2018 Award Finalist: Rony Zakaria, Lamalera - Invisible Photographer Asia (IPA)

An overview of Sawu sea in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia which connects the Indian and Pacific oceans and serves as a key migratory route for some species of whales, dolphins and turtles. Whalers from Lamalera village in the nearby island of Lembata hunt whales as they pass through nearby waters off their village.

A whale shark caught during fishing is being tugged ashore in Lamalera, Lembata island, Indonesia.

A sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) that was caught during the day's hunt lies ashore in Lamalera village, Lembata Island, Indonesia. The whale's meat will be distributed among family of crew members in the village the following day. Lamalera is a small fishing village of 2,000 people in the east part of Indonesia where whaling has been an integral part of their life since 600 years ago, using wooden small boats, and hand-thrown bamboo harpoons to hunt.

A woman takes back her family share of the caught whale in Lamalera, Lembata island, Indonesia. Lamalera is a small fishing village of 2,000 people in the east part of Indonesia where whaling has been an integral part of their life since 600 years ago, using wooden small boats, and hand-thrown bamboo harpoons to hunt.

Emmanuel Toba Bataona (53), a Lamafa (whale harpooner), jumps from a wooden boat to harpoon a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) in Sawu sea just offshore Lembata island, Indonesia. The whalers in Lamalera caught in average 20-30 sperm whales every year to feed the village or to be used as a barter commodity with fruits and vegetables from the mountain dwellers.

Whalers pull to flip a sperm whale in order to divide share of its meat in Lamalera village, Lembata island, Indonesia. The whalers in Lamalera caught in average 20-30 sperm whales every year to feed the village or to be used as a barter commodity with fruits and vegetables from the mountain dwellers.

Whalers cut sperm whale meat that was caught the previous day and divide shares for each of the crew members of the boat in Lamalera village, Lembata island, Indonesia.
Lamalera is a small fishing village of 2,000 people in the east part of Indonesia where whaling has been an integral part of their life since 600 years ago, using wooden small boats, and hand-thrown bamboo harpoons to hunt.

Elias Blio Beding (73) a retired Lamafa (whale harpooner) posed at his house in Lamalera village with a jaw of a killer whale (Orcinus orca) that he caught three years ago. Although retired, Elias still join the hunt as crew member andwill make the final cut to bleed out the whale.

Stefanus Fotu Bataona (47), a Lamafa (whale harpooner), relaxes with his family in front of his house in Lamalera village, Lembata island, Indonesia. Before being a Lamafa, one has to start as Matros (oarsman). A good Lamafa kills 80-100 sperm whales in their lifetime. Lamalera whalers are exempt from the international ban on whaling under International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, that allows indigenous people to hunt whales within limits, such as to feed themselves. Lamalera is a small fishing village of 2,000 people in the east part of Indonesia where whaling has been an integral part of their life since 600 years ago, using wooden small boats, and hand-thrown bamboo harpoons to hunt.

A young boy practices to be a Lamafa (whale harpooner) in Lamalera, Lembata island, Indonesia. Many of the young generation dreams to be a Lamafa (whale harpooner) who commands the boat and well respected in the village.

2018 Documentary Award Finalist

Lamalera, by Rony Zakaria

Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world and 60 percent of its territory consists of the sea. Fishing is an integral part way of living for the coastal people in Indonesia. Most of the fishing tradition dates back way before Indonesia even existed.

Like in Lamalera, a village in a small island of Lembata in the eastern part of Indonesia, where whaling has been a tradition for more than 600 years. The village of 2,000 people hunts sperm whales with wooden sailboats and hand-thrown bamboo harpoons. It is the most traditional means of fishing in this modern world. For Lamaleran, the sea is their mother who feeds and provides for them.

Biography

Born 1984 in Jakarta, Rony Zakaria graduated with a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. Upon graduation he started his career as a photographer. He then studied photojournalism at Galeri Foto Jurnalistik Antara. In 2009 he studied on a fellowship at Asian Center For Journalism in Manila Philippines. Since then he has been working for international publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, Le Monde, Mare, GEO, The Guardian, Monocle, among others.

Rony has received several awards for his works which includes NPPA Best of Photojournalism, Roberto del Carlo Photolux award and Mochtar Lubis Award Grant. His works have also been exhibited in galleries and festival in Paris, Frankfurt, China, Bangladesh, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. In 2013, he published his first book, Encounters, a collection of personal photographs taken since the beginning of his career.

Website: www.ronyzakaria.com

Finalist Gallery with Captions

Lamalera, by Rony Zakaria [Indonesia] is a Documentary Award Finalist in the Invisible Photographer Asia Awards 2018. View more 2018 Awards Finalists.

The Invisible Photographer Awards 2018 is proudly supported by G-Technology AP, Sony Singapore, GetIT Comms, Grenadier Press, Exactly Foundation, Photo Kathmandu, Spoon Creative and Objectifs – Centre for Photography and Film.