On the Hunt

At seven o’clock in the morning I went down to the beach where I met Jacobus and his crew to join them on their fishing boat. It was a sunny day, the sea was calm and I could hardly wait to watch the fishermen in action. Jacobus first steered the boat out to sea while his three colleagues looked for potential prey. It took over an hour before the fishermen’s eyes suddenly lit up and the mood on board changed to hectic excitement. From the front I heard sharp commands and in a flash everyone except Jacobus had bamboo harpoons in their hands. For me it was an unforgettable experience to observe how these fascinating people seemed to switch from total composure into a passionate hunting mode in a matter of seconds.

Lembata (Indonesia), July 2013