The Whale
Hunting Ritual
In 1996, Oxford
University researcher, R.H. Barnes wrote the “Sea
Hunters of Indonesia: Fishers and Weavers of Lamalera”, describing this
communal hunt for sperm whales (Physeter macrocepalus) by the
villagers in Lamalera, on Lembata Island.
The village of
Lamalera is surrounded by rocky hills and barren land, facing the wild sea of
Savu.
When whaling season
arrives, the boats are released. Crowds cheer as more boats, locally called peledang,
glide out from the najeng, the boat houses. Tale leo,
the rope made out of local vegetation, is hoisted to raise the sail. Another tale
leo is fastened to the spiky harpoon. The whale hunt can take hours, and in
some instances, it can take lives. The villagers catch only sperm whales as the
tradition holds. Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) occasionally pass
by the surrounding waters. However, these villagers would lead the approaching
blue whales to the open sea and give them a warm good bye. Blue whales are
considered taboo to hunt as they are believed to be the keepers of the
Lamalera. They consider the blue whale as their mother, and hunting them is
thus a sin.
When a whale
approaches, the lamafa, the harpoonist jumps off the boat
and stabs the cetaceans with a tempuling, a handmade harpoon. The
heart-stopping action of a lamafa is one of the anticipated moments in
the world of visual documentation. The curious visitors would wait for days to
come along with the groups of matros, boatmen led by a lamafa.
They would stay with the fishermen and the families to understand the
fishermen’s unique lives. Baleo! Baleo! The villagers shout out
as the awaited whale surfaces in the distance.
There are more taboos
for the Lamaleras when it comes to whale hunting. It is also forbidden to hunt
pregnant whales, young whales, and mating whales. This capacity to recognize
these specific taboos can only be learnt through extensive periods of
experience. Unfortunately, some elders worry that the tradition is vanishing as
youngsters tend to separate tradition from convenient modernity, so that future
generations will no longer adhere to such precious traditional values.
In response to the
impending threat of disappearance, elders of Lamalera have transformed the
seasonal practice into a festival called the Baleo Festival, which
was started in 2009 and held annually until now. During the festival,
traditional costumes are donned, and those who were born and raised in Lamalera
congregate to make the festival not just a success, but also a legacy for the
descendants of Lamalera. The message of the ancestors must be passed
down, which is to keep the tradition and local wisdom alive.
Prior to the kotoklema
hunt, a lefa, a ritual led by the village elder or a church
priest, is held to invite the anticipated whales. One boat can accommodate 7 to
12 matros, led by a lamafa or also called balafaing.
When a lamafa springs into the water and thrusts the harpoon to the
heart of the sea giant, the matros must be ready to handle the potential
danger caused by the injured whale, which will often swim under and drag the
boat with it. Three to four stabs are needed to paralyze the targeted whale, so
the boat can tow the catch back to the village, and share it with the rest of
the people ashore.
East Nusatenggara is
truly an awe-inspiring destination for those who define adventure from
different points of view. You can find bau nyale, the sea worm
catching festival, pasola, the horse riding and javelin hurling festival,
and the fascinating caci, whip battle dance here. Stop by the city of Kupang or Maumere, and explore
the rest of the island at Ngada and other villages to learn some of the
magnificent early traditions. (http://www.indonesia.travel/en/destination/623/the-traditional-whale-hunt-of-lamalera-on-flores)
