For the fishermen of Lamalera, a remote village in Indonesia, the way of life hasn't changed for hundreds of years: they still hunt and kill whale with their bare hands:
Hunts are led by the Lamafa (boat captains), who purify themselves during the six-month whale hunting season by abstaining from sex. They are also banned from sleeping during a hunting trip. [...]
The Lamafa leaps from the boat holding a 'kefa' (a javelin-like bamboo pole with an iron-blade) which he uses to pierce the whale before swimming back to collect another pole.
The fishermen work as a team, stabbing into the whale flesh and working ropes around its massive body. The tiny boats, dwarfed by the bulk of a whale, risk being pulled under with every lurch of its huge tail.
Link - Thanks Aberron!
I'm a Lamalera's was born and spare more than 20 year living in Lamalera. First of all, I'm really understand all the comment regarding the above picture and news. Honestly, in deep of my heart I just want you all not blame them because that's a way of life for a very small village has been living in this village for hundred years. I can say that, this is only one way of life to the very very very poor people in that's small and traditional village to survive. They just killed not more than 5 - 6 whales a year and all that killed whale's are for their survive life.
WWF, WHO, FAO and any other NGO in the worl have been in my village to saw, learn and understand how that's people doing their battle. And finally, that's way of life still running until today because no one can change it and the most important is their battle never never never disturb population of whales at all. Thanks - bernard krova
Their leader hasn't had sex for six months, and he's the only one who stays awake during the whole hunt. I wonder if the other hunters sleep with one eye open.