Takpala Village on Alor Island
During my journey to East Nusa Tenggara, I was fortunate to have visited the Takpala Village on Alor Island, which is one of the least visited places around this region.
Having little or no knowledge of the Alornese people in this part of Indonesia, this visit here became even more intriguing for me.
The people of Takpala are also known as the Abui tribe who is also the largest of the ethnic groups on the island.
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The Abui tribe at the foot of the village, welcoming visitors |
That is incredible, considering how small the island is, and so many languages are spoken among the people here.
As our group was fairly large, they Abui people of Takpala had prepared a welcoming ritual at the foot of the village.
In the background, thatched-roof homes called Rumah Gedung are used majestically as a backdrop.
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Abui warriors perform a traditional ritual as part of the welcome ceremony |
The Mesbah is the general communal area where meetings, dances, and other important events are held by the Abui people.
Soon after, they started to perform the traditional dance, called the Lego Lego dance, which is one of the many different dances they perform.
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The Lego-Lego dance performed by the Abui tribe of Alor |
The women and girls have brass rings around their legs, therefore making it chime as they stomp their feet during the dance.
You are allowed to take their photos or even pose with them as they are extremely friendly. But make sure when you do this, you are with a guide.
This is a common thing that is practised around Alor Island and East Nusa Tenggara especially among men and women.
Usually indicated as markings, but I did not manage to ask why they were placed along the road up and even in front of the village.
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Abui children, some of them in traditional wear |
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The headman and village elders at Takpala village |
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One of the Abui elder ladies plays a traditional drum solo |
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Brass rings are used for Abui women when they dance, the rings give out chimes |
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Abui women performing the Lego-Lego dance in Takpala Village |
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Pak Abner, the village headman strikes a warrior pose with his bow and arrow |
Another type of wooden seeds made from the Kenari tree is also unique. They look like wooden prayer beads.
But then again, if you are a serious sword collector, this would be awesome for your display.
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The sign just outside Takpala Village in Alor |
You also need to engage a guide or charter a taxi and possibly get one that speaks English, to translate. Once here, no one speaks any form of English, but Bahasa Indonesia or their local ethnic language.
If you are also planning to explore the rest of the island, I have written an article about the things to do in the Alor Islands for your convenience. Please note you probably need a tour guide for this.
On the right section of the village, the local Abui people have makeshift stalls that sell homegrown souvenirs. Some of them are pretty cool, especially the banana seed necklaces and bracelets.
Conclusion
I have to be very honest here as this is not one of the regular tourist destinations in Indonesia, but if you ever do visit this part of East Nusa Tenggara, this is one of the places to visit.
It was purely an adventure and scuba diving trip that introduced us to these incredible and amazing places in the far east of Indonesia.
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