Age old traditions thrive on secluded Roti Island<\/p>\n
By Dipika Ray<\/p>\n
ROTI ISLAND, Nusa Tenggara (JP): The tiny southernmost
\nIndonesian island of Roti is home to the hermaphrodite gewang
\npalm, which flowers once during its one-hundred-year lifespan.
\nThe flowering of a single gewang will induce other palms of the
\nsame age to burst into towering canopies of ornate flowers, all
\nat once, after which they die. This is only one of the
\nextraordinary features of this island, which boasts a startling
\nnumber of beautiful bays, white sandy beaches and high waves,
\nideal for surfing.<\/p>\n
Roti has remained largely untouched since the first Indian
\ntraders brought their weaving techniques and patterns to this
\nremote island. With little resources to attract the Dutch East
\nIndies Company, it escaped colonial domination, and was one of
\nthe few islands to retain its structure of principalities until
\nindependence, so much so, that at one time, it had the largest
\nnumber of rajas in the East Indies.<\/p>\n
For a small island, covering only 1214 square kilometers, and
\na population of less than one hundred thousand, Roti has a
\nremarkably well developed feudal hierarchy, which the people
\nattribute to early trade with the Indians, who introduced the
\nconcept of kingship. They revel in their differences, which are
\nmore pronounced because inhabitants of each of the seventeen
\nprovinces speak distinctly different dialects. Conversing with
\none another through the ages, particularly to arrange inter-clan
\nmarriages, has made the Rotinese skillful negotiators, and today
\nthey are prized throughout Indonesia as very capable lawyers!<\/p>\n
Like many of the surrounding islands, the Rotinese have strong
\nanimistic beliefs, which are closely related to ancestor worship.
\nIn the open courtyard in front of every home is a family grave
\nwhere the elders rest, forever at hand to impart advise and look
\nafter their children during their mortal life.<\/p>\n
By virtue of its location in the Nusa Tenggara region, Roti's
\nterrain and climate are more closely related to Australia than
\nwestern Indonesia. The hard, chalky-white limestone soil can
\nsupport the growth of lontar palms, the gewang palm and
\nmangroves. The mangrove swamps surrounding the island are teeming
\nwith birds and the waters that run through the elevated root
\nsystem are a breeding ground for all manner of wild life,
\nincluding crocodiles.<\/p>\n
The Rotinese have learned to adapt to their harsh environment,
\nand live off the bounty of their palms and seas. They tap both
\nthe lontar and gewang palms for their life giving sweet juice,
\nwhich is obtained by crushing the inflorescence that sprouts in
\nthe crown of the palm. The gewang palm leaves in particular make
\ngood fencing material and thatch for roofs. Its spiky fronds make
\nit difficult for both pigs and cattle to venture where they are
\nnot wanted. As leafy vegetation is so scarce, the Rotinese are
\nallowed to exact the highest price for pilferage. Clan rules
\npermit the capture and killing of any stray animal that wanders
\nunwittingly into fields which do not belong to their owners.<\/p>\n
The palms themselves are not cultivated by the people, who are
\nmore gatherers than farmers. As a result of this, the island has
\nescaped deforestation and, from afar, looks deceptively lush.
\nSkilled honey collectors, Rotinese honey is considered a delicacy
\non neighboring islands. The palms are the staple food supply,
\nwhich the Rotinese supplement with mung beans, corn and in areas
\nthat are irrigated by small streams, rice.<\/p>\n
Subsistence fishing of the rich inlets is also common, for
\nwhich the Rotinese use unique Chinese fishing nets that stand out
\nin the sea like giant spiders. They also raise pigs (which in
\nturn are fed the soft inside of the gewang palm), sheep and
\nhorses. The small statured sandal horses, which were introduced
\nto the island from Sumba, became extremely important to life on
\nthe island.<\/p>\n
Today, the sandal horse is the widest used mode of transport
\non Roti, as it is the ideal vehicle for a terrain which has few
\nroads. The horses are cherished by the Rotinese, and their love
\nand respect for them is evident in their dances and songs, which
\nvenerate their animals. Rotinese are taught to ride very early in
\nlife, and more importantly, are taught the unique horse dance,
\nwhich entails repeated quick steps in tune to the sasando, the
\nmusical instrument made of the lontar palm. Egged on by the
\nenthusiasm of his peers, the dancer with the fastest movement
\nwins. Often during these events, the men support delicately woven
\ntilanngas, jaunty lontar leaf hats that are crowned by a single
\nplaited horn.<\/p>\n
The Rotinese are considered among the most beautiful people in
\nNusa Tenggara. Their Aryan features are distinctly different from
\ntheir Malay cousins. Though they attribute this characteristic to
\ntheir ancient association with Aryans from India, and
\ninterbreeding, there is little evidence to support this theory.<\/p>\n
There is one aspect where the traders did leave their mark; in
\nthe patterns on their textiles, which strongly resemble the tie-
\ndyed ikat of Patola, Gujerat, in color and design. Dyed in hues
\nof black, yellow and red, the ikat of Roti support meandering
\nfloral patterns and geometrical motifs. These beautiful creations
\nare extremely organic, made of natural kapok fibers and dyes
\nobtained from bark, roots and tubers.<\/p>\n
For the Rotinese, their textiles, woven exclusively by the
\nwomen, have great spiritual and symbolic value. The women wear
\ntheir sarongs caught round their waists with exquisite silver and
\ntin belts, which are crafted by the famous silversmiths from the
\nnearby Ndao island.<\/p>\n
Today, the majority of the Rotinese are Protestants, who
\nconverted to Christianity in the 1600s upon their first contact
\nwith the Dutch. However, the new faith seems to overlay an
\nearlier, more ancient bedrock of animistic beliefs, which are
\nevident in the construction of their houses. Courtyards are
\nconstructed round ancestral graves and roof peaks are constructed
\nto resemble the horns of the water buffalo, still important as a
\nbride payment in certain principalities. This style was adopted
\nfrom the early schooners. Descendants of these traders still live
\non Roti in the Papela village, whose harbor is crowded with the
\nmodern versions of the ancient wooden pegged boats.<\/p>\n
So much on Roti has remained unchanged through time. The
\npeople, generous and fun loving by nature, are ever ready to
\ngreet visitors to their far off beautiful isle. Though it is off
\nthe beaten track, Roti is well worth a visit, if only to marvel
\nat the way the Rotinese have adapted to their extraordinary
\nlandscape and vegetation.<\/p>",
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