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Orcas and Thaua People Joined Forces for Decades on the Australian Coast in a Sacred Tradition of Whale Hunting Now Extinct
Along the eastern coast of Australia, a unique pact united orcas and humans in the hunting of humpback whales. Known as beowas by the Thaua people of the Yuin nation, these orcas actively collaborated in the pursuit of their marine relatives.
Records indicate the practice occurred between 1844 and 1928, although it likely began much earlier.
The Thaua men would chant while the orcas led the boats to the prey. As a reward, the animals received their favorite parts of the whales: tongue and lips. This tradition, known as the “Law of the Tongue,” was sacred and spanned generations.
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Cooperation and Tradition
A genetic study published in the Journal of Heredity confirms that this population of orcas is extinct. It was part of a unique lineage, with deep cultural and ecological ties to the Thaua.
In 1942, the Sydney Morning Herald described how, on June 1 each year, “the killer whales came from Antarctica and took their positions, like guard soldiers.”
They patrolled the bay of Turembulerrer, now Twofold Bay, collaborating with Indigenous hunters and later with European settlers.
From Subsistence to Commerce
With the arrival of Europeans, hunting shifted from a subsistence practice to a lucrative industry. Records show that the orcas would slap their tails on the water in front of the whaling station in Eden to signal the presence of whales.
Among them, one stood out: Old Tom, a seven-meter orca that, for four decades, worked with the Davidson family.
Local tradition says that orcas chose their human partners. The skeleton of Old Tom is now preserved in the Killer Whale Museum in southeastern Australia.
The End of an Era
In 1930, Old Tom was found dead. Shortly thereafter, the entire population of orcas in the region disappeared.
Almost a century later, scientist Isabella Reeves from Flinders University analyzed Old Tom’s teeth and jaw for DNA.
The study revealed that Tom likely shared an ancestor with orcas from New Zealand. However, many genetic variants no longer exist in living populations, disappearing with the extinction of the lineage.
Ecological and Spiritual Loss
For the Thaua, the loss goes beyond the ecological realm. Steven Holmes, co-author of the study and traditional custodian, recalls stories told by his grandmother: “My ancestor Budginbro swam with Old Tom, holding onto its fin. They were never harmed.” According to tradition, a Thaua returns as an orca after death.
The research suggests that this millennia-old partnership is confirmed by oral traditions and photographic records. “If there were no photos,” Reeves states, “it would be hard to believe this happened.”
With information from Super Interessante.
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