The whale beach vol.7

Day 4. This is my last day in Lamalera. I need at least 2 weeks to see how their whale hunting will be. Unfortunately, I don't have such long time. It takes 6 days for just round trip between Japan and Lamalera. The bus to the Leworeba city leaves around 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon, I was told.

Just before 7:00 am, I stand by on the Whale Beach. The line of logs is stretched from another hut to last two days.
And now, on the 4th day, I get offer. "Wanna come with us today?" It's pleasure to me. But ... I gotta stay 7 hours on the boat without shade. If the whale appears, I'll capture the decisive moment ... but it's possible I'm knocked off by the huge tale fin of whale. I refuse the offer.
I walk up to the point before the departure. I want to photographed them from another point of view. Below my eyes, the Whale Beach is hazed by smoke. I know who make the smoke and why. Two boats are pushed at the same time today as if two teams compete on boat pushing race. And they touch the water almost same time. In the golden morning light, the two boats are sailing out. One of them head on the south as same as last 2 days. The other is heading on the east to change the fishing ground. I should pray "They'll have a big one" But today, I pray "Please they won't get a whale" because I didn't go with them. Before long the boats are melting into a blue ocean. I estimate the small boats must fish near the shore. Although I cannot see even a small dot in my sight now. I made a right decision to stay on the land. I shiver.

I hear the chatting voice behind. Two high school girls are passing by. Going to the school? maybe, but they bring with a big wrapped baggage together. The village looks somehow busy this morning. Ojek (moto taxi) runs about. Women are walking for one direction with shopping bag or bucket. Moreover, they already have something in the bag.
Mom in the guesthouse is leaving with the bucket that dried whale meat is filled with. "Mom, Where are you going?" "Barter" Short answer. Yeah, a market must be open today. So I follow the madams on the road. Walk up and down for 1.5 km. Finally I get to the market ground.

Nevertheless sellers are setting fruits or vegetables on the sheets, no shopper is going to buy them. People stay in the roof shade with buckets and chat. What a sleepy market it is!
Let's see, I check the products. Banana, papaya, mango, tomato, carrot and coconut powder ... It's various.
"Hello, Oh you have bloody red around the mouth" I said to a seller. It calls areca nuts, a kind of chewing tobacco. I knew it in Bangladesh. Generally they chew the fruit with small amount of calcium. It makes red saliva to spit off. "I'm embarrassed. Don't photograph me"

Suddenly whistle is blown. And people come out from the shade and come up toward us holding buckets and bags. Without any moments, they take out the dried whale meat from the bag and get start negotiation with the sellers. Once they conclude the negotiation, barter the whale meat and fruit. The whale meat turns into the vegetable quickly.
Now I get the system of the market. In short, residents who live in the mountains and the coast barter the products each other. The offensive mariners battle into the defensive mountaineers. The deal is first come first serve. Meanwhile, the game will be tough for the late starters. Because even the mountaineers don't wanna get a similar dried meat too much.
The mariner's bucket who successfully bartered is filled with various fruits and vegetables on good valance.

Add to ojeks, a big truck loads the people on the cargo deck and shuttles between the market ground and Lamalera village. But, most of the people put a heavy bag on the head and walk back to the village.
Well, time to go. It's really interesting. Feel like I saw a tip of the economy of the village. I'm lucky not to go to the hunting today. Of course, just in case the fishermen will come back without whale.

When I come back to the guest house, I was told the bus departures around the 4 o'clock although it used be 2. Anyway I get a chance to scratch another "Whale Lottery" on the beach.
I see a smaller boat is pushed back by the kids. In front of the boat hut, the kids get start checking their favorite fishes for the rewards. Slightly later, the whale boat comes back ... without whale.