'Sesando', a unique East Nusa Tenggara souvenir

By Yakob Herin

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): Each of the country's 27 provinces has its own uniqueness, not only in customs, but also in the arts and culture. East Nusa Tenggara, for example, is the only place where the sesando is found.

The sesando is a musical instrument made of lontar (palm) leaves. Describing the sesando is tantamount to delving into the history of the province's various ethnic groups. It was the ancestors of the inhabitants of Roti, an island located northwest of Kupang, who invented the sesando. Roti can be reached in six hours by boat from Kupang.

It started in 1875, when two brothers, shepherds, were tending to their cattle to a field. While waiting for the cattle to finish grazing the two brothers wanted a drink of water. They had no container to hold the water and took a lontar leaf which they folded in such a way as to make it capable of holding water.

They took the lontar leaf home and used it as a dipper. One day, the two brothers attached a string, also made of lontar, to the leaf. They plucked the string with their fingers and heard a guitar-like sound.

"It has been since then that the ancestors of Roti inhabitants have called it the sesando," said Jeremias August Pah, owner of the Sesando home industry in Oepelo, Central Kupang, 15 kilometers east of Kupang.

Jeremias said he thought of a home industry to preserve his ancestors' legacy. He began the sesando industry by instructing his own children in order that the younger generation did not forget this cultural heritage. Moreover, sesando is one of the more popular souvenirs from Indonesia, especially from East Nusa Tenggara.

In 1986, Jeremias started his industry with three workers, all school dropouts. It has developed over the years and now has 12 workers. They are paid according to their skills; Rp 30,000, Rp 45,000, Rp 60,000 and Rp 90,000 a month. The workers also receive meal allowances and medical benefits.

In the past few years, there have been many orders from government officials and an increasing demand by foreign tourists. Jeremias said East Nusa Tenggara Governor Herman Musakabe recently ordered 500 sesando. Orders sometimes exceed this amount. The frequent orders forced Jeremias to increase his production.

Jeremias says his average monthly net income is Rp 2,500,000. There are also savings accounts for all the workers. He would not reveal the amount.

His dream is to save as much capital as possible, in order to record sesando music and buy a cart to sell the recorded cassettes at the local port when the car ferries Kelimutu and Dobonsolo call in.

"This can increase the capital of my industry," Jeremias said.