Flores culture rich in tradition, talent and depth
Flores culture rich in tradition, talent and depth
By Yacob Herin
MAUMERE, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): A strong awareness of
Portuguese culture pervades Paga village, about 43 kilometers
east of Maumere, the capital of Sikka regency in Flores, East
Nusa Tenggara.
The old Portuguese language is spoken here, and books in
Portuguese, along with religious items and statues made in
Portugal, are found in Catholic churches.
This is not so surprising as East Nusa Tenggara is located
next to East Timor, a former Portuguese colony.
Martinus Mori, 78, a customs official at the village, said
Portuguese history in the area dated back to the 18th century
when two Portuguese missionaries arrived from Oecusi, East Timor,
and spent the rest of their lives in Paga.
The villagers learned not only about Catholicism but also
about Portuguese culture, including the popular Bobu dance, which
is performed exclusively by males at Christmas festivities.
"Since then, the locals have also held a traditional
procession around the villagers featuring the statue of Jesus
every Good Friday, before Easter day," Martinus said.
According to Martinus, the villagers hope Indonesia and
Portugal will restore the broken political tie so that the
residents can visit each other.
"They also wish that one day Portuguese cultural experts will
visit Paga village and see a performance of the Bobu dance and
sing Portuguese songs together."
In fact, Sika regency offers more than Portuguese songs and
dance.
Paga village, located off the Trans Flores highway, is beside
the South Indian ocean. Paga beach has a pristine shoreline with
white sands perfect for holidayers who want to escape from the
daily grind.
About 12 kilometers north of the village is Nua Bari village,
a traditional village 835 meters above sea level.
Nua Bari has great tourist potential, a factor not yet fully
exploited. Megalithic tombs are found here; visiting this place
transports the visitor to the prehistoric period. Wooden masks
and handicrafts from the Hindu period and many other
archeological items are on sale. There is also a piece of ivory
tusk which has become a fossil, estimated to be 300,000 years
old, according to Itje Jimmi, a local hotelier.
There are at least 700 megalithic tombs in 12 hamlets in the
village. The stone tombs, similar to ones found on nearby Sumba,
south-west of Flores, remain part of daily rituals. The tombs
were made of huge stones found in the river.
A family must prepare the tomb before somebody dies.
Construction of the tomb must take place far away from the
village; it is only later transported to the village in a
ceremonial procession. Upon its arrival at the village, a banana
trunk was placed inside the tomb until somebody in the family
died. It is believed if the tomb is empty, the youngest member of
the family will die.
When a death occurs, the body is put in a semi-upright
position, like a baby in the mother's womb, and is covered with a
slab of stone. It is glued to the body with ash mixed with
locally made white wine, a process which prevents an odor of
decay. The tomb is usually put in the yard of the house.
The body remains in the grave until only bones remain. These
are later taken out and washed with water to be shown to
relatives of the deceased not present at the burial ceremony.
The family should put aside money for the traditional
ceremony, and if they cannot afford the ritual, the body is
buried in the ground until they collect enough money to fulfill
their duties.
Sikka Regent Paulus Moa said the regency enjoys annual tourist
growth of 7.5 percent, thanks to the Waioti Airport which can
accommodate F-28 airplanes.
Accommodation should not be a problem for tourists: several
hotels are located in Maumere. But those who want something
different should try the Paga Beach cottages located in a
spacious eight hectares.
Rooms are available for between Rp 10,000 and Rp 15,000 a
night.
Natural beauty is the main attraction of Paga Beach cottages.
Trees and bushes are everywhere in the compound. On the beach one
might see wild species like babi landak Flores (local porcupines)
passing by, while at the cottage compound, there are iguanas
(Varanus pagaencis), a small reptile similar to the komodo
dragon. There are also some 100 pigs roaming there.
Staying in the cottage is in fact like staying in the middle
of the forest. The chirping of the birds and the crashing sound
of waves form a pleasant background noise.
The antique traditional furniture is made of stone and wood,
providing guests with a feeling of being in a different world,
far from the modern world. These are comforts not easily found
elsewhere.
Reto Cristian Camenzind, a Swiss tourist who visited in 1995,
wrote a poem, Mystery, in the guest book:
"We hear them coming/ they are coming again to look at our
tombs with curious eyes/ Where do they come from/ what do they
have in mind/ ...
"They look so strange/ They are too tall/ Wear these funny
clothes and carry glasses on their noses/ But we like to be taken
into their boxes that they can look at us again once they're back
home/ A mystery/ It's mystery."
Two years later, another guest, Barbara Southon from
Australia, replied in Response to A Mystery:
"Listen to us coming yes we look/ we come from many places in
our minds -- many thoughts/ We're experiencing culture rich in
talent, tradition and depth/ It's a celebration we can share with
and laughter taking picture all the time/ We are strange and
complex some long for your simplicity and depth interwoven in
your laughter. When we look at you/ When we're back home/ We are
touched again/ Just for a moment by the mystery.
A group of tourists from Java, however, had a totally
different experience, according to Itje Jimi, owner of Paga Beach
cottages. They were nearly killed as they thought that the
cottage employees were "easy" girls. One of them, an engineer,
asked a woman: "How much is the cost for one night?"
The woman left the area. But shortly after, about 50 people,
armed with machetes arrived on the scene and threatened to kill
the man who made the proposition. He was saved by some other
locals, who did not want to see him killed there and taken to the
police.
Local customs strongly prohibit prostitution; it is believed
to bring bad luck.
"So, when you come to Paga Beach, don't ever ask about
prostitutes," Itje Jimi said.