Greenpeace was first dreamed up by American draft-evaders and Canadian hippies in late-1960s Vancouver. The movement, now internationally-renowned, has fought tirelessly against American and French nuclear weapons testing, whale and seal hunters, over-fishers and fossil fuel barons for nearly 50 years.
The first Rainbow Warrior was a 418-ton former UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food research trawler. It was built in 1955 and bought by Greenpeace in 1977 for £40,000 (NZ$480,000 today).
The boat’s name comes from a prophecy of the Cree Indian nation. Eyes of Fire, a wise grandmother, spoke of ‘Warriors of the Rainbow,’ beings belonging to all races, creeds and colours who would band together, learning from indigenous nations how to revere and respect Mother Earth, and fight for the end of her relentless destruction.
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