Located at Desa Lamalera, Lamalera District, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, this place is well known throughout the world for its ancient whale hunting. Astronomically Lamalera coordinates are 8.5566° S, 123.4131° E.
Lamalera Village
Lamalera’s woman complete traditional costume
Lamalera women’s fashion are very simple. They wear traditional costume for marriage and other important ceremonials. No specific jewellery is worn. No foot wear. Hair is tied like a bun behind the neck. Also no cosmetics were available since long time ago. So, they rely on their natural beauty.
At the village of the Whale Hunters
Lamalera women were expected to be able to do hand spinning. The taboo and tradition about woman of Lamalera are about when their men and husbands planned to go out to the sea or for whale hunting the husband and wives are not aloud to sleep together, the house has to be peaceful and no fights. They believe that by doing this they will have good fortunes and safety.
Oh, and beautiful in Lamalera language is Segetok.
Traditional Sarong
All traditional sarong of Lamalera are made out of cotton. For colours, they natural dye the cotton thread obtained from plant and organic source. And to make motifs they tie some parts of the collected thread and dye it.
Lamalera motifs are usually of petola (a flower motif), kenuma, kojang, peliku, whale, sting rays and boat.
Kebaya top
Any simple kebaya top would do.
Traditional weave scraf
This may be optional. You can wear it as an accessory around your shoulder like a sash.
Hair
Hair tied as a simple bun. Hair bun in Lamalera language is voge.
All photographs are Fiona Callaghan’s collection.
Note from The Adventuress:
Always stay as a Conscious Adventurer with The Adventuress spirit of Peace, Love, Adventure, Nature, and Positivity or PLAN+ in short. With that, you wouldn’t want to harm the nature and destroy it. Rather you would want to explore the earth to learn its beauty as your private experience that will teach you to be a better person each day and value the wonderful creation of God.
Peace & Light,
The Adventuress
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