The Cetacean Commonwealth

March 7, 2002

The Cetacean Commonwealth is a commonwealth of the Cetacea Nations comprising all species of Cetacea, the mammalian order of whales and dolphins and the humans that support them.

It is now scientifically proven that the dolphins are self-aware, a trait shared with humans. Since other Cetacea have even larger brains, we conclude that the other species are self-aware as well. Cetacea also transmit information culturally across generations and are the longest lived of all species. The Cetacea have the largest brains, include the largest creatures on Earth and have a long history of friendship, cooperation and partnership with humans which makes us co-species, sharing the planet.

Their territory encompasses the 75% of the Earth covered by oceans as well as inhabiting several major rivers.

They therefore qualify as a people and with their intelligence, culture, and sentience, are entitled to full recognition under human laws.

The Cetacean Commonwealth is hereby established this day March 7, 2002, 1:34 AM Pacific time.

All who would like to see proper treatment of the people of the sea, and wish to join in this co-species venture are invited to participate.

Purpose:

As suggested first by Dr. John Lilly, M.D., the Cetacea are worthy of recognition as a people, and are entitled to recognition and proper treatment under human law, just as any other sovereign being.

According to Francis Boyle, Attorney, University of Illinois, recognition as a people has been necessary to stop genocide of other humans. One example is the Australian aboriginal people, who were legally classed as game animals until 1967 when they won their rights as human beings in a court action.

Therefore, a similar process, applied on behalf of the Cetacea will gain their rights and proper treatment as well. Currently, in the United States, the National Marine Fisheries Service of the Department of Commerce administers the Cetacean policy under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In this venue, they are treated in the same class as fish, and as resources, food, etc.

As peoples of the sea, the Cetacean Commonwealth, we move them to proper position, as members of old global indigenous cultures of self-aware, sentient, sovereign beings. As such, other nations will then recognize them and accord them proper diplomatic treatment. In the United States, this would mean that the Cetacea should be dealt with by the State Department, with full honors accorded them, as are other nations and their members.

At the moment, our communication with the Cetacea is limited, at least in an objective, verifiable way. Research to remedy this is underway. Until this work is completed, humans can choose to speak for them and represent their interests, just as one might represent someone who is mute before the court. Therefore, we invite other humans who agree with the above Cetacean Commonwealth to come forward as ambassadors and spokes-persons.

The Cetacean Commonwealth is a way for ALL of our voices to be heard - the peoples of the sea and the peoples of the land.

And it is crucial for our voices to be heard and heeded. Our planet is being plundered by vested interests that care little for the state of our world. Hundreds of thousands of dolphins are killed each year. We may have already lost 60% of the Spinner Dolphin population in the eastern Pacific because of tuna fishing that kills them. Thousands more are killed by pollution, starvation caused by over fishing, Navy sonars, geological prospecting, and a plethora of other causes. It is time we respect the Cetacea, the oceans, our planet and treat it as worthy of our love.

The benefits to the Cetacea and ourselves include cleaner oceans, cleaner rivers, restoration of the ecosystems on which we all depend. The knowledge of our planet, our history that the Cetacea can share is of immense value, and by integrating the Cetacea into our human society, we will learn of each other, and share our lives. Already, at this early stage of the process, we have found that the dolphins can remedy conditions that are beyond the capability of current medicine. We would be wise to learn more. Certainly this is only the beginning of what we will learn from each other.

So, should you resonate with this, contact us:

CetaceanCommonwealth@yahoo.com

We are seeing an idea like the Cetacean Commonwealth as a way to give the People of the Sea a voice through us humans. And also a Voice of WE, the People having a say at these meetings. So far, it is mostly vested interests.

Should we be successful in having an opportunity to present at the IWC we would have some interspecies music. And hopefully petitions or 'treaties' between as many people as we can and the Cetacea Nations, thereby having the signatories be part of the Commonwealth.

We intend to have a live audio link to the Humpbacks in Hawai'i and broadcast it to Earth Day, Santa Monica, California, April 19-22, 2002. We further intend to have a similar link at the International Whaling Commission meeting in Japan, May 23, 2002. The Cetacea will have a voice. It is time to stop the genocide of the people of the sea and begin a time of honor, respect and restoration. It is time that all of us that are called to be with the dolphins and whales as friends and helpers to claim our sovereign right to do so.

[We did a historical first live link to the humpbacks with the aid of Whalesong.net for Earthday 2004 at the University of Hawaii, Hilo]

One principle of the Cetacean Commonwealth:

The right of free assembly among consenting species.

It is our right to associate with the Cetacea on a respectful basis. And there is abundant evidence that some Cetacea feel the same. They have been offering their cooperation for thousands of years, and it time now that we recognized their efforts and join them, meeting them with our finest efforts.

Paradise Newland

Michael T. Hyson

Los Angeles, California

March 7, 2002