Reflection of Exploring Sumba

Learning, having process,

sharing and being happy

in land of Marapu

I saw through the plane window until I step my feet on land of Marapu for the first time. I felt, as far as my eyes can see, I have really been in Sumba. In the contrary, when I visited one region, I sometimes associated one region to another. However, Sumba island was a different paradise! Sumba has distinctive and unique characteristics that teased me to stay longer.

Staying in Sumba for a month taught me lots of learning and valuable experiences, that I have never imagined before. I was so very grateful getting an opportunity from Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta to visit one of a region in the east and south of Indonesia.

However, less than 24 hours in Sumba, I got a small incident. It was the first time in my life, a dog bit my leg on the roadside of Waingapu! The dog bites caused wounds but it not severe enough. The comments of two new friends in Sumba surprised me because they said that it is common that in Sumba that dogs bite people! I cleaned up the wound with betadine ( wound medicine), but I felt worried about rabies. But luckily, my anxiety was over.

My first interesting experience was my journey to Laimbonga village. During the trip I would not cease to gratitude in my heart how amazing God for the remarkable creation on Sumba. The natural condition of Sumba freshened my eyes with panorama of savanna prairie which seemed endless and accompanied by a herd of horses and cows enjoying their breakfast grass.

The natural beauty of Sumba was equitable with the difficulty to down the road to Laimbonga village. There are only rocks and sand on the left side of the road. My motorcycle should be pushed through a creek without bridge and countless times climbing pathways and steep slopes. I had to get off the motorcycle and pushed it. The same condition happened when I visited Laimbonga again with Iyan, another participant of Exploring Sumba program.

Another memorable experience was when I arrived at Laimbonga village and visited one house of people that would carry out Marapu's traditional funeral ceremony. When we arrived, there were villagers gathered to attend the funeral. The head of the village, who was Rambu Etty’s father and also the grieving family welcomed me. They offered betel and areca nut as symbol of reception. One of the family member explained to us that one of the corpses (very old dying woman) that would be buried had been kept in the house for more than a year, while another dead body (a two-year old dying kid) had been kept for less a year.

During the funeral procession, we did not miss the opportunity to record it. There were ritual prayers to escort the dead bodies to the grave yards which located in front of the house, accompanied by the sobs of women having family relationship. Uniquely, the wooden coffins and bonded with cement were reopened using a crowbar to retrieve bodies from each crate and put them in the grave, which had previously been covered with pieces of Sumbanese traditional woven fabric. I found that in some ways the practices were similar with the burial ceremony done in my origin, in Toraja, South Sulawesi, especially keeping the dead body for a long time.

My disconcerting experience was when I saw houses of Sumbanese, excactly called hut, because the size of their house was as big as my boarding room in Yogyakarta. I thought about such a small house, how many family members live in it? How can they free enough to live inside it? How is the bathing activity?

I was stunned for a moment, realizing that there were still many people in this country who were unable to obtain welfare in their own country! Then I realized that I was lucky having this experience. As a student, this was my responsibility along with thousands of students in this country who will finish their study and  begin their dedication for the nation and bring welfare to the people.

I realized that I did many shortcomings when I was in Sumba, however I learned many things. It was hard for me to have adaptation in Sumba and the surroundings. I regretted it because I just realized it when I was on my way returning to Yogyakarta. But I felt so happy because I ever shared my knowledge sincerity to the people and children of Sumba.

Finally, learning, having process, doing reflection, working, sharing and traveling were so fun as long as we are happy with the simplicity offered. (Resky).