Wae Rebo—Frozen in Time
Deep in the hinterland of West Flores is Wae Rebo, a village that has managed to preserve the Manggarai tribal culture intact. Located at 1,100 meters above sea level and not easily accessible, it has kept many visitors out. Today, however, foreign tourists arrive in droves, undeterred by the difficult traditional mode of travel, to experience a rare original culture. Some architects are even trying to revive the Wae Rebo village life, improving the customary adat homes and teaching villagers to recognize the legacy of their forefathers. Tempo’s Sorta Tobing reports from Wae Rebo in West Flores.
July 6, 2011
DAWN’S light at the end of June glowed radiantly, rather like the mood of Martinus Anggo, 42, a resident of Wae Rebo, Manggarai, Flores. With a broad smile and firm strides, he was ready to join in a thanksgiving mass for his new house. Martinus did not appear tired. In fact, though, the previous evening he had held a traditional blessing ceremony for his house. His dream of living in a mbaru niang—the term used for a traditional house thereâ
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