The Minangkabau culture

The Minangkabau culture

West Sumatra is the domain of the Minangkabau. In the beautiful landscape around Bukittinggi, the typical Minangkabau houses are owned by the women in a matrilinear system. They manage to combine that system with the strict Muslim faith, in which the men are dominant.

From Singapore we cross over to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. The ferry brings us to Pulau Batam within an hour. This is a small island in the Riau archipelago, from where we can take the boat to the mainland of Sumatra. The boat only leaves in the morning, so we have to hurry to catch it. An Indonesian guy “helps” us, gets tickets and leads us to the boat in a hurry. Once on the boat, we realize we have been scammed. The exchange trick costs us 20 US dollar extra, but what is worse: we are on the wrong boat. Instead of going to Buton, we are heading for Dumai now.

In Dumai, we have to arrange a bus to Pekanbaru. Again, there are around 20 men around us shouting to “help” us. This time, they are out of luck, we are fierce negotiators this time. We finally end up in a bus full of Indonesians. The ride is long, bumpy and with a number of stopovers, but around 9 PM we are finally in Pekanbaru.

Poppy’s Homestay

Poppy’s homestay is the only backpacker facility in Pekanbaru. We cannot find it, until we are helped by a few locals. Surprisingly enough, they don’t rip us off, they do not even want a tip for their help. Our faith in the Indonesian people is a little restored. Especially when the owner of Poppy’s appears to be very friendly. He tells us where to exchange money and how to get to Bukittinggi the next day.

Although we are asked to enter the bus early, it takes a long time before it leaves for Bukittinggi. It drives circles in the city to attract more passengers, and then it stops for breakfast. But in the end, we leave and in a short time we are winding through the mountainous area of central Sumatra. After a few hours more and more houses with bullhorn shaped roofs appear. We are approaching West Sumatra, the domain of the Minangkabau.

Mountain View

We are dropped off at the edge of Bukittinggi and have to make a long walk to the center. The name of the town means high hill, so we have to climb that as well. Besides, it is difficult to read the map, which isn’t correct either, so it takes some time to get where we want to be. The hotel we picked, however, doesn’t exist anymore, but there is a good alternative. A little while later we are relaxing and enjoying the view of Mountain view Guesthouse.

Our first day in Bukittinggi we take it slow. We take our time to find out what can be explorer around town, and how to move on to Java. We also meet Johanna. She is a Dutch girl in a room next to us, and she has an Indonesian boyfriend, Jas. She is here for the third time now, and has a lot of tips for us.

Wedding

In the afternoon, Johanna suddenly arrives, asking us if we want to go to a Minangkabau wedding. Well, that’s a yes, and in the evening the four of us join the wedding, celebrated in between the houses, where the people are waiting on chairs. The bride and groom are in a house, and once in a while a group of people can visit them. They are offered some food, after which they can congratulate them and make room for the next group. The bride and groom stay inside.

When it is our turn, we take off our shoes and go inside. In a large circle we sit on the floor, the men cross-legged, the women with their legs to the side. The food is typical Padang style: in the middle are dishes with chicken, meat, and vegetables, mostly prepared with many spices. Everybody gets a plate with rice and takes wat het wants from the dishes. It is an art to shape the food with the right hand into little balls, and eat those. We have some more trouble with it, and finish last. Then we congratulate the bride and groom and go back outside.

Outside, a band is playing. Everybody is invited to come and sing on stage, but we decline. We can not refuse to make a dance, however. So here we are, on an Indonesian wedding, and the few Dutch people have to start the entertainment. Maybe it is the lack of alcohol to loosen the people up a bit. A number of guests do want their picture taken with us, so apparently we are the attraction here. Around 10 PM the party is nearly over and everybody leaves. We do not get to see the bride and groom again, they are probably counting the gifts in the anonymous envelopes.

Through Sianok Canyon

The next day, Jas offers his services as a guide for a walk through the nearby Sianok canyon (Ngarai Sianok). From Bukittinggi we walk down and via some rice fields we end up in a forest. Further downhill we arrive at the river that flows through the canyon. We follow the river and pass it several times since it flows from one side of the canyon to the other. We see enormous bugs, and flying foxes, a bat species with sizes up to 1 meter. We pass several small waterfalls and see a few monkeys in the distance. The climb up is hard, but once on top we have a magnificent view over the canyon. Via the silver village, where people are making silver jewellery, we walk back to Bukittinggi.

Minibus tour

The next day we booked a tour by minibus through the surroundings. At the first stops we are taught about the different herbs and fruits that grow here on the slopes of the volcanoes. Again nice views, and we spot a few eagles. Then we arrive at a coffee mill. Driven by the water in a stream, poles are lifted and released in a receptacle full of coffee beans. Built by the Dutch, the mill is now owned by a corporation. The people can come here to grind their coffee beans for a small payment.

Then we arrive at the tourist palace. It is a copy of the original palace of the king, constructed for the tourists. It is a traditional Minangkabau house, with the bullhorn shaped roof. In the Minangkabau culture, however, the houses belong to the women. Why this house is not called the palace of the queen is not clear to us.

After lunch (padang food again), we visit the oldest still existing Minangkabau house. For over 350 years, the eldest daughters of a certain family lived here. The Minangkabau men can visit and stay the night, but they do not live here. Male children leave their house at the age of six, the rooms are for the daughters. The Minangkabau are muslim, however, according to which religion two thirds of all possession is inherited by the male descendents. In the Minangkabau culture, that only concerns newly acquired goods.

The lack of houses make Minangkabau men a wandering species. It is therefore that the Minangkabau also appear in other parts of Indonesia and even Malaysia. It is even expected of a man to spend considerable time (a few years) outside of his village. Mostly, however, they come back, or their wives follow them.

The men of the Minangkabau do have communal functions. Every “clan”, consisting of the descendants of a mother or grandmother, has a representative. Oddly enough, this is not her husband, but the eldest brother of the firstly married woman in the house. This man, whose children belong to a different clan, has the responsibility over the children of his sister’s clan. All these men, from every clan, together form some kind of city council. Every generation also has its leader this way. When something needs to be arranged, like a wedding, that leader is approached, who will gather the rest of his group to organise things.

Bull fight

In between some showers we move on to a large crater lake, Donau Singkarak. We can take a swim here, with thunder in the mountain as a backdrop. The stop at the wood workers is also short, it is time to move on to today’s main attraction: the bull fight.

On Sumatra, people don’t fight the bulls as they do in Spain. Instead, the bulls fight each other. They bash their heads together and try to push each other away. The one that runs looses the game. According to the story, this is how the Minangkabau got their name. When the people from Java came to conquer Sumatra, they convinced them to let the bulls fight for the victory. The people from Java came with a huge bull, but the Sumatrans only had a small, hungry calf, with its horns drenched in poison. The calf thought the bull was its mother, and went searching for her udders, wounding the bull. The bull ran, and the people shouted “Minang kabau, minang kabau”, which means “Victory for our Bull”.

We have a good view over the arena, from a hill around the field. Most of the audience is on the field, as close as possible to the bulls. The first fight takes long, neither one of the bulls wants to give up. The supporters of both bulls are shouting and pushing the bulls to force a decision. Then, after 20 minutes, one of the bulls runs away. The second fight is much shorter, after the first bash, the sensible one of the bulls takes a hike. The third one is also short, but has a spectacular ending. The fleeing bull can not find a clear passage through the crowds, and bashes into the people. Two people are injured, and the rest runs for their lives. Next, the bull runs up the road, followed by the other bull. All ends well, but we are told that sometimes people are killed by fleeing bulls.

Fort and Zoo

Bukkittingi also has a few places of interest in town. So we head for Benteng de Kock, the fort that the Dutch built on the hill. But there are little remains of the once mighty fort. There are a few canons around the hill, now occupied by a kind of water reservoir. Via a suspension bridge we move on to the Zoo. But this is a sad sight as well, especially the anorexia camel we see. Yet, there are some animal species we see for the first time, like the komodo dragon.

Finally, there is also a Minangkabau museum on the premises of the Zoo, obviously in the shape of a traditional house. Inside, the traditional clothings are on display, as well as miniature versions of typical buildings, sheds, and tools. And there are also many items that have nothing to do with the Minangkabau, like coins and paper money from different countries, and stuffed Siamese twin goats. Strange, but interesting.

Jungle Trek

In the meanwhile, we decided not to move to Java by bus, but to take the boat. Since it is leaving on Sunday, we have enough time for a jungle trek to Lake Maninjau. Eric, who speaks a little Dutch, has convinced us in the nice Lonely Planet café to join him. A bus brings us out of town until we reach the river where our jungle trek starts.

The first part of the trip is nice and easy. Then, we have to cross the river for which we exchange our shoes for slippers. We keep these slippers on, since we have to cross the river about 10 more times. The fast flowing water almost reaches our crotches, so it’s not always easy. Then Eric decides to climb up from the canyon, via a waterfall. Just as we wonder if there are no leeches here, Eric indicates to put our shoes back on, and we find a few. And while we are tying our shoes, we are startled by a wild pig, being chased by dogs. That’s a good start for our jungle trek!!

Climb and Descend

Coming up from the valley the path slowly goes down again. Beautiful views over forest, river, rice fields, and mountains until we get down, pass a bridge, and move up again. This repeats itself about four times, in the meantime adding a big shower. Then, after 5 hours of climb and descend, we finally stop for lunch.

After lunch, a few motorbikes bring us further to the edge of the huge crater in which Lake Maninjau is situated. We enjoy the view but are interrupted by thunder clouds and rain drops, so we quickly descend into the crater. The crater is heavily forested, and the path is slippery. We slip and slide, and when we stand still we can see the leeches on the floor standing upright, ready to hitch a ride on our feet. When the rain gets worse, we walk faster, and we end up almost running, as we arrive at Anas Homestay.

Anas Homestay

Anas is a collections of cottages in the middle of the jungle. Enjoying a cup of tea we dry up and come at ease, enjoying the beautiful view. We take a shower from the water that is captured from a stream via some bamboo branches. Sabine and Eric are playing the guitar, and we play cards with the two other guests, Calypso and Ben. What a beautiful place to be…

The night at Anas is less pleasant. Patrick finds a leech and we stay too alert to have a good night sleep. But the nice breakfast compensates for that and a little while later we are ready to move on.

First we head for a waterfall. Eric moves fast, and the rocks are still slippery from the night before. So we slip and slide again, until Patrick disappears into the abyss. Luckily, the forest keeps him from falling very far, but he is a bit shaky. At the waterfall, we take a nice shower, but not before we find a large number of leeches on our legs. They must have gone right through our socks to get to our blood.

The rest of the descend goes well. The path gets less steep and we pass a few rice fields. Then we arrive in the village of Maninjau. We walk on until we cross the last rice field to reach Lily’s homestay at the lake. But before we reach that, we see a big monitor lizard of 1 meter, and a few small colorful ones.

At the lake

Lily’s homestay is a nice relaxing spot on Danau Maninjau. We swim at the small beach and relay with a meal and a drink. Too bad we didn’t know about this place before, we could have spent some nights here. Now we take the local bus to bring us back to Bukittinggi. The road up on the crater wall is great, with 44 numbered hair pins, beautiful views, and many monkeys along the road watching the cars go by. After one and a half hour we reach Bukittinggi and look back at an intensive, but nice jungle trek.

Our last day in Bukittinggi we take it slow. We visit the market, and walk around town. We enjoy another Padang meal on a banana leaf with Johanna and Jas, before we say goodbye. The next morning a minibus picks us up at 4.30 AM to bring us to the boat in Padang in time.

For our standards, we spent a lot of time in Bukittinggi. There is a lot to see and do here. The beautiful landscape is perfect for trekkings, but there are also good places to relax. The Minangkabau culture is slowly decaying, but very intriguing and present in the background. These friendly people have surprised us, which we needed after being ripped off by the first Indonesian guy we met.

Funeral Rites in Tana Toraja

Funeral Rites in Tana Toraja

From Makassar we move on to Rantepao, in the mountains of Tana Toraja. This is the area of the Toraja people, known for their funeral rituals and typical houses. Although they are converted to Christianity, their traditional animist beliefs are still part of everyday life.

To Rantepao

The first part of bus drive to Rantepao is in flat terrain, along the coast heading north. The views are nice, with simple yet typical malay houses in the rice fields with mountains in the backdrop. After the harbor city of Pare Pare, we move up into the mountains. This means heavy winding roads, roaring engines going up, and squeaking breakes going down. Sabine takes a pill against car sickness, which makes her very sleepy. After a while the first Tongkonan houses appear, and at the end of the afternoon we arrive in Rantepao.

Rantepao is a town grown out of proportions because of tourism. We decide to stay just outside the town, and are dropped off at Sella’s homestay. We are hardly checked in when a lot of information is poured over us, from someone who appears to be a guide. He tells us we are lucky, there is a funeral tomorrow in a village nearby, and we can take a look there. Although we assume there is a funeral somewhere every day, we decide to book the trip with him.

Tongkonan houses

We agreed to meet our guide in the city, where we first stop at a supermarket to buy cigarettes and other gifts for the family we will visit. Then we take a bemo, which brings us as far as the paved road goes. After that, it’s still a long walk to the village. Underway we admire the typical Tongkonan houses. They have a huge roof shaped like either buffalo horns or a boat, the experts aren’t sure which they represent. We also see a few megaliths, large upright stones into which a face is cut. And all in a landscape of rice fields and mountains.

When we nearly arrive we pass a few men carrying pieces of meat in between them. According to our guide, they come from the funeral. Every guest gets some of the meat from the sacrificed and slaughtered buffaloes.

Funeral rites

A funeral in Tana Toraja takes several days, depending on the importance of the deceased. The first day(s) is for the killing of the buffaloes. The more important the deceased, the more buffaloes are killed. The next day(s), the guests arrive. They often bring along pigs, who are also slaughtered. The last day, finally, is the actual funeral. At the funeral we are visiting, the killing of the buffaloes is on the same day as the arrival of the guests. This is not because of the importance of the deceased (8 buffaloes are killed, so he was important), but because of the guests from Irian Jaya, who have to return after a few days.

We are welcomed by the family in one of the specially made bamboo huts. Outside, on the compound, we can see a dead buffalo, skinned but otherwise intact. While we are offered tea and biscuits, we hear a lot of chopping noises outside, and we wonder what is going on. But a little later, we can see for ourselves. On a bed of leaves the dead buffaloes are slaughtered and divided into huge piles of meat. The chest and other parts are chopped with an axe, which was the sound we heard. Five men are working on it all day, and the rest is watching.

Then we are taken to take a look in the open air kitchen. Here the women are busy preparing food and drinks for the guests. We also get some rice, pork and hot peppers to eat. Meanwhile children are running around, some of them with a buffalo hoof they obtained from the slaughtering men. As a new group of guests arrive, the women line up to deliver food and drinks to them.

Pigs

The new guests are received in a central bamboo hut. The pigs they brought are lying next to it. After a while, when they finished their drinks and meal, the people are moved to one of the other bamboo huts on the terrain. The pigs are then transported to a small field behind the huts. And we can take a look there to see how they are slaughtered as well, nice….

The pigs are killed by a stab in the heart with a dagger, while a man holds them with his foot. After a scream, the pig shudders for a moment until it passes out. Immediately, the animal is cut open to remove the stomach and guts. Then the hair is burned off above a fire. Finally, the pig is cut into pieces and divided.

After this ritual we head back to the bamboo hut of the family. We pass the compounds, where the buffalo heads are staring at us, the bodies get thinner and the piles of meat higher. Not a pleasant sight, so we go quickly back inside, where we are offered a drink and some food. The palm wine tastes bad, however, and we don’t empty our glass. Later we learn from our guide that he needed to apologize for that.

On our walk back to the bemo, our guide leads us into the ricefields. Nice, but he doesn’t know the route, and we end up in the mud. We use some bamboo sticks to prevent being sucked into it. But the views are great and it’s nice to pass the harvesting people and the children playing in the water.

Kete Kesu

When we reach the paved road it doesn’t take long before a bemo picks us up, in order to drop us off at the traditional village of Kete Kesu. Here are the Tongkonan houses nicely lined up in a row, and we are allowed to take a look inside one of the houses. Nobody lives in this one anymore, but we get an idea of the small interior. Opposite to the houses is a similar row of rice storage houses. They are built in the same style, but are smaller and have an extra platform between the ground and the storage. This is where the population meets to drink tea, play cards, and socialize.

Behind the village a path leads to the rock façade, where the graves are located. Climbing up, we see a large variety of graves. Complete houses, hanging graves, nicely decorated coffins, and decayed ones, full of bones and skulls. Halfway is a locked cave with Tau Tau. These are effigies diseased. Old dolls are rigid and simple, newer are created more to resemble the diseased. The cave is locked to prevent robbery.

Back at our homestay we decide to go into Rantepao for a meal. We are offered a ride by someone from the homestay. A special service, or does he get commission from the restaurant? Either way, we’re fine with it. In the restaurant we meet Kris and Paulien again, who made a detour before they came to Rantepao. We chat and they decide to join us the next day to the actual funeral.

Back to the Funeral Rites

The next morning, the bemo brings us all the way to the village. We are just in time to see the coffin being carried to the church, under loud cheering. The people are catholic, so a church ceremony is part of the rituals. We are offered tea and biscuits in the meantime. The bamboo huts are still there, but the guests and all the meat is gone. The 8 horns of the buffaloes are still lined up, and a proud men shows us which 3 he killed. After tea, we take a look at the church.

The church is small and packed. We stay outside and hear the singing through the open door. A girl is walking around the church with a incensory, and there are several people taking pictures. Taking pictures of the coffin is a sign that the deceased is still part of the community, so we are also encouraged to take pictures. After the mass there is a complete session in which different groups are photographed with the coffin.

Procession

And then the coffin is carried in a procession to the burial site. Again, there is loud cheering and the many carriers stop regularly to jump up and down with the coffin. The coffin is also pushed to all sides, under loud laughter and cheering. It is all meant to scare away the bad ghosts and spirits. Eventually the coffin is pushed and pulled into the verge and uphill through the bush to a rocky cliff. Suddenly, on an open space, the coffin is put on the ground and several women are diving on top of it crying load. Apparently, this is the last goodbye and it seems as if actresses are hired to change the joy into grief. One of the women even faints from the emotion.

We follow the men to the rocky cliff. A long bamboo ladder is put against the rock façade and one of the graves cut into the rocks is made open. There is not much space down below, so we move as far to the side as we can, so we are in nobodies way. Kris is asked to climb the ladder and look into the grave. He reports that it’s full of coffins already, and that there is not much room to add one.

Grave pushing

After a while the coffin arrives. With 3 men it is pulled up the ladder and pushed into the grave. Put that is not easy, one man climbs into the grave first to make room, while the others push. It takes half an hour before both man and coffin are in the grave. It is amazing to see how the man crawls through the coffins to get out of the grave, but when he is out, the grave can finally be closed.

When we descend, people are eating in the open space. Here, a pig was killed this morning and traditionally prepared in bamboo. It needs to be eaten on the spot, and cannot be brought back to the village. We are offered some, but kindly decline and say goodbye to return to Rantepao.

Tau Tau skybox

Our last day in Tana Toraja we take the bemo and a long walk to the village of Londa. Here are rock graves as well, guarded by a skybox of Tau Tau. We are allowed to take a look into the caves, where many coffins are piled up in every corner. There are also many skulls and skeletons. One of the skulls still has hair, which is a scary sight. But there is no stench, which we would expect.

In Tana Toraja there is a difference in the classes. As mentioned before, the size of the funeral depends on the importance of the deceased. But there is also a division into a lower, middle and noble classes. People from the lower class are put in the caves. The middle class people get separate places, often as a hanging grave. And the noble class people get a grave high in the rocks, which we can see from a viewpoint. And those noble class people are the only ones for which Tau Tau are made.

Londa is a village where a lot of Tau Tau dolls are made. There are some souvenir stalls here, where they are offered for sale. We look around, but are not keen to buy one. Instead, we buy a cup of tea which we drink together with the family.

Back in Rantepao we have lunch at a fancy restaurant along the river. We have a mighty view on a few buffaloes swimming and being washed in the river, and an eagle circling above. The food is a bit more expensive, but still cheap. And there are little or no other tourists here either.

Riots

In the evening we eat in town with Kris and Paulien. Around 10 PM suddenly the jeep of our homestay arrives to pick us up. It appears that there are some riots on the road to the homestay. When we pass, we see two groups of youngsters with rocks in their hands. It doesn’t look like a serious fight, but still.

Tana Toraja left a huge impression on us. Despite advancing modernisation people hang on to their traditions here, especially the funeral rites. We were lucky especially to see the roch funeral, although we think all guides tell their clients they were lucky to attend a funeral. Yet, we hear from some others that they needed to wait half a week for a ceremony. Anyway, the funeral rites at Tana Toraja were an amazing experience.

lombok

Lombok Traveling Adventure

Lombok is one of some seventeen thousands islands among the Archipelago recently wakes up as an adventure, marine, leisure, Compay gathering, Meeting & Convention, and cultural tour destination in Indonesia. It is so popular for CHILLY ISLAND since Lombok it self in Indonesian language means CHILLY PAPPER Geographically Lombok lies 8 degrees south of the equator and stretches some 80 km west to the east and about the same distance north to south. It is dominated by the second highest mountain in Indonesia, GUNUNG RINJANI which soars to 3726 m. It has a large caldera with a crater lake, SEGARA ANAK, 600 m below the rim, and a new volcanic cone which has formed in the centre. Rinjani mountain last erupted in 1994, and evidence of this can be seen in the fresh lava and yellow sulphur around the inner cone. Since a few years ago Rinjani mountain has been preserved by the Government as Lombok rinjani trekking adventure traveling destination, RINJANI NATIONAL PARK.

Rinjani Mountain, Segara anak lake. Two icons of Lombok Island

There are some routes can be passed through by the trekkers when doing Rinjani trekking adventure and exploration, namely Torean trekking point, Kembang Kuning trekking point, Sembalun trekking point, Senaru trekking point, and some others. Genererally, however, the Lombok Tour and Trekking agents guide the trekkers to climb up through Senaru and Sembalun trekking point. The profesional mountain trekkers usually need only 3 days 2 nights of Lombok Rinjani trekking expedition and adventure trip to reach the top, 4 days 3 nights is however highly recommended. For the junior light or soft trekkers Segara Anak crater lake 3 days 2 nights is also a wonderful adventure trekking trip.

For Marine lovers, enjoy the snorkeling and diving adventure trip in Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan of west Lombok. These snorkeling and diving sites are the most turquoise beaches with underwater scenary being full of red coral, blue coral reef, and colorful fishes to complete the discovery during a wonderful snorkeling and diving Lombok trip. There are still many other diving sites to discover on the island, Senggigi beach, Gili Nanggu, Gili Sulat, Gili Gde, Gili Lontar snorkeling and dive site of south-west Lombok and Kuta Tanjung Aan Beach of south Lombok. Diving package offered to the tourists are dive course, fun dive, night dive, and other scuba diving adventure and information under PADI diving standard system. Lombok Surfing adventure tour is an other chalangeful marine activity can be enjoyed. The qualified wind surfers should not miss out the surfing trip in some wonderful surfing points of Grupuk, Ekas, Seger, and Mawun beach, South Lombok. Last but not least is Lombok culture and religions. Come to Lombok quickly to witness an elopement traditional wedding ceremony on every week end during the post harvesting season and to observe the harmonious life among the typical Lombok Moslem Wetu Telu, Hindhus, and Budhists who worship together in one temple.

Komodo Island

Komodo Island
" Home Of Famous Komodo Dragons "

Varanus Komodoensis is endangered reptil. Lets help them!

Komodo National Park is located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. Established in 1980, initially the main purpose of the Park was to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and its habitat.
However, over the years, the goals for the Park have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. In 1986, the Park was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, both indications of the Park's biological importance. Komodo National Park includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands creating a total surface area (marine and land) of 1817km (proposed extensions would bring the total surface area up to 2,321km2).
As well as being home to the Komodo dragon, the Park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer. Moreover, the Park includes one of the richest marine environments including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, seamounts, and semi-enclosed bays. These habitats harbor more than 1,000 species of fish, some 260 species of reef-building coral, and 70 species of sponges. Dugong, sharks, manta rays, at least 14 species of whales, dolphins, and sea turtles also make Komodo National Park their home.

Boats to Beautiful Komodo Island

Threats to terrestrial biodiversity include the increasing pressure on forest cover and water resources as the local human population has increased 800% over the past 60 years. In addition, the Timor deer population, the preferred prey source for the endangered Komodo dragon, is still being poached. Destructive fishing practices such as dynamite-, cyanide, and compressor fishing severely threaten the Park's marine resources by destroying both the habitat (coral reefs) and the resource itself (fish and invertebrate stocks).

The present situation in the Park is characterized by reduced but continuing destructive fishing practices primarily by immigrant fishers, and high pressure on demersal stocks like lobsters, shellfish, groupers and napoleon wrasse. Pollution inputs, ranging from raw sewage to chemicals, are increasing and may pose a major threat in the future. Today, the PKA Balai Taman Nasional Komodo and The Nature Conservancy are working together to protect the Park's vast resources.
Our goals are to protect the Park's biodiversity (both marine and terrestrial) and the breeding stocks of commercial fishes for replenishment of surrounding fishing grounds. The main challenge is to reduce both threats to the resources and conflicts between incompatible activities.

Both parties have a long term commitment to protecting the marine biodiversity of Komodo National Park

Bali

Bali Island

"The Island Of Gods"

Bali Island Lies Between Java and Lombok
Bali people in "yadnya", the call for ritual	Although Bali is "global village, Bali still traditional
Two most famous Bali technology in agriculture is "Subak" and Terrace	If Lombok is "Thousand Mosque Island", Bali is "Thousand Temple Island"

BALI Island Some 250 years ago the Hindu and Buddhist religion and cultures were brought to Indonesia by Indian traders and Chinese Navigators. The great Hindu Majapahit empire of central and eastern Java was eventually destroyed in the 15th century by the Mohamedan invation.

With the spread of this new religion of Islam. Large numbers of priests, nobility and craftsmen of the great Hindu Kingdoms moved to Bali and were allowed to Stay. Thus in one step the riches of centuries of Hindu's culture, its music and philosophy were brought to Bali were they have continued to florid and develop ever since.

Bali is small island of only 200sq.miles lying to the east of Java and separated from the large island of by Java narrow strait of water. It is dominated by lofty volcanoes and misty high lands. To the south and north of these mountains lie the fertile plains based, on irrigated wet rice cultivation.

Its coast line has undergone a certain amount of hotel development but its beauty has not been impaired. Its is population is estimated 3.5 million and is the second most densely populated island in Indonesia. Over 95% of the population practices the Hindu religion, the remainder are mostly Muslim with a number of Buddhist and Christians.

http://lomboklastminutes.com/bali_island.php

rinjani

~Lombok Rinjani~

There over 20 villages surround Mt. Rinjani and there are many routes up the mountain, but the main access is from Senaru in the north and Sembalun Lawang to the east. The challenging three-day Rinjani Trek route from Senaru to the crater rim (Plawangan), down to the stunning crater lake then on to Sembalun Lawang, is considered one of the best treks in South East Asia. Those heading for the summit usually prefer to start in Sembalun Lawang.

Rinjani National Park Points of View. The lake, and New Mountain

A model for ecotourism in Indonesia, the community-based activities are focused on the Rinjani Trek Centre, the most popular starting point for the tough trek. Developed with New Zealand Government assistance since 1999, the Rinjani Trek Centre embodies under one roof (satu atap) the unique partnership of the National Park, tourism industry and local communities that has been forged to manage and protect the Rinjani mountain environment. Rinjani National Park lies within the major transition zone (Wallacea) where the flora and fauna of South East Asia makes a dramatic transition into that which is typical of Australasia.

The Park has a rich variety of plants and animals, although they can be hard to spot due to the terrain and rainforest cover. Sometimes seen early in the mornings is the rare black Ebony leaf monkey, known locally as Lutung. The Long tailed grey macaque or Kera is common in Lombok and older males are seen on the crater rim. Rusa deer are forest dwellers and are occasionally seen along the Rinjani trek trail. The smaller Barking deer or Kijang has an alarm call with a distinct dog like bark. Look for the disturbed ground where the Wild pig or Babi hutan has been foraging. Also found in the forest is the Leopard cat or Bodok alas, Palm civet or Ujat and Porcupine or Landak. A variety of colourful birds live in the forests of the Park. Perhaps the best-known icon of Rinjani National Park is the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo that is not found any further west of Lombok. Many of the forest-dwelling animals, insects, birds, civets and monkeys owe their survival to the wild fig tree or Beringin as a provider of food and shelter. The pine-like Casuarina species, Cemara, are a feature of the grassy higher slopes. Orchids or Anggrek are also a feature of the grassland areas, as is Edelweiss or Bunga Abadi growing above the tree line; it is a beautiful icon of Rinjani Park and one of our best-known sub-alpine plants. Fees are paid at the Rinjani Trek Centre. They contribute to the protection, maintenance and management of the Park, Rinjani Trek route, village attractions and visitor facilities. Expert and licensed Rinjani trekking guides and porters are recommended to escourt when you do an adventure Rinjani Lombok trek. You will need three days and two nights to trek from Senaru via the spectacular crater lake, to Sembalun Lawang (or the other way). More time will be needed to explore the summit of Mt. Rinjani.

The Rinjani Trek is a challenging mountain walk and you must be prepared with good equipment, warm and windproof clothing. Rinjani can attract severe storms, lightening and strong winds. When the weather is settled, the sun is intense and the nights frosty. Parts of the trail are steep and slippery. Beware of bad weather and risks of exposure to the wet and cold (hypothermia). If caught in an electrical storm, take shelter and avoid prominent ridges. Beware of snakes, and stinging insects and plants. Leeches can be a nuisance in the wet season. Volcanic Hazards: Although Mt. Rinjani has not erupted in recorded history, Mt. Baru (2,363m) in the crater lake is an active volcano. It last erupted dramatically in 1994. Check the notice boards for recent hazards, and take advice from park staff and guides. Fresh water springs are a feature of the trek and determine campsites. Your guide knows where these are. During the drier months (July-September) some springs completely disappear. Park staff and guides constantly monitor these water sources to determine their abundance.

Toraja

Sulawesi Island
"Island Of Indonesian Landscapes"

South Sulawesi

Makassar is the capital of South Sulawesi, land of spice, previously known as Ujung Pandang that derives from the Bugis ethnic call the city where in ancient year growth "pandan"along the coast of Makassar, which means "end of pandan". Makassar is the gateway to the famous Sulawesi Toraja land Exploration. It is also known as Celebes. The unique Sulawesi Toraja culture, including their animistic burial rites, makes this region one of the most fascinating wonders in Indonesia. Another culture the Bugis, traditionally a great seafaring people whose history goes back to the formidable maritime empire of Crivijaya, are known for their shipbuilding expertise. A few spots in the city are worth exploring. Among them are the "Rotterdam" Castle, a Dutch fortress, the old wooden palace which is known as the "Balla Lompoa"; means the Grand House, the waterfall of "Bantimurung" which means refuse the sadness, quaint town like Bantaeng, Jeneponto and Takalar which are recorded in Chinese maritime records. The harbor is in the city, just a few steps from the business and China town. All sea-liners that sail to eastern Indonesia, will transit here for 6 hours. The harbor is named after Soekarno-Hatta, to honor the proclamator and founding fathers of the Republic of Indonesia.

The province of South Sulawesi is part of Sulawesi island, the southwestern leg is orchid shaped and lies at the crossroads of east and west Indonesia. It covers a land area of 82,768 square kms surrounded by the sea on there side. Population: Approximately 7,000,000. Predominantly Moslem coastal people in the South and Christian in the Toraja highland.

Like in other islands of Indonesia, In Sulawesi island there are also some mountains, namely Rantemario mountain, Lampobatang mountain, Kambuna mountain, Kabinturu mountain, Gandadiwata mountain, and Proreang mountain. South Sulawesi belongs to the Central Indonesia Standard time zone which is 8 hours ahead of GMT, and one hour ahead of Jakarta. The road from Makassar to Toraja Land runs along the coast for about 130 km's and then hits the mountains. After the entrance to Tana Toraja you enter a majestic landscape with giant gray, granites and stones and blue mountain at a distance after passing the market village of Mebali.

The death ceremony of Toraja. It can pass many years before the ceremony hold since the death.

The death ceremony of Toraja Land. It can pass many years before the ceremony hold since the death. They form a sharp contrast with the lively green of the fertile, rain-fed terraces and the rusty read of the tropical laterite soil. This is Tana Toraja, one of the most splendid areas in Indonesia. Tana Toraja has a specific and unique funeral ceremony which is called Rambu Tuka'. In Tana Toraja, dead body is note more than ten years until the family have enough money to held the ceremony. After ceremony, the dead body is brought to the cave or to the wall of the mountain. The skulls show us that the dead body is not buried but just put on stone or ground, or put in the hole.The funeral festival season begins when the last rice has been harvested, usually in late June or July, and lasts through to September.