Aboriginal Whaling - Indonesian Whaling

Indonesian Whaling

Lamalera, on the south coast of the island of Lembata, and Lamakera on neighbouring Solor are the last two remaining Indonesian whaling communities. The hunters have religious taboos that ensure that they use every part of the animal. About half of the catch is kept in the village; the rest is traded in local markets, using barter. The whale-hunts are carried out in a traditional manner, with bamboo spears and using small wooden outriggers, 10–12 m long and 2 m wide, constructed without nails and with sails woven from palm fronds. The animals are killed by the harpooner leaping onto the back of the animal from the boat to drive in the harpoon.

The people of Lamalera hunt several species of whale, primarily Sperm Whale (Baleen Whale is taboo), and in the peak year of 1969 caught 56 sperm whales. In addition to whales also dolphins, manta rays, turtles and several species of shark are hunted. In 1973, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization sent a whaling ship and a Norwegian master whaler, to modernize the hunt. This effort lasted three years, and was not successful. According to the FAO report, the Lamalerans "have evolved a method of whaling which suits their natural resources, cultural tenets and style."

The World Wildlife Fund has carried out surveys in the village to determine that the limited hunting does not endanger world whale stocks or other endangered species.