Portuguese patrimony lives on in Larantuka

By Yakob J. Herin

LARANTUKA, Flores (JP): As the sun sets in the west and waves batter the coastline, cathedral bells shatter the early evening languor. Just a few hundred meters away, the ascending roar of drums alerts local Moslems to evening prayer.

Religious harmony reigns in the city known as Renha Rosari (the Virgin Mary), which was already famed to the outside world in the 15th century and continues to draw tourists today. It is located on a 35-kilometer stretch of coast on the island of Flores and is the principal city of East Flores regency.

The Ile Mandiri mountain forms an imposing backdrop, and the trio of islands called Solor, Adonaro and Lembata are its gateway.

The city is dotted with statues and chapels. Nearly all ethnic groups have their individual chapel, replete with a Virgin Mary statue and sacred objects.

There is also a church owned by the conferia, an organization of married women. On Saturday morning the women pray in old Portuguese and visitors can listen to liturgies in the language, a practice dating back centuries.

Mysteries abound in the town of 50,000. The local people are kind and friendly, simple, social and devout. They have great respect for the traditions handed down by their ancestors.

This is integrated with the variety of cultures and religions. There is harmony in religious life and cooperation between Catholics and Moslems is very good, especially at the village level. They help each other in building their places of worship and invite each other to nearly every religious celebration. The rare disputes between the groups are usually due to external meddling.

Disturbance of harmony is tantamount to insulting the community elders who represents custom and tradition. This is the principle of life in Larantuka and in East Flores in general.

Larantuka is a symbol of the past and its inhabitants belong to different ethnic groups who have sailed into its waters over the centuries. Ancient Roman, Portuguese, Malay and Lamaholot cultures integrated to form today's unique community.

East Flores inhabitants are for the greater part of Porto- Malay origin and descended from immigrants from India in 1000 B.C. Then came the Deutro-Malay race about 300 B.C. who introduced the population to iron utensils and the practice of irrigation.

The population is the result of a mixture of Malay, Melanesian, Negrito and some Polynesian elements. In Larantuka there are people of Portuguese and Chinese ancestry, living in cities and earning their livelihood as merchants.

All aspects of life are regulated collectively based on custom. Inhabitants live on the basis of customary law and religious practice. This is for the sake of one's own safety and as a basis of faith for the security of the people coming from the same village (spiritual, psychological and economic unity).

The Virgin Mary is the patroness of Larantuka. Vestiges of Christian cultural traditions of the Portuguese dating back to the 15the century are found in this city, especially in celebrations around Easter.

The Corpus Cristo procession at the end of May is similar to the Good Friday procession. Good Friday is the most important religious celebration for Catholics. The procession is a reenactment of accompanying the body of Christ the Redeemer.

The statue of the Virgin Mary is carried to symbolize her accompanying the body of her son Jesus to the grave after he was taken off the cross. Her downcast face is a portrait of mourning. She is resigned to give up her son Jesus Christ for the sake of God's design.

The first Good Friday procession took place in Larantuka on March 12, 1565. It was held by the local population and led by Dominican priests. The procession was to celebrate a Portuguese victory over the attacks launched by the Javanese in Solor. Since then, priests and residents have held the processions every few year. After the Portuguese relinquished the Solor islands to Dutch traders in 1641, the Good Friday procession became an annual event.

On November 19, 1886 the Reinha Rosari church (now called the Cathedral) was consecrated. In 1887 Larantuka was called the Reinha Rosari city. All responsibilities regarding the wealth of the church left by the Portuguese was fully handed over to the inhabitants of Larantuka.

Tourism

The government is endeavoring to attract tourists to East Flores province. Larantuka will be preserved because it is a center of development and a gathering place of ancient Roman, Portuguese, Malay and Lamaholot cultures, East Flores regent Hengky Mukin told The Jakarta Post in Larantuka last June.

He said the Good Friday celebration would be maintained and promoted as an asset for the tourism industry in Indonesia. The regional government has started promotion of this event and other East Flores sites through the media and Internet.

Participants in the Good Friday procession numbered 20,000 in 1995, 30,000 in 1996 and 35,000 this year. In 1998, some 50,000 visitors are expected.

Hotel accommodation is still lacking, and domestic and foreign tourists for the procession outnumber available rooms. The government is planning to require houseowners to accommodate two or three visitors in the next few years if hotels are full.

Larantuka can be reached by flying the Denpasar-Kupang- Maumere route and continuing on by land. There is a bi-weekly flight from Darwin to Kupang, and two flights daily between Kupang and Maumere.

The Kupang-Larantuka ferry and the Ende-Kupang ferry make two trips a week. MV Tatamailau and MV Sirimau travel from Larantuka to Kupang every two weeks. Facilities available in the town include a post office, hospital, police station, bank, hotel, restaurants and travel agency.