In brief
As sea levels rise on Fanalei Island in the Solomon Islands, residents are turning to dolphin hunting, a cultural tradition, to fund their relocation to safer lands.
The sun was still hidden when the call of a conch shell signaled the start of the day for six dolphin hunters from Fanalei Island in the Solomon Islands. After a brief, whispered prayer led by their priest, they ventured into the ocean, compelled by the challenges posed by climate change. Their island, a small stretch of land in the South Pacific, is rapidly shrinking due to rising sea levels. Navigating in wooden canoes, the men paddled far from shore, scanning the waters for dolphins. After hours of searching, Lesley Fugui spotted a fin and raised a 10-foot bamboo pole with a cloth tied to it, a signal to his fellow hunters. Knowing the hunt could secure funds for purchasing land elsewhere, they were motivated to succeed in their ancestral practice. While the residents of Fanalei Island grapple with the reality of leaving their sinking home, their dolphin hunting traditions have become essential for finding new beginnings and ensuring their community’s survival.
