Discover the island of Sumba in the archipelago's East Nusa Tenggara, a fascinating island of a revealing natural beauty and home to some of the most beautiful people on the planet, who still keep their megalithic traditions alive.
I think the first thing that will strike visitors to Sumba isn't that it is beautiful, although it is, but that it is still so beautiful. That while it is 'discovered' it is also undiscovered, and its pleasures are those of a revealing natural beauty, a graphic raw nature in which Sumba's inhabitants live close to the influences of the sun, rain and wind, of the sea, and the mountains and forests.
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To glorify them by praising them for not 'moving' with the times or not embracing the advances of encroaching tourism is to miss the point. People from Sumba are not unaware of the rising tides of economic pressure, as they send their children, when they can, elsewhere to receive education, to find jobs and training, so that they can return to the island with beneficial knowledge.
The Dutch colonized Sumba, all 11,000 square kilometers of it, in 1866, although they didn't really take control until the advent of the twentieth century. The pre-colonized Sumbanese lived in tribal groups that included relations from the Majapahit Empire. With the arrival of the Dutch came the religious influences that shaped the islands demographics as they are today, with a small number of Roman Catholics, a strong almost thirty percent presence of traditional animism, and a small group of Sunni Muslims along the coast. This harmonic acceptance is indicative of Sumba, where welcome is important.
Sumba is completely fascinating: Megalithic burials still take place. These stone tombs were used in prehistoric times throughout Europe and their existence and continued construction in Sumba is a living window into ancient history. Ancient history aside, Sumba is also a living window into the recent past of other islands in the archipelago. Sparsely populated and minimally developed, it offers an escape for those who are seeking respite from the rapacious nature of modern life and desire nothing more than to be at peace with whatever nature has planned.
Certainly this was what drew Claude Graves to Sumba over fifteen years ago. As one of the founders of the Sumba Foundation and one of the people behind the Nihiwatu Resort, Claude recognized the need to be able to protect Sumba without suppressing the needs of the people, so they could live in a world where they can achieve better health care and education. Nihiwatu, through the creation of the Sumba Foundation, became a model for genuine eco-tourism, establishing itself in a way that commits to giving more than it takes. By creating a resort that exists in harmony with its surroundings, that offers guests a chance to 'dissolve' into nature while being supported by the indulgences of fine food and elegant care, Nihiwatu has achieved this balance.
A balance that enables guests to enjoy activities such as mountain trekking, bird watching and horseback riding, to fish, to dive, to surf in the incredible waters surrounding the island, and at the same time contribute by volunteering in local activities such as helping out at the school, playing soccer, or putting to use any skill or technical ability that they wish to share. There is also the opportunity for guests to spend a day at a traditional village as the locals go about their activities. None of these activities are 'put on' for show or tailored to the visitor. This is a genuine cultural exchange, and once taken, can never to be forgotten.
At Nihiwatu there is an inclusive family policy, as everyone is welcome. Nihiwatu is a haven for children with safe activities and plenty of fun to be had, but with that added element of the ability to truly engage in a culture that responds to children. One can never predict where the seeds of knowledge will grow but I would take a chance and say that any child visiting Sumba will leave with an indelible memory of a life enhancing experience. I know certainly of two teenaged children that traveled there recently and have returned with open eyes, open hearts and open minds. They speak enthusiastically of the cliffs they climbed, the mud they wallowed in, the horses they rode and the people they met, and at the same time of the need to return to help out with the projects of the Sumba Foundation and to share their knowledge of Sumba, not just with others who could visit but with people everywhere so that they too can be aware that we can all contribute to preserving, protecting and positively helping some of the most beautiful people on the planet: The people of Sumba.
These people live expressively, carrying out their religious ceremonies and their creativity distinctly, creating intricate weavings of cloth that denote rank and wealth and taking part in vigorous and physical ceremonies involving hunting and mock tribal warfare that mark cleansing rituals and rituals of sacred purpose that are intended to abate ill fortune and please the omnipresent spirits. Their traditional beliefs are inextricable from daily life and should you have the fortune to witness a ceremony or village event you too may feel the intense power that comes from being in the midst of an ancient but still vibrant culture. ■
Text by Katy Robertson, photos courtesy Nihiwatu and The Sumba Foundation
Nihiwat, Reservations Office
Kuta PoLeng Complex Block C/2, Kuta, (0361) 757-149
info@nihiwatu.com
The Sumba Foundation
www.sumbafoundation.org
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