Abstract
The men of the village of Lamalera, situated at the mouth of Lebala (Labala) bay on the south coast of the island of Lomblen (Lembata), must be among the last of the traditional maritime big game hunters. Conservative in their technology, they go to sea in hand built lashed-lug watercraft, propelled by paddles and woven palm-leaf sails to take giant manta ray, ocean sun-fish, leatherback turtle, shark, dolphin and other small toothed whales, and sperm whale, with hand forged harpoons and lines of cotton or lontar palm and hibiscus fibre. Their catch is either consumed locally or exchanged at adjacent markets for goods they cannot produce themselves, particularly cotton, tobacco, maize, cassava, fruit and other vegetables. A description of their lashed-lug boat, the petedang, and associated technology is provided, along with other brief notes on the division of game.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: The Beagle : Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.