For centuries, the people of Lamalera on Lembata Island, East Nusa Tenggara, have ventured out to sea to hunt whales using wooden boats and harpoons. For the village’s approximately 1,600 residents, whale hunting is more than a way to obtain food. It is part of their cultural identity, beliefs, and tradition of sharing, passed down through generations.
The tradition dates back at least to the 17th century. However, whale hunting in Lamalera is also governed by customary rules that determine how the hunt is conducted, which whales may be caught, and how the catch is distributed.
A Tradition That Brings the Community Together
The whale-hunting season, known as Lewa, typically runs from May to October. The ceremonies begin with Tobu Neme Fate on April 29, followed by Ie Gerek, a ritual to summon the spirit of the whale, and Misa Leva, a mass to bless the boats and harpoons used in the hunt.
Hunters venture out to sea in a téna, a wooden boat measuring around 12 metres long. Each crew member has a specific role in the hunt.
The lamafa is responsible for spearing the whale, while the lama uri steers the boat and the other crew members paddle. Since a decision by the customary council in 2001, outboard motors have also been permitted to tow boats to hunting grounds.
Once a whale is caught, its meat is distributed according to customary rules. Widows, orphans, and sick people receive special portions.
Most of the meat is dried so it can be stored for months, then exchanged for agricultural produce at the barter market in Wulandoni. In this exchange, a piece of fresh whale meat can be traded for six bananas, while dried meat can be exchanged for 12 sweet potatoes.
In this way, the catch provides food for hunters’ families and helps other residents obtain different food staples.
Hunting Governed by Customary Rules
The people of Lamalera follow an unwritten customary law known as the Ways of the Ancestors. These rules determine which whales may be hunted. Sperm whales are the main target, but pregnant whales and those mating must not be speared.
Blue whales are also off-limits because, according to local beliefs, one once saved their ancestors from an accident at sea.
Despite the tradition’s long history, the catch is not always plentiful. Around 2018 or 2019, hunters were reportedly able to bring home seven whales in a single day. However, such a catch has not been repeated.
When few whales are caught, fishers also catch other marine mammals and fish, including dolphins and sharks.
Whale hunting also carries risks for the hunters. Harpoon ropes can become tangled around crew members, while a whale’s tail can strike the boat as the animal struggles to escape. Meanwhile, fewer young people are interested in becoming whale hunters, posing another challenge to the continuation of the tradition.
A Tradition Under Conservation Pressure
Whale catches in Lamalera have declined in recent years. In 2025, the community caught only three sperm whales. By July 2026, the number had reached just one. These figures are far below the approximately 20 whales per year reported by National Geographic in 2021.
Amid these changing catches, Lamalera’s whale hunt also faces conservation concerns. Whales are among the marine mammals protected under Indonesian law, including Law No. 5 of 1990 and Government Regulation No. 7 of 1999.
This protection raises questions about how traditional whale hunting can continue without undermining efforts to safeguard marine mammal populations.
The issue becomes more complex because the waters where Lamalera’s residents hunt are part of the Savu Sea Marine National Park. Covering approximately 3.36 million hectares, the protected area includes a cetacean protection sub-zone spanning around 1.24 million hectares.
However, the park’s 2014–2034 management plan also recognises Lamalera’s whale hunt as a form of local wisdom that continues to be practised.
Despite this recognition, no specific regulation clearly governs traditional whale hunting in Lamalera. Indonesia is also not a member of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), leaving the legal status of the practice a matter of debate.
Efforts by the government and conservation groups to develop restrictions or a ban on the hunt began in late 2017, but the process was still facing bureaucratic obstacles in 2021.
On the other hand, there is no evidence showing that Lamalera’s hunt has threatened whale populations. The issue, therefore, goes beyond a conflict between tradition and wildlife protection.
It also concerns how the sustainability of whale populations should be assessed and how regulations can accommodate marine mammal conservation while taking into account the lives of communities that depend on this ancestral tradition.
