inseparable. Statens

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Sámal Joensen -Mikines, 1942, painting, Watercolor over pen and brown ink on yellow  paper. Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

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As Singleton notes, the two groups draw on different systems of ordering, deviating vastly from one

"Tao skal vera ein monustingari, sum er gjørdur eftir tekning, og sum lýkur ávis krov, so at vissa fast

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The massive critique of grindadráp , solicited the Faroese people to reflect on the execution of the practice, and for the better, as it incited legal changes to and regulations on the practice to ensure minimal suffering. FPW proponents argue that this tradition respects the natural cycle of resource use and is no more harmful than industrial livestock farming (Singleton 2016: 35). They see SSCS's stance as imposing foreign values and misconceptions onto Faroese society, especially given that international industrialized nations contribute more to ocean pollution than localized whaling does, and view the SSCS ordering as 'ethnocentric cultural imperialism' dependent on emotional and irrational thinking (p. 36). The clash reflects a broader cosmopolitical struggle between differing worldviews, one rooted in global environmentalism and animal rights, and the other in local cultural traditions and sustainable resource use, reflecting the multinaturalism ingrained in the conflict rather than multiculturalist view s (Blaser 2005: 11). Multinaturalism represents a challenge to the Western notion of nature as a singular, objective reality, that can be scientifically proven and factual. It instead emphasizes the importance of acknowledging different perspectives and li ved experiences, rather than promoting a single, universal truth. The multinaturalist understanding deviates from the multiculturalist understanding that 'refers to the modern ontological assumption that multiple cultures are more or less partial perspecti ves on a single nature or reality.' (p. 15).

As Singleton notes, the two groups draw on different systems of ordering, deviating vastly from one another (Singleton 2016). The SSCS ordering deems grindadráp to be highly unnecessary in 'civilized' Europe and claims it to be preventing the Faroe Islands from taking part in the 'modern world'. The 'crisis ontology' of the SSCS is clearly stated as a SSCS member says ' We view the whales the same way we would view a human: that to kill a whale is murder. I have the same reaction if someone were to attempt t o kill you: I would interfere ' , which supports the notion of anthropomorphizing of whales   (p. 33) .  Ólavur Sjúrðaberg, head of the Grindamannafelag (the official pilot whaling committee) says :

'Tað skal vera ein mønustingari, sum er gjørdur eftir tekning, og sum lýkur ávís krøv, so at vissa fæst fyri, at hann hevur tað rættað sniðið sum tryggjar, at hvalurin verður avlívaður skjótt og pínuleyst.' ( 'It must be a spinal lance, produced according to specific dimensions, that pass es  certain safety

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3 The fishing industry accounts for majority of export in the Faroe Islands, fluctuating between 81-99%, 96,8% in August

2025 (Hagstovan).

CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02

As demonstrated in the quote, the FPW's exhibit profound respect for, and around, the whales

While the SSCS claims that there is not enough sufficient data on long-finned pilot whales

## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02 December 2025

## regulations, to  ensure it has the right design guarantee ing that the whale is killed quickly and painlessly' ) (Bertholdsen 2013) .

As demonstrated in the quote,   the FPW 's exhibit profound respect for, and around, the whales during the grindadráp , as the ocean envelops them in the same way as the cetaceans , consequently making it  vital for survival and sustenance in the harsh subpolar climate. In the Faroe Islands it is a part of cultural practices to hunt birds and whales, raise sheep and catch fish, which the economy currently relies heavily on 3 , in the form of industrial fishing. These practices have been foundational and life sustaining for the Faroese people consequently representing the self -sufficiency of the culture. The precariousness of living in the Faroe Islands has for centuries made grindadráp essential for survival as it is, and always has been, a free food source , although not bearing the same essential role today. Today it remains as the only food resource that is not monetized or c ommercialized, where all people will receive their share if they wish, even if they do  not participate in the killing. As Singleton points out, grindadráp mitigates the precariousness of living in the North Atlantic Ocean (p. 29). Following centuries of becoming -with pilot whales, they are not considered superior or inferior to   other meat-animals, but as a natural food resource necessary for subsistence in the precariousness of the Faroes (ibid .).

While the SSCS claims that there is not enough sufficient data on long -finned pilot whales surrounding the whale population and sustainability (Singleton 2016: 35), the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO) claimed that grindadráp is inconsequential to the whale population. There seems to be no successful outcome, as it becomes clear to me that this conflict lies deeper than a difference of opinion or practice. It constitutes a political ontology, which Mario Blaser defines as 'the conflicts that ensue as different worlds or ontologies strive to sustain their own existence as they interact and mingle with each other' (Blaser 2009), which consequently creates dysfunctional interactions between the groups. A FPW says '… we apparently seem to be living in two different worlds. The urban culture trying … to impose their point of view to the Faroe Islanders.

3 The fishing industry accounts  for majority of  export  in the Faroe Islands , fluctuating between 8 1-99%, 96,8% in August 2025 (Hagstovan).

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Uncommoning the Faroese ocean, my predecessor

## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02

## December 2025

… [telling] us how we shall live in the Faroe Islands.' (Singleton 2016: 33). The FPW's remark demonstrates the political ontology in its whole. The opposed systems of ordering are 'living in two different worlds', constructing a political ontology turning into a cosmopolitical war. As described by Crast and Co rnelissen, the anti -whaling ordering is founded in an ecocentric ontology as opposed to the anthropocentric ontology of the FPW's -as defined by Crast (Thomsen 2015). However, this definition doesn't account for the self -sufficient ontology that underpins Faroese whaling practices. Grindadráp enacts the self -sufficient Faroe Islands as an ontological world in which human, animal, and environment are interdependent rather than oppositional. The practice does not merely represent a means of subsistence but performs an ordering of life that ties community, ecology, and identity together. Within this framework, whales are not simply resources or protected species but part of a relational system that sustai ns both material and social reproduction. Thus, the Faroese ontology resists external ecocentric classifications by asserting a locally embedded cosmology of balance and reciprocity, where whaling becomes an act of belonging rather than domination.

## Uncommoning the Faroese ocean, my predecessor

The term "commons" traditionally describes shared resources (like forests, rivers, or knowledge) that communities manage collectively for mutual benefit. "Uncommoning" highlights the processes that break apart these communal relationships, often through pr ivatization, commodification, or state intervention (De  la Cadena 2015) . Such interventions have been successfully executed by the SSCS and other environmental organizations since the 1980's, which have gained an audience around the world, creating a whirl wind of critique and backlash on pilot whaling in the Faroe Islands and the Faroese culture (Singleton 2016). Uncommoning points to the systemic and institutional forces that alienate people from shared resources and communal practices. For instance, when indigenous lands are seized for industrial development, the communal and cultural bonds tied to those lands are eroded  (De la Cadena 2015) . Uncommoning often  criticizes the historical processes of colonization and capitalism that transformed commons into p rivate property, sidelining local or indigenous practices of collective care and governance. In essence, "uncommoning" is not just about the loss of shared resources but also about the loss of shared practices, knowledge systems, and relationships

29

In their text "The world in a box? Food security, edible insects, and 'One World, One Health'

A member in the leadership of the Peruvian indigenous group Awajun-Wampis affirms that "The

collaboration"

groups.

CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02

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## December 2025

that sustain ecological and social balance. Marisol de la Cadena analyzes these (local -global) dynamics in her text 'Uncommoning nature', which she illustrates through the struggle between the Awajun-Wampis indigenous group and the police force, taking pla ce in northern Peru , where the indigenous group protested oil extractions . The  conflict is a clash between worlds ; between  what is seen as real and what is not seen . This is what she calls the anthropo -not-seen , a world -making process that isn't made throu gh the human -nonhuman divide dictated by the eurocentric  OWW but rather focuses on what is not seen in the anthropocentric  separation of nature and culture and serves  as a direct criticism of  the anthropocentric ordering (ibid.).  The same uncommoning  seems to be the case for the Faroese ocean and cetaceans, where a loss of grindadráp practices is a loss of shared practices, knowledge and relationships for locals. The immense criti cism from environmental organizations, tourists and other spectators does not solely result in a loss of resources, but also creates boycotts of the Faroese culture, production and other commodities.

In their text 'The world in a box? Food security, edible insects, and 'One World, One Health' collaboration', Emily Yates -Doerr states: 'what is non -toxic for most, might still be deadly for some' ( Yates-Doerr 2015). This highlights the complexity of the OWW notion and questions Eurocentric worldmaking. Following multinaturalism, multiplicities in food consumption will manifest, which is the case for many indigenous groups. Whale meat being no exception. However, due to ocean pollution and climate change, w hale meat is contaminated with mercury, PCB and other toxins, and consumption of whale meat is therefore under dissuasion (Heilsufrøðiliga starvsstovan 2011). The SSCS considers whale meat inedible because of moral reasoning and claims it to be just as bad as committing child abuse, rape or serial killing. The FP W and Faroese anti whalers, on the other hand, may find whale meat unfit to be a qualified food source because of the contamination. The discrepancy between the arguments highlights the political on tology in the struggle between the groups.

A member in the  leadership of the Peruvian indigenous group  Awajun-Wampis affirms that 'The river is our brother, we do not kill our brother by polluting and throwing waste on it' (De la Cadena 2015). He exhibits kinship with the river and acknowledges it to be more than non -human (De la

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practices.

CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02

Conclusion

## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02

## December 2025

Cadena 2014). He is grateful for the water the river gives him and cherishes it as it is his own predecessor. The human defines the river as much as the river defines the human, hence one cannot be without the other, human cannot be without non -human. In this co -becoming, the river is not only non -human, and the Awajun -Wampis is not only human. The animism portrayed contrasts with eurocentric world-making and highlights differing systems of ordering between the colonizer and the colonized. Animism is often misunderstood or undervalued within eurocentric frameworks, with the colonized being unfairly characterized through stereotypes that position them as "other" or in need of change. Similarly, Faroese culture is sometimes viewed through an external lens that labels it as unusual or in need of adjustment, reflecting a lack of appreciation for its intrinsic values and practices.

## Conclusion

This case study illustrates a broader cosmopolitical struggle between global environmentalism and ecological protection, and local cultural sovereignty. The analysis demonstrates that competing systems of ordering around resources,  in this case   whales , can lead to deep -seated conflicts over values, rights, and representation. While the Faroese view grindadráp as an essential cultural practice embedded in sustainability, anti-whaling groups argue from a standpoint of ecological protection, conservation and a nimal rights .  The  opposed   systems of ordering seem to agree on sustainable ecological protection, however  the question of  correct sustainable practice and nature governance arises  in this political ontology. The analytic approach, drawing on political ontologies and resource assemblages,   underscores the importance of understanding both perspectives in their respective contexts. Future analyses could explore alternative frameworks, such as postcolonial perspectives, to further examine power dynamics , climate crisis and stakeholder visibility in these debates

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Bibliography

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## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02

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## Bibliography

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Grindamananfelagnum heldur, at tad eigur at verda eitt krav, at bara tey, sum fara á skeid og fáa

- Chao, Sophie, and Dion Enari (2021): 'Decolonising Climate Change: A Call for Beyond -Human Imaginaries and Knowledge Generation'. Etropic , Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 32 -54. https://doi.org/10.25120/etropic.20.2.2021.3796
- De la Cadena, Marisol (2014): 'Runa, Human but not only'. Journal of Ethnographic Theory , Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 253 -259. https://doi.org/10.14318/hau4.2.013
- Foodrise / Friends of the Earth / Greenpeace Nordic / IATP (2025): 'Roasting the Planet: Big Meat and Dairy's Big Emissions'.
- Heilsufrøðiliga starvsstovan (2011): 'Kosttilmæli um at eta grind'. Heilsufrøðiliga Starvsstovan.
- Law, John (2015): 'What's wrong with a one -world world?'. Distinktion: Scandinavian Journal of Social Theory, 16:1, pp. 126 -139. https://doi.org/10.1080/1600910X.2015.1020066
- Li, Tania M. (2014): 'What is land? Assembling a resource for global investment'. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers , The Royal Geographical Society, Vol. 39, No. 4, pp.589 -602. https://doi.org/10.1111/tran.12065
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- Yates Doerr, Emily (2015): 'The world in a box? Food security, edible insects and 'One World, One Health' collaboration'. Social science & medicine (1982), Vol.129, pp.106-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.06.020

## Webpages

- Bertholdsen, Áki (2013): 'Grindamenn skulu hava góðkenning. GRINDADRÁP Formaðurin í Grindamananfelagnum heldur, at tað eigur at verða eitt krav, at bara tey, sum fara á skeið og fáa eina serliga góðkenning, skulu sleppa at drepa grind', Sosialurin , 4 Feb 2013.  Accessed 17 Nov 2025 on in.fo - fyrst og fremst.
- De la Cadena, Marisol (2015): 'Uncommoning Nature'. E-flux journal , Issue No. 65. Accessed 14 Nov 2025 on  https://www.e -flux.com/journal/65/336365/uncommoning -nature.
- Djurhuus, Fríði (@joeandtheshitboys): Response to the statement by The Great Escape Festival , Instagram, 25 Sep 2024. Accessed 8 Nov 2024 on https://www.instagram.com/p/DAWF2qMsRwW/?img\_index=5.

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## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02 December 2025

- Faroe Music Export: The Faroe Islands announced as Lead Country Partner for The Great Escape 2025!, FMX, 17 Sep 2024. Accessed 8 Nov 2024 on https://fmx.fo/news/81/the -faroe -islandsannounced-as-lead-country-partner-for-the-great-escape -2025.
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- Pritchard, Stephen: 'Artwashing: Social Capital & Anti -Gentrification Activism'. Colouringinculture , 2017. Accessed 7 Nov 2024 on https://www.colouringinculture.org/blog/uncategorized/artwashingsocialcapitalantigentrification.
- Reuters: 'US leads global oil production for sixth straight year - EIA". Reuters, 2024. Accessed 7 Nov 2024 on  https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/us -leads-global-oil-production-sixthstraight-year- eia-2024-03-11/.
- Sussex Dolphin Project: 'Update (September 24th): Success We have received official confirmation that the Great Escape Festival has withdrawn its lead country partnership with the Faroe Islands!', [Image attached], Facebook, 23 Sept 2024. Accessed 8 Nov 20 24 on https://www.facebook.com/sussexdolphinproject.
- Sea Shepherd: '1428 Dolphins Slaughtered in the Faroe Islands Sunday Night', Sea Shepherd, September 15, 2021. Accessed 15 Nov 2025  1428 Dolphins Slaughtered in the Faroe Islands Sunday Night -Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
- Sea Shepherd: 'This year was a bloody one for the cetaceans around the Faroe Islands. Over 1700 dolphins lost their lives to socalled "tradition"(...)', [Image attached], Facebook, 20 Dec 2024. Accessed 8 Nov 2024 on  https://www.facebook.com/seashepherdglobal.
- Sea Shepherd: '#ICYMI - Over the weekend, whalers in the Faroe Islands set a gruesome record, killing a full 1428 dolphin -superpod. It's possibly(...)', [Image attached], Facebook, 15 Sept 2021. Accessed 8 Nov 2024 on  https://www.facebook.com/seashepherdglobal.

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Katarina Heradóttir Andreassen

Nature, Science and Democracy Course

Bpd296@alumni.ku.dk

## CULTURE AND HISTORY Nr. 02 December 2025

- The Great Escape Festival (@greatescape): Photo of official statement on the withdrawal of the Faroe Islands as lead country partner, Instagram, 24 Sep 2024.  Accessed 8 Nov 2024 on https://www.instagram.com/p/DAT0pIFtl6M/.

\_Indland DR.

- Thomsen, Stine: 'VIDEO Sea Shepherd: Færinger slagter grindehvaler for underholdning. Slagtning af grindehvaler på Færøerne er kun for underholdningens skyld, mener organisationen Sea Shepherd, selv om hvalfangerne påpeger, at de dræber for at spise.', DR, 31. Jul 2015. Accessed 15 Nov 2025 on  VIDEO Sea Shepherd: Færinger slagter grindehvaler for underholdning | Indland | DR.
- Whaling: '450 years  of statistics'. Whaling . Accessed 14 Nov 2025  on https://www.whaling.fo/en/regulated/450 -years -of- statistics.

Katarina Her adóttir Andreassen Nature, Science and Democracy Course Bpd296@alumni.ku.dk