Marshall Islands fish hooks

The remote Marshall Islands have fostered a variety of traditional fishing methods, involving many people (ekkonaak, alele), groups (kottoor, jabuk, ittuur), or individuals (tuwa, eojjaak, urok). One notable method is Latippãn, used during calm summer months to catch fish like marlin or tuna in deep waters.

Lines made from armwe tree bark, reaching up to 60 metres, along with hooks crafted from oyster shells and mamo (a type of sardine) as bait. This method demanded special skills and stamina as the fish could pull fishermen over long distances.

See fish hooks from Marshall Islands in the collection below. Click on each image to view full screen and use the zoom functionality for more detail of each fish hook.