Hunting Sea Monsters ‼️ from Lamalera/Lamakera Hunter Village in NTT ‼️

The fishing village of Lamalera, situated on Lembata Island, and Lamakera in East Nusa Tenggara, has been a cornerstone of tradition for centuries. Alongside their longstanding heritage of capturing and hunting whales and manta rays, every May through November witnesses their annual whale hunt in the waters of Lamalera.

This practice is believed to have originated around the 1500s, coinciding with the establishment of the Lamalera fishing village at the southern tip of Lembata. It's customary for the locals to await the passage of whales and then engage in their capture and hunt. "They exclusively hunt sperm whales—not any other species—near Lamalera waters," explains Bona Beding, a native of Lamalera actively involved in publishing.

The captured whales are distributed among all village residents—approximately 3,000 souls. The meat is considered a village offering, prioritizing widows, the poor, and orphans who receive their share first. Once the needs of the entire village are met, the surplus is bartered for staple goods like corn and rice with neighboring villages or sold to cover children's school fees and other necessities.

In addition to whale hunting, Lamalera also engages in the pursuit of other monstrous fish species, such as manta rays.