Tuvaluan fish hooks

Master fishermen in Tuvalu are called tautai, a title given to those who understand and uphold the traditional rules of the sea and fishing. The title of tautai is also used to indicate that someone is an expert at something, revealing the importance of the role.

Tuvalu consists of three reef islands and six atolls; the ocean and fishing has been the life source of the people for centuries. Gillnetting, surface fishing, deeper water fishing, spearfishing, diving and reef gleaning are just some of the traditional forms of fishing practiced in Tuvalu.

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