At an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level, cone-roofed houses that bring the fascination of a unique culture and sublime. ItulahWae Rebo, a village in a remote mountain ridges in the interior Manggarai. Precisely in the village Satar Lenda, District Satarmese West, West Manggarai Flores.
Physical preparation and the logistics necessary to reach Wae Rebo, because you have to walk and climb. Were pretty grueling terrain - dirt road muddy and rocky - if not used. We recommend that if you have plans to travel to Flores, also prepared physically so fit. Unfortunately if the destination is only to Komodo Island but did not visit Wae Rebo.
As for natural explorers, headed Wae Rebo like a trip to heaven marvelous culture. Not only the hospitality of the villagers who would welcome us, but it will also be pampered with a variety of interesting vegetation, including orchids, palms, ferns and different. As well as an impressive population kawananan birds singing as welcome guests.
Wae Rebo early thanks to ferret
It is said that according to local stories, Maro was the first to live and settle in Wae Rebo. Believed to have originated from the Minangkabau. Maro ancestors originally lived in Wriloka, the western tip of Flores Island, moved to Pa'ang, then shifted to the mountains, Todo. They moved again to Popo. There was an odd event.
The story begins with a husband and wife. Although the time has come, the wife has not given birth. Seven days passed so it was decided to divide the stomach of the mother that the baby survived.
Baby boy survived, but the mother died. The family of the mother who came from other villages can not accept what happened. They attacked the village of Maro. However, at midnight before the overrun, appeared ferrets at home Maro.
Maro also say, if a ferret bring good news to be calm. However, when ferrets bring bad news, asked to make a sound. Weasel was a sound and be pointing the way to a safe place for Maro.
Weasel leads Maro residents to evacuate. Once away from Popo, in a high place they saw their villages burned. They moved to Liho and ferrets disappeared. From Liho, they are to Ndara, Golo Damu, and Golo Pandu.
In Golo Pandu, Maro dreamed ancestral spirits who tell them to settle in a designated place and do not move anymore. There is a place not far from Golo Pandu, and there are rivers and springs. That Wae Rebo.
House roof cone should be seven.
In the traditional village of Wae Rebo seven niang or custom homes, namely Niang mandok Gena, Gena Niang Jekong, Niang Gena Ndorom, Niang drum Maro, Niang Pirong Gena, Gena Niang jintam, and Niang Gena Maro.
Number of custom homes should not be more than seven. In each house lives a family of 6-8. If a family member more and more and it is necessary to build a new house, to be outside the traditional village.
Custom house Wae Rebo distinctive shape. At the bottom or a room in a round and the top of the conical thatched roofed.
Niang drum Maro, a sort of major customs houses, is believed to be where the first ancestor came from Minangkabau. The building is about 14 meters high, much higher than other niang 6.
When you visit Wae Rabo, you are welcome to spend the night in Mbaru Niang, to socialize and eat together Wae Rebo community. You will sleep on a mat, a woven mat made from pandanus leaves in mbaru niang, and get to experience what it feels like life used when large families still live their lives under one roof.
Most of the people working in their gardens from dawn to dawn, busy with harvesting and processing coffee beans. Although weaving is not a major activity in Wae Rebo, you might be able to meet some of the women artisans of traditional songket. The Indigenous Elders will provide additional facilities if you want to stay in Wae Rebo to stay overnight, there are several local guides as well as some tour operators who can set a fixed schedule for your trekking.
Niang drum at Maro no special sign. Ngando plugged at the end of the roof, which symbolized the head of buffalo, an animal that is considered to be the greatest. Buffalo head a marker has been made a victim and validation of traditional houses and cultural strength of this house.
At the center of the house there is a kind custom main pillars called hunchback. His form of two sticks connected. This is Papa Ngando and Ngando, mating male and female symbols. Custom house also sustained major pillar 9, which depicts the life of a fetus into a baby passes about 9 months in the womb.
The inside of the traditional round-shaped house containing the philosophy of the unity of human life pattern that hints rounded life, not colored by the conflict, but the sincerity, determination, and justice. That's why the deliberations at the custom house take the position of sitting in a circle.
There is also molang, at the rear of the house, which is divided into three parts, namely the kitchen, family activity room, and the bedroom of the family. "When the baby was born and brought to pot in the kitchen, because there is a flame that warms baby's body."
In addition, the main customs house consists of 5 levels. The first level is called lutur house or tent. The first floor was used as the residence of the occupant. At the second level or lobo is a place to store food and goods.
Up one floor, on the third floor or floor lentar is used to store seeds for planting. Same as level 1, 2 and 3, the level also has its own name, the Lempa rae. Lempa rae is a place to keep a stock of food reserves which is useful when the harvest was less successful. Well, if the most recent entry on the floor or hekang code, you can see the various offerings kept homeowners to the ancestors.
The process of construction of this house is without the use of nails, but with the concept of pegs and pen, and tied with rattan as a booster every bone foundation. According to the story of this community, a lot of Indonesian and foreign architects who come and stay to learn the concept of this custom home Wae Rebo.
Travel rules
To note for the visitors there is some agreement among the communities there that establishes administrative costs. According to one of the Elders, money administration and management of the money is for the cost of groceries and cooked food made by the mothers and the maintenance of village infrastructure such as fuel generators and water resources. Periodically, the results of the collection of administrative fees will be opened jointly by the public and published in number and divided for the management of the village.
The cost of staying in the traditional house Wae Rebo is Rp 225,000 / person already includes three meals. If it does not stay, so guests can pay Rp 100,000.
That should not be forgotten is that every guest who comes to Wae Rebo Waelu have to go through the ceremony. The elders will memohonijin on the ancestors to receive guests and seek refuge until the guests left the village and returned to its original place.
