On the idyllic island of Atauro, 36km north of Dili, there is a village called Adara. From the water, it looks like any other small, sleepy coastal settlement — colourful fishing boats on the beach, children playing at the shore, palm trees. But Adara holds a tradition that sets it apart from almost every other fishing community in the region.
Here, it is the women who dive.
The Wawata Topu
The Wawata Topu — translated from Tetum as “women divers” — are a group of female free-divers who have broken with the traditionally male profession of reef fishing. Wearing handmade wooden goggles and traditional sarongs, they duck-dive to the seabed to collect clams and shells, or to spear reef fish with simple wooden spears.
Spearfishing is one of the oldest forms of fishing practiced by humans, with evidence of the technique dating back 16,000 years. What the Wawata Topu practice is artisanal fishing at its most traditional — minimal impact, no nets, no bycatch, no engines. Just breath, water, and skill developed over years of practice.
Watching them work is quietly extraordinary. They move through the water with an ease that makes it look effortless — repeated breath-hold dives in quick succession, scanning the reef with calm, unhurried focus. The handmade goggles they wear, carved from wood and fitted with glass, are both functional and remarkable objects in their own right.
A Community at a Crossroads
The women of Adara are aware that the reefs they depend on are changing. Like fishing communities across Southeast Asia, they have noticed a gradual decline in catch over the years — fewer fish, more effort required. It is a familiar story along coastlines where reef health is declining.
There is some cause for optimism. The establishment of a locally managed marine area near Adara offers a degree of reef protection, and the hope is that fish stocks from within the reserve will gradually replenish the surrounding fishing grounds. Conservation and traditional fishing practice are not mutually exclusive — the Wawata Topu have been managing the reef sustainably for generations.
Visiting Atauro Island
Atauro Island is accessible by ferry from Dili — a roughly two-hour crossing across the Ombai Strait. The island is small, largely undeveloped, and offers some of the finest diving and snorkelling in Timor-Leste. The reefs surrounding Atauro were identified by Conservation International as having the highest average fish diversity of any surveyed reef system in the world.
Culturally, a visit to Adara and the opportunity to meet the Wawata Topu is one of the most memorable experiences the island offers. Local guides can arrange introductions; the community, once contacted, is welcoming to visitors who approach respectfully and show genuine interest in their way of life.
Watch the Full Series
The Wawata Topu were featured in Timor-Leste from Below, a wildlife and culture documentary series produced by Scubazoo.