Trading dance ceremony, traditional whaling village of Lamalera, island of Lembata, Indonesia

Women wearing ikat fabric skirts and pink or green blouses balance baskets on their heads during a symbolic dance celebrating their intra-island barter economy, in the traditional whaling village of Lamalera, on the island of Lembata, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. Ikat is an elaborate Indonesian fabric-creation technique where resist dyeing of the yarns prior to further dyeing and weaving makes uniquely patterned textiles. Lamalera village still hunts sperm whale and other deep-sea species for subsistence. This 600-year hunting tradition using only sail and paddle power is allowed under International Whaling Commission regulations concerning aboriginal whaling. Some conservationists worry that commercial whaling also takes place, and that hunters use their engine-powered boats year round to catch other protected species such as manta rays, orcas, dolphins and oceanic sharks. However, Lamalera and Lamakera (on the neighbouring island of Solor) are the last two remaining Indonesian whaling communities.

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Filename: 20230425_084041.jpg
Copyright: © Tom Dempsey / PhotoSeek.com
Image Size: 2171x2842 / 2.1MB; http://www.photoseek.com/; PhotoBest funny history humor past people
Contained in galleries: Highlights 2023, INDONESIA gallery, 2023 Apr: AUSTRALIA + INDONESIA, Cruise Kimberley to Komodo + solar eclipse

Women wearing ikat fabric skirts and pink or green blouses balance baskets on their heads during a symbolic dance celebrating their intra-island barter economy, in the traditional whaling village of Lamalera, on the island of Lembata, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. Ikat is an elaborate Indonesian fabric-creation technique where resist dyeing of the yarns prior to further dyeing and weaving makes uniquely patterned textiles. Lamalera village still hunts sperm whale and other deep-sea species for subsistence. This 600-year hunting tradition using only sail and paddle power is allowed under International Whaling Commission regulations concerning aboriginal whaling. Some conservationists worry that commercial whaling also takes place, and that hunters use their engine-powered boats year round to catch other protected species such as manta rays, orcas, dolphins and oceanic sharks. However, Lamalera and Lamakera (on the neighbouring island of Solor) are the last two remaining Indonesian whaling communities.