In Sightings, Linda Hogan and Brenda Peterson have crafted a narrative that extends far beyond the two worlds of whales and people. A celebrated Chickasaw writer, Hogan traces the history of hunting whales for subsistence and explains their significance in tribal mythology and songs. Peterson, an acclaimed novelist and nature writer, focuses on the world of science, describing the interconnectedness of animal-human relationships and scientifically reinforcing Hogan’s assertion of the spiritual bond between people and whales. Together, they capture the realms in which the gray whale has become a legend, portraying the wonder—and fragility—of the whale and its environment.

Sightings is a story of tribal people, scientific researchers, fishermen, and the everyday inhabitants of the small, coastal communities whose lives are centered around the gray whale migration.

For 50 million years, the gray whale has evolved along human shores, linking its history with human existence. Ancient and colossal, the gray whale weighs 45 tons and swims 10000 miles along the West Coast each year from its Alaskan summer feeding grounds to winter birthing lagoons in Baja, Mexico. Proximity and beauty have made the gray whale a mysterious creature in the eyes of humans, sparking scientific wonder as well as many cultural and mythical interpretations.

In Sightings, Linda Hogan and Brenda Peterson have crafted a narrative that extends far beyond the two worlds of whales and people. A celebrated Chickasaw writer, Hogan traces the history of hunting whales for subsistence and explains their significance in tribal mythology and songs. Peterson, an acclaimed novelist and nature writer, focuses on the world of science, describing the interconnectedness of animal-human relationships and scientifically reinforcing Hogan’s assertion of the spiritual bond between people and whales. Together, they capture the realms in which the gray whale has become a legend, portraying the wonder—and fragility—of the whale and its environment.

Sightings is a story of tribal people, scientific researchers, fishermen, and the everyday inhabitants of the small, coastal communities whose lives are centered around the gray whale migration. A journey through water and time, Sightings is a masterful observation of one of the Earth’s most enchanting creatures.

Fat By LINDA HOGAN

INTRODUCTION

GRAY WHALE MAPS

PART ONE First Sight:Baja

PART TWO Eye View:The Journey

PART THREE Double Vision:Hunting the Whales

PART FOUR Eye to Eye:Honoring the Whale

pART FIVE A Cold Eye: The Far North

EPILOGUE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS