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LAMALERA |
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Travellers come to the extremely pleasant south-coast village of
LAMALERA to participate in the traditional whale-hunts , in which local
people use only wooden outriggers and bamboo spears. Be warned, though,
that this is not a whale-watching pleasure cruise: the people of Lembata
are here to kill these magnificent beasts, which can be extremely
harrowing to watch, and as a tourist, you will be expected to take up a
paddle and help overhaul the animal. Whaling takes place from May to
October, never on Sundays as the people are devout Christians. They use
extraordinary outrigger prahus - 10m to 12m long, a mere 2m across, and
constructed without nails; the sails are woven from palm fronds.
In the peak year of 1969, the Lamalerans took only 56 sperm whales as
well as many manta rays, turtles and dolphins. The World Wildlife Fund
has carried out numerous surveys in the village and decided that their
occupation has no effect on world whale stocks, or those of other
endangered species. As with certain Inuit peoples, the whaling purely
serves the needs of a small community. Lamalera has therefore been
declared a protected, subsistence whaling village and is not subject to
international charters. Every part of a captured whale is used. Its meat
and blubber are shared out amongst the village people according to
ancient lore, and non-edible bits serve as fuel or jewellery.
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