The Virgin Dancers of Belu
Photos courtesy of Bruce Carpenter
Like endangered species, magical encounters with pure along with unadulterated Indonesian traditional culture have become increasingly rare events inside 21st century. While predictions for long-term survival are dark, miraculous surprises can come when least expected.
Arriving under the cover of dusk, the reality of an uneasy completely new national border set up between Indonesian Timor along with Timor Leste came at dawn when the harbour master sent a stern warning to move our ship 200 metres west as we were anchored in “foreign” waters.
My apprehensions of a sad tour of Belu, the heartlands of the Tetum people, one of the most incredible traditional cultures were only increased by the cold reception of the local Indonesian authorities who viewed our papers with suspicion apparently unsure how to react to the first luxury tour boat to land tourists in Atapupu, a dreary port surrounded by high fences along with barbed wire remnants of a troubled parting of ways.
As we headed out into the hills above Atambua, a traditional village along with seat of the local government, proud hills, thatched roofs along with colourful costumes stunned me. Encouraged, I began to entertain the thought which the strict ban on outsiders had unintentionally created a time warp of sorts which had preserved the culture.
My hopes only grew as we wound up to a rocky peak to the walled village of Tuaninu. Stopping before a stone gate, we were greeted by a delegation of proud elders wrapped in ikat cloths along with wearing ancient swords with handles inside shape of parrots. Tattooed, brown along with wrinkled they exposed betel stained teeth as they chanted the ancient greeting before allowing entry.
Suddenly without warning two rows of about 30 girls between 8 along with 14 let out a war cry as they beat their hourglass shaped tifa drums furiously along with marched towards us. Their young age along with enthusiasm combined with powerful rhythms were as overwhelming as their colourful costumes which included headdresses drenched with silver coins dating back as far as the 17th century.
Photos courtesy of Bruce Carpenter
For the next three hours we were delighted by further dances mirroring the ancient along with complex history of the people of Belu who straddle both sides of a to them invisible border. Direct descendents of the ancient Austronesians, centuries of contact with the outside world which coveted their sandalwood along with ‘yellow gold’ might result in many influences along with the influx of silver dollars. In spite of This specific they might maintain their core beliefs inside ancestors who are still believed to visit the sacred house within the village during ceremonies. After sharing their world the elder ladies, many with tattooed hands gave us the traditional ‘kiss’ by rubbing their noses against ours. Tears were shed as we headed back to the coast.
Famed for their textiles along with fine carvings the continuing survival of the Belu ways can be still unsure as the region rapidly develops along with the old ways evaporate. A Great example occurred on Sermata in 2009, an extremely isolated island in Southeast Maluku. Two years before our passengers made photos of the locals. Unexpectedly along with despite the fact there was no cell phone coverage on the island, the foreigners were besieged by locals eager to make photos of the visitors on their mobile phones. We cannot prevent the inevitable, yet so too preserving memory along with instilling local people with pride inside traditional culture can forestall the descent of all third world people into an empty generic species dressed in soiled, tattered shorts along with tee shirts. Material advancement can be of great importance yet without culture, art along with identity, which leaves only a well-fed shell of human existence. More can be needed to nourish the human soul as well as body.
Comments
The Virgin Dancers of Belu
The Virgin Dancers of Belu