THE GRIND (AUDIO DOCUMENTARY)
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, CBC (Canada),
Deutsche Welle (Germany), and Outside Podcast (USA).)
IF our culture defines us, what do we do when the world is against us.
Shortlisted [Top 5 Finalist] Whicker's World Foundation Audio Recognition Awards, 2017.
Join Joel Carnegie in the Faroe Islands as he explores the controversial cultural tradition - whale hunting.
Across the other side of the world, in a freezing ocean, sit the Faroe Islands, halfway between Scotland and Iceland, with a nod to Norway. Their language and culture is most related to Old Norse, with English widely spoken, and they're a proud and nationalistic community of about 50,000 people. The Faroe islands have been whaling for over 1200 years, since early Norse settlement. And pilot whale meat is an important part of their diet, particularly for festivals and special occasions. Both men and women celebrate the unusual technique the whalers use, and are passionate about their tradition.
Up to 1,000 whales are taken each year—entire pods at any one time, and the applications for the special whaling licence are increasing, in defiant response to international condemnation. So the Faroe Islands are facing a major impasse - caught between tradition and changing global attitudes. But there's also a twist to the tail as Joel Carnegie discovers, when he takes us to the Faroes to investigate the many sub-currents of whaling, in this small island community.
“…a Nordic Noir, it took me somewhere and captivated...” - The Guardian and BBC4's Jonathan Freedland
CREATIVE TEAM:
Producer & Presenter: Joel Carnegie
Additional Ears: Gretchen Miller
Sound Engineer:Judy Rutley