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Information of Flores Island
Information of Flores island
Indonesia. There is a
saying ’’Ulu gheta leja geju eko
ghale bajo bima’’ which means the
head faces the sunrise (in the east)
in east flores, and the tail towards
the sunset (in the west) in labuan
bajo, manggarai, west Flores. This
metaphor symbolizes a dragon, lying
with its head at the eastern end of
Flores, and its tail in west
manggarai, or Nusa nipa, the name of
Flores Island before the arrival of
the Portuguese.
The kings of Bima once ruled
Manggarai, whose capital is Ruteng.
The influences of Bima and Goa
become an evident in prevailing
titles, such as karaeng, and in the
manner of dress.
The shape of the roofs, with the
buffalo horn symbol, may be an
element inherited from the
Minangkabau. The cool town of Ruteng
lies at the foot of a mountain. It
can be reached by airplane from
Denpasar and Kupang or overland from
the western part of the island via
Labuan bajo, or from the eastern
part via Ende - Bajawa.
In previous centuries, Reo was a
part of considerable trading
potentials. Beside the famed komodo
lizard, the area has many
attractions to offer for tourists,
such as the Caci dance, a wildlife
reserve, and archaeological caves.
Liang Bua is a cave 13 kilometres
from Ruteng, which was not so long
ago caused minor sensation due to
the finding of rare prehistorically
fossils.
Ulumbu, lying far behind the
mountains and near the southern
coast, has a geyser, spurting water
15 meters high into the sky. The
places, however, is not easy to
reach.
Caci is an interesting dance. Two
warriors wearing traditional clothes
face each other; each holding a
shield in the left hand and a lash
whose tip is covered with dried
buffalo skin, in the right. This
dance is accompanied by gong beats,
and preceded by chants, Sung by
males.
Horse races can be seen in karo
village, south of Ruteg. In former
times, such races drew participants
from as far as Bajawa, Boawae and
even Ende. Magic is said to be often
involved. Usually held during big
holidays.
Mount Pocoranaka is the highest
mountain on Flores Island, and
practically unexplored.
Ranamese is a big lake in the
mountains. The air is cool and
sometimes misty. Good for relaxing,
water sports, fishing. Some lodgings
and modest restaurants are
available.
Labuhan Bajo is the jumping board
for tours to the Komodo National
Park and other areas in east Nusa
Tenggara.
Batu Cermin Cave is five Kilometres
from the town Labuhan Bajo. The
grotto is 75 by 75 meters large and
contains stalactites and stalagmite.
Some tunnels are arrow and dark but
in other sunlight falls.
Historic Ende, Ende was the site of
a kingdom that excised around the
end of the 18th century. The name
today refers to capital of ende
regency, which includes the
autonomous territories of Lio and
Ende. The people of the area are
therefore known as Lio-Ende people.
Kelimutu is Holy Mountain with three
crater lakes, filled with water of
different colours. Far removed from
the civilized world, utter silence
reigns around these lakes. The 1.690
meters high mountain, 60 kilometres
from Ende was “discovered” by a
Dutchman van suchtelen and Le Roux,
who came to explore it after hearing
stories about the mountain which the
local people regarded as the
location of Heaven and Hell.
According to legend, the man
kelimutu was punished by the gods
due to his cruel treatment to the
weak. The story presumably refers to
the giant Ata Polo Ria, who
ill-treated the orphans Ata Koo Fai
and Ata Nuwa Muri, as well as the
old man Ata Bupu. As a punishment,
the gods put the giant to death.
Those three lakes are believed by
certain people who still adhere to
the old ancestral beliefs to be
Heaven and Hell. The guardians
holding the key of the gates are
Konde and Ratu. The color of the
water that fills the lakes
constantly changes. As a result, the
red like is now light-green; the
green one has turned black, while
the dark blue one has not changed.
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Labuhan Bajo |
Komodo Dragon |
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Mount Kelimutu |
Mount Kelimutu |
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