Baca berita tanpa iklan. Gabung Kompas.com+
December 27, 2020, 05.03 AM

KOMPAS.com – Like many Indonesian and foreign visitors to East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province’s Flores Island, Indonesian travel blogger Kadek Arini is drawn to Komodo National Park as its primary tourist sight and home to the eponymously named Komodo Dragon.

But as an old NTT hand, she soon realized that the island has more to offer than a first-hand view of the deceptively plodding prehistoric giant lizards inhabiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the nearby island of Rinca.

“If one fancies a detour as well as alternative to Komodo National Park, or just another place to add interesting memories to the NTT vacation, then Melo Cultural Village is worth a stop,“ Kadek recently told Kompas.com.

Also read: Indonesians Condemn Jurassic Park Project in East Nusa Tenggara

“Melo Cultural Village is noted for its accessibility, as it is located between Komodo National Park and Labuan Bajo, Flores’ largest city. While one can go overland on buses or cars to all three destinations, Melo Village literally hovered above the rest.”

She added that its elevation of 600 meters above sea level gave Melo Village much cooler weather than the lower altitude settlements in coastal areas. The sense of tranquility is then enhanced by the villagers’ warm welcome to visitors.

These include being wreathed in traditional woven cloth, a ritual welcome from the headman in the village’s Rumah Gendang or longhouse, and welcome drinks of sopi palm wine as well as a mixed drink of areca and betel nuts.

The villagers would then show its visitors the Caci dance. Featuring two groups of men with whips,shields and sticks rushing and jumping into Melo village square, much like they have for hundreds of years, the dance speaks volumes about the locals’ collective memory.

A vegetable plot in Melo Cultural Village, East Nusa Tenggara ProvinceHANDOUT/Ignas Suradin A vegetable plot in Melo Cultural Village, East Nusa Tenggara Province

Also read: East Nusa Tenggara Aims to Pioneer Solar Power in Indonesia

Sporting Tilangga hats that were either wide brimmed or pointed on both ends, the imagery evokes clashes between the indigenous people of NTT and Portuguese traders and soldiers which once encroached on the area in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Baca berita tanpa iklan. Gabung Kompas.com+
Page:


Baca berita tanpa iklan. Gabung Kompas.com+
Recommendation
Comment wisely and responsibly. Comments are entirely the responsibility of the commentator as regulated in the ITE Law
Report
Thank You! We have received your report. We will remove comments that conflict with the Community Guidelines and the ITE Law.

More Headlines

News
April 14, 2023, 12.38 PM

Indonesia Detects New Covid Arcturus Variant

News
April 5, 2023, 05.16 PM

ASEAN to Finalize Agreement on EV Ecosystem

Baca berita tanpa iklan. Gabung Kompas.com+
Baca berita tanpa iklan. Gabung Kompas.com+

MOST POPULAR

Baca berita tanpa iklan. Gabung Kompas.com+
Baca berita tanpa iklan. Gabung Kompas.com+
Close Ads
Oke
Baca berita tanpa iklan. Gabung Kompas.com+