EAST NUSA TENGGARA is in many ways different from the rest of Indonesia. It is geographically, ethnically and culturally a border area where transition from Asia to Australia and Micronesia takes place. The territory of East Nusa Tenggara comprises 566 islands. The three main islands are flores, Sumba and Timor from which comes the term ’’ Flobamor ” which has been familiar as one of the names of east Nusa Tenggara.
FLORES, a long island located between Sumbawa and Timor , is strewn with volcanoes in a mountain chain dividing it into several regions with distinctive languages and traditions, scenic beauty, good beaches and natural wonders. KOMODO island one among the wonders, a small island of 280 sq km is located between Sumbawa and Flores and is famous for its giant lizards which are considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today, this unique species is called the Komodo Dragon.
SUMBA, formerly known at the Sandalwood island, is known for its horses and Sumba cloth. The island is famous for it’s arts and handicrafts, particularly the textile ikat weaving. The island is roughly oval in shape. The greatest concentration of those who worship spirits ( ancestral and those of the land ) is found in west Sumba where two-thirds of the population hold on to their traditional belief. It is here where incredible rituals take place. Although some exist in East Sumba , it is in West Sumba that one can find a greater number of huge megalithic tombs and traditional thatched and peaked huts raised on stilts. Many traditional activities, all with a part paying homage to the spirits. These include the building of adat houses and burial ceremonies.
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