How Expert Tongons Catch Whales for Food

SEVERAL whales have been caught in Tonga re cently by the Cook Brothers, of Nukualofa.

The Cook Brothers make big money from the whale meat, which they cut up and sell to the natives at the rate of one penny per pound. Tongans are very fond of this meat, which they reckon has more health values than any other.

As soon as news of a catch is made known —this spreads throughout the island in a marvellously short time —crowds from the villages and adjoining islands gather at the waterfront, and at the Nukualofa wharf, bringing with them baskets, bags, wheelbarrows, carts and even motor lorries to take the meat home in.

The method of cooking this dark red meat is by cut ting it up in, say, half-pound portions, and wrapping each piece in breadfruit leaves. It is then baked in the “umu” (the native earth-oven). When cooked these are taken out of the oven and left a day, then cut up again into smaller pieces, and cooked again, this time in undiluted coconut cream. It is then eaten with yam or taro.

It is reported that as much as £4O is netted by the fishermen from a single whale.

The meat only is sold; the rest of the whale —carcase and blubber —is thrown away, as there is no use, commercially or otherwise, for these locally.

But the Cook Brothers have found another means of profit from these remains. Sharks come in “droves”, to feed, and they are speared by the brothers and sold, as shark meat is another Islands delicacy.

The method of catching the whale by these Cook boys is unique, as they have no modern equipment, but just a harpoon or two, and coils of rope. The boat used is an open, sailing 16-footer.

When a whale is sighted, it is approached and. when within a few feet, is speared (by hand) by one of the Cook boys, with a harpoon, which is tied to one end of a 100-fathoms rope, and the other end of the rope secured to the boat.

Upon being speared effectively the whale dashes off. towing the boat with it, at flying speed. Cook stands ready with an axe, to cut the rope in case the mon ster dives and tows the boat under with it, or if It heads out to sea, in which case it may turn round, and charge the boat. . , J , Fortunately, it seldom does these things, but dashes about, spouting and jumping at times clean out of the water. After several miles of this dangerous demon stration, it finally makes for a nearby island, where it runs up high and dry, in shallow water, and finally dies through exhaustion.

Top.—Flensing a whale, near the coast, at Nukualofa.

Lower.—A crowd of natives on the wharf, at Nukualofa, waiting to buy whale meat at 10 lb. for 1/-. A small whale, which is being cut up, is shown near the centre of the picture.—Photos, by Hettig.