Bida Mitan Weaving Collective

The Bida Mitan Weaving Collective in Takaplagar village, just outside Maumere, Flores, is a group of around 30 women who are working hard to preserve their traditional textile art – kain ikat. I recently learnt more about the incredible skill of these women, and the efforts of organisations like the Nusa Tengarra Association (NTA) to help them preserve their invaluable knowledge, and support their communities.

The NTA are a small Australian- Indonesian NGO, who has been working with rural communities in Flores and West Timor for more than 30 years. Their main donor is Australian Aid but they welcome support from those interested, which is how I was first introduced. I met with the NTA, and learnt about their work throughout the Sikka District, helping to improve the welfare of communities through activities in water and sanitation, income generation and agriculture, and education.They directed me to Takaplagar Village, where visitors can take a tour, and members of the Bida Mitan Weaving Collective will demonstrate their incredible skill at creating traditional textiles.

The day of my visit coincided with a visit from government officials, who were there teaching the women how to blend the green, red and yellow dyes that they already had, to make new colours. All of the dyes they use are natural extracts from leaves and plants found locally, so creating and blending these dyes takes a lot of skill, and is an art form itself.

Once the dye-making session was finished, I was introduced to the weavers – a group of about 18 women, the number of whom fluctuates depending on the competing demands of household and village duties. This group of women have become even more important to their families and the village, as the work they do as weavers creates an income through sales of their beautiful textiles as well as an increase in tourism to the village.

The weavers showed me how they ‘beat’ the cotton, removing any seeds, and then winding it around on itself to form balls of yarn. The method might seem rudimentary, but their agile fingers turn what looks like a cotton wool clump to begin with, into balls of yarn for weaving.

The next step is the design process, when the yarn is carefully thread onto frames and wrapped in such a way that thin pieces of plastic or ribbon can be pushed through the gaps in the yarn. This forms the pattern. The colour is then used to create the design and the colouring and drying process can take weeks.

The weaving machine looks very similar to a rowing machine at the gym. The ‘operator’ sits within the wooden loom and moves her arms back and forth as if rowing, except with a lot more force to ensure the pattern and weaving stays together. The whole process to make one sarong or one piece of fabric, can take up to two months depending upon the design and the number of colours used.

The weaving women have become an important support network for each other, and the group allows them time out from families where they can talk and share stories with each other, while creating a beautiful weave that will earn them money. Many of the women in the group are members of the same family, and for those bringing along their babies to the group, there are always many practised hands to help out.

Visitors on the tour get ‘dressed’ by the women in traditional clothes, and can have photos taken at any of the weaving stations. Even though I had no idea what I was doing, despite numerous demonstrations, the women made me feel welcomed into their fold, and included in the easy warmth of the group. Bida Mitan Weaving Collective Blog by The Travellist.

The work of the NTA supporting communities like Bida Mitan to keep their traditional customs alive, and at the same time, create an income for the village, is vitally important, as it greatly reduces the incidence of poverty in these areas. The weaving circle encourages intergenerational story telling and support, creates an income for the village, and breathes new life into industry and old customs. Once upon a time, women who couldn’t weave were seen as unfit for marriage – I’m happy to report that now the value of weaving is seen as greater than a woman’s marriage prospects, and makes a vital contribution to the happiness and well-being of the entire community.

Written by the team from The Travellist Indonesia (https://the-travellist.com/ and https://thetravellistindonesia.com/) on behalf of Love Komodo.

A Community Leader in the Making

I have met so many impressive people on my travels, including someone I now call a friend, Marsel. For me, the unsung beauty and incredibly rich culture of Flores is perfectly embodied by Marsel. He runs a successful tour business, and spends a lot of time in his community working on ways to improve village life for his family and friends in Flores, and despite all of this he is warm and humble with a killer sense of humour.

Marsel grew up in the village of Keling, which is in the Masang Pacar District, north of Labuan Bajo. His family farmed rice and vegetables, and after school each day Marsel would often have to help out on the farm or by collecting firewood. But he says that his parents were fair, and once his chores and homework were done, he was free to either go exploring with his friends or play soccer in the village.

Every day he walked an hour each way to school, and by the time he was in the fourth grade it was decided that he would move in with his aunt who lived much closer to school. This gave him more time and energy for study and homework, and shows the importance that Marsel’s family placed on education. Once he reached high school, boarding school was the only option, and he looked forward to long weekends once a month back at home on Flores with his family.

Marsel recalls his parents saying to him and his two brothers and two sisters: ‘don’t be like us.’ They would tell him that life is a long journey and encourage their children to make a better life for themselves. As people who lived off the land, earning an income meant hard physical labour, and they were determined to give their children every opportunity to learn at school and create a different life.

Marsel moved to Bali in 2009 and studied English at university until 2012. His desire to travel and see the world took over, so he left university and went on an adventure to Australia. He decided he was finished with university, but not with learning and made it his mission to learn fluent English while in Australia. Since then he hasn’t looked back, setting up and growing a successful business and life as a young entrepreneur.

A natural host and friendly person, Marsel started his tour business in Sanur, taking people to Flores to experience its unexplored beauty. When he first started, the demands of the business meant that Marsel could only get home once a year, or sometime once every two years. Now he goes home five to six times every year, always with a tour group and always to stay a little longer to see his family.

The influx of tourists to Flores has changed the economy of the island, providing new opportunities for many families. Of course, there are both good and bad elements to tourism, but Marsel feels that conservation keeps the landscape pristine and beautiful, and the tourist dollar offers so much to the people of Flores.

His village has one small dirt road that leads to the main road, connecting the village to the outside world. The dirt road can’t take cars, meaning that the only way to get from the village to the main road is by foot or motorbike. It’s a one-hour journey in good weather, and during the wet season it can be virtually impossible to make the trip. Marsel has ambitions to put in a proper sealed road which will help the people in his village get to work, school or even to access medical care more quickly and safely. His next trip home will be in late September when the local election is running. He wants to go home to support his uncle and vote for him, as he believes he will be able to bring about positive change in the village. His uncle is a leader in his village, prominent and well respected, and Marsel is working hard to ensure he too can go on to similarly help his home town.

He is now in a position where he can help his family and has brought them to Bali to see where he lives and works, and sends money home to help with his younger siblings school fees. Every time Marsel goes home, he feels as though he is falling in love with Flores all over again; the magic of home, the familiar faces and places, the smells and the food he grew up with. And while he is happy for now in Bali running his successful business, he looks forward to returning to his village home where he hopes to become a community leader and effect positive change and growth.

In earlier articles, we went into depth about the spiritual life in Flores, which is a delicately interwoven mix of traditional church-based religion and animism. I asked Marsel how people combine these two very different principals and the only way he could explain was to say that it offered a freedom to people – pray how you choose to pray, respect those who have gone before you, and understand that each faith is important to your ancestors as well as your current lifestyle.

Marsel gave the example that if someone dies, you join your family at the gravesite to celebrate their life with a feast of traditional food, but then you may also go to church afterwards to pray for their soul. For example at Christmas and New Year, they will spend hours at church but will also spend time cleaning the graves of loved ones. They invite the departed souls to join the family and friends at the house to celebrate the occasion, in a beautiful blend of faith that allows them freedom and balance in their beliefs.

Naturally I had to ask Marsel for his top things to see and do in Flores as a tourist. The list that follows is really just a starting point, but gives you an idea of how much time you should allow to make the most of your trip to Flores.

• Komodo and Rinca – for the National Park, diving and Komodo Dragons
• Kelor Island
• Padar
• Pink Beach
• Manta Point
• Kelimutu Lake (the three coloured lakes in the volcano crater)
• Spiderweb rice fields
• Rangko Cave – he suggest around 3pm when the light in the cave is the best and you can see more
• The various beautiful waterfalls all over Flores, some only 1.5 hours away from Labuan Bajo

For nightlife, Marsel suggests Paradise Bar for its great music and Le Pirate which also has a pool. And he says you’ll never run out of great warungs or restaurants to try.

I spoke with Marsel just a week before going to Flores myself so I took note of all his suggestions…stay tuned for my ‘discoveries’ in the coming weeks.

Written by the team from The Travellist Indonesia (https://the-travellist.com/ and https://thetravellistindonesia.com/) on behalf of Love Komodo.

Evolution of the Traditional Boats of Flores

There’s a scene in Pirates of the Caribbean where the heroine, Elizabeth Swan, realises she isn’t afraid of pirates and actually wants to be one… I can relate. There are tales of wicked pirates, mutinies, and terrible acts of mayhem, but I prefer the more romantic version of swarthy, swashbuckling, adventurers, free to explore the world one ocean at a time.

This is why I love the phinisi boats, reminiscent of the pirate ships of old, with stories and adventures if only their timber floors, two masts and seven sails could talk. Phinisi boats are designed for skimming through the Indonesian waters, with sails and masts made from Ulin or Iron wood, and with flat bottoms rather than keels which allows them to get very close to islands, and during the right tides, to sail over the coral and jagged rocks below.

They are thought to be a combination of Chinese junks and Dutch galleons with influences from the Portugese and the Bugis who sailed the seas around Indonesia, following the spice roads and early explorers and settlers to the archipelago. Traditionally they had sails but as demands for quicker service and more cargo grew they transitioned to engines, which were subsidised by the government. While it changed the integrity of the traditional design, it was a commercial success allowing for faster and better business.

Just recently, I got to meet Dick Bergsma the founder of Sea Trek, a company that runs sailing tours on two stunning phinisi boats. Ever since the beauty of the traditional phinisi boats captivated Dick, he has been fulfilling his passion for travel by sailing the Indonesian waters. He first set sail in 1976 with his wife and hoped to get aboard a phinisi to sail the seas in search of adventure. He soon learnt about the deeply held superstitions of boat crews, who wouldn’t take a husband and wife as passengers as it was considered bad luck. He managed to convince one boat captain that his wife was actually his sister, and they were finally allowed on board. The suspicious crew were all very interested to see what would happen between the ‘brother and sister’ in the close confines of the cabin, however Dick was aware of watchful eyes and kept right away from his wife!

After spending time on the boat and the island, Dick and his wife returned to Holland where a plan was slowly being hatched. He placed an ad in the local newspaper for people to join a cruise in Indonesia and he went to Surabaya to find a boat. It is was a huge gamble that paid off, as he was able to acquire a boat to take passengers on his first tour, at cost, just so he could entice people to the concept. They slept outside on mattresses under the stays and had a very simple room for cooking and dining indoors should the weather stop them being outside

Dick tells a funny story about a trade expo held in Vancouver in 1986. Phinisi Nusantara was built and sailed to Vancouver to show off Indonesia’s incredibly talented boat builders. They had traditional dancers on board as they sailed into port with much fanfare, and the Indonesian boat was enthusiastically introduced to everyone watching and waiting. The boat was very well received, the builders celebrated, but with no plans for the boat after the expo, it was put on the market with the hope that it would be the start of the phinisi boat business outside Indonesia. Unfortunately however the boat did not meet the stricter maritime regulations in Canada, and was not allowed to sail back to Indonesia. Instead, much to everyone’s dismay, the exquisitely constructed boat had to be pulled apart and shipped back in pieces instead.

Upon return in Indonesia Dick chartered the ameliorated Phinisi Nusantara until 1989 when it got its well-deserved place of honour in the Maritime Museum in Jakarta.

Dick was undeterred, and continued to build Sea Trek by taking on other boats and creating a different, more authentic sailing experience for those seeking a more adventurous holiday cruise. The business attracted more and more attention as a holiday with a difference, a way to see Indonesia from the ocean and learn more about the people in that area. Today Sea Trek is a successful tour and cruise operator, and while Dick is not actively involved anymore, as founder, he enjoys visiting and seeing the business that grew out of his passion for sailing the seas.

The phinisi boats have an incredible history so we will be continuing this story in the coming week with more information from Dick plus interviews with other phinisi boat lovers. If you have a story about these beautiful boats, or images of the beautiful phinisi boats based in Flores, please send them through so we can feature them in the next part of the phinisi boat series.

Written by the team from The Travellist Indonesia (https://the-travellist.com/ and https://thetravellistindonesia.com/) on behalf of Love Komodo.

Weaving in Flores

Flores is famous for its textiles and traditional weaves. The iconic Ikat weave is recognised all over the world, and speaks to a rich tradition of textiles, weaving and storytelling, passed down from generation to generation. While some of the traditional methods are under threat from new technologies, there are still many dedicated Flores weavers who take pride in preserving their craft. And as word spreads about the incredible skill of the weavers, tourism is playing a vital role in safeguarding the future of Flores and its weaving way of life. The weaving process starts by first preparing the yarn. Balls of rough cotton are ‘beaten’ to remove any seeds, and then wound into tight balls, ready for dyeing and weaving. The yarn is then dyed using the same methods that have been passed down for generations, using natural plant-based dyes, sourced from the native flora of Flores, like the Indigo plant – creating blue dye – and the roots of the Kebuka tree which makes a brown dye. Typically the yarn is dyed shades of blues and browns, but also dyes are blended to create greens, reds and yellows.

The Ikat technique is a process that involves stretching the cotton yarn onto bamboo frames, and then tying off the yarn in strategic places with bamboo raffia or plastic ties. The sections that are tied off are left undyed, and this forms the design of the weave. When the weavers are creating designs with multiple colours, the process of wrapping and dyeing the yarn must be repeated many times, taking weeks, months or even years. The longer it takes, and the more processes it has required, the more valuable the weave.

Popular patterns include geckos which are seen as a symbol of luck, and other shapes and flowers that can represent fertility, wealth, good health or general prosperity. The patterns and designs are handed down through families, and the whole process is often accompanied by dancing and ceremonies to solidify the luck and good fortune of the weave.

It was once thought that the value of the weave was only as a dowry offering from the bride. However, the value of weaving as an important community contribution and way of generating income is increasingly being recognised. Groups of weaving women now bring in tourists to the area, who are greeted warmly by the weaving group with song and dance performances, dressed in traditional clothes, and invited to watch demonstrations and even try their own hand at weaving. As more and more tourists are drawn to take part in the traditional weaving, the weaving women are earning a good income through sales of the weaves, generating wealth for their families and other businesses in their community.

There are many groups throughout Flores who are supporting the work of the weavers, and encouraging tourists to witness the skill and time honoured traditions of the textile trade. The weavers are able to create an income for their families, poverty is reduced in their village, and the weaving groups themselves become a vital support network for the women of the village. The women weavers, many of whom are members of the same family, can bring along their babies to the group as there are always many practiced hands to help out, and it’s a time to talk and share stories, strengthening the fabric of the community.

The importance of weaving to the way of life in Flores can’t be underestimated. Weaving circles encourage intergenerational storytelling and support, creates an income for the village, and breathes new life into traditional industries and ancient customs. Written by the team from The Travellist Indonesia (https://the-travellist.com/ and https://thetravellistindonesia.com/) on behalf of Love Komodo.

Flores Island 

A while ago, I visited Flores Island, and I absolutely loved the place. It’s not what I expected but exactly what I wanted it to be—green, tropical, with white sandy beaches, mountainous terrain, and tiny islands that seem to have exploded up from the ocean.

Flores was originally named Lipa, after a serpent. However, Portuguese traders and missionaries who began visiting in the 16th century renamed it Flores. I always thought that was because the island was covered in flowers, but I recently discovered from a friend that its name was actually inspired by the ‘flowers’ under the water—the stunning corals.

This friend also taught me about the Manggaraian traditional dance, the beautifully dangerous Komodo dragons that inhabit Komodo and Rinca, and how the environment is still so untouched that you can see wild horses, buffalo, Timor deer, and monkeys across the island. Flores also has the three-colored lakes, part of the Kelimutu volcano, which can range in color from bright red to almost iridescent green. The photos of the lakes you see were taken by Marsel of Flores Journey.

Being born and raised in Labuan Bajo, one of the main towns of Flores, Marsel knows a lot about his island home. In fact, I doubt there is anything or anyone he doesn’t know. Marsel is a natural tour guide and can show you all around his beautiful home; but more on that later.

I spent most of my time in Labuan Bajo, which is a perfect mix of a small town and a mecca for fantastic things to see and do. I’m not a diver, so I can’t tell you firsthand what the diving is like, but all my diving friends rave about Flores, and dive shops are popping up everywhere. You can snorkel if that’s more your pace, or if your pace is more like mine, just lay on the front of the boat and dangle your legs in the ocean as it glides through the flat waters around the islands. Ideally with a glass of wine…

The thing that words can’t describe is how pristine, clear, and blue the water actually is. I was sure we were in shallow water most of the time because you could see straight to the bottom, but I was assured it was actually very deep. The waters can be subject to big tides as well, so don’t be alarmed if you get back to the jetty later in the day to see the water levels have dropped and you have a ladder to climb up off the boat.

A bit of economic history about Flores: the primary industry was based around agriculture, fishing, and seaweed production (with the big tides I referred to earlier creating perfect conditions for the seaweed to grow in). The main food crops are rice, maize, and cassava, with cash crops of coffee, cashews, coconut, and candlenut. In fact, the coffee was originally blended with other Indonesian beans; however, now, sensibly so, the Arabica coffee has been recognized as being better standing alone, with its heavy body and sweet chocolate-y taste. Flores is now becoming a popular coffee-producing area in Indonesia.

The influence of the Portuguese is evident in the architecture around Flores and, at times, in the language. There are six distinct languages, including Ngadha, Nage, Keo, Ende, Lio, and Palu’e. The majority of Flores people are Roman Catholics, another nod to the Portuguese visitors.

Lonely Planet says that Flores has become Indonesia’s ‘next big thing,’ and I can see why. There is so much to see, so make sure you take your time and plan your trip well. I didn’t have as many days there as I would have liked (you know, work to do and all that!), but I will be back again soon for more days of exploring…or maybe just laying on a boat watching the islands go past.

Written by the team from The Travellist Indonesia (https://the-travellist.com/ and https://thetravellistindonesia.com/) on behalf of Love Komodo.

Flores

If first impressions count for anything, we landed, we drove around a bit, got to the main town and I declared “I’m moving to Flores”! Labuan Bajo is a beautiful clash of new construction next to tin shed shops. It’s calm and quiet and somehow very ordered in its chaos. It’s also completely different to Bali which I wasn’t expecting. The first thing I noticed – no offerings on the street. Flores is a mostly Christian/Muslim island so there are no or very few Hindu temples or offerings to be seen.

You can fly from Denpasar to Flores and it’s only just over an hour – just long enough for a nap and to watch the other islands pass underneath you. Flores is an island with towns or villages dotted all over it however for the most past, Flores is untouched and still very natural but you can see how tourism is already starting to become important to the island. The tin shed shops are making way for little boutiques (yes I found shopping after only being there an hour), and there were a few coffee shops that wouldn’t have been out of place in little Melbourne-style lane ways.

Flores, meaning flower, was named by the Portuguese whose presence is obvious. The buildings and architecture have a distinct Portuguese feel to them…and I haven’t even been to Portugal yet! Flores, pronounced Flor-Rez, is the main island base to reach Rinca and Komodo, the smaller islands near Labuan Bajo that are home to the famous and scary looking Komodo Dragons. You reach these islands by taking a boat from pretty much anywhere on the port. There are fast boats to get you there quicker but I think part of the experience is taking a traditional boat and taking your time, swimming along the way, having a nap while the boat slowly moves through the waves, and watching all the smaller islands seemingly appear as if they exploded from underwater.

Two places I have to mention and well worth a visit: Bajo Bay and Made in Italy. Made in Italy is an incredible Italian restaurant on the main street. You walk up narrow steps to a space that resembles an old brick and iron factory, very industrial but with gorgeous timber furniture, lounges and art. The food…some of the best Italian I have had since leaving Italy! The pasta was home made and fresh, tasty and decadent polenta chips covered in Parmesan, and a very very good wine list. Bajo Bay is a two storey restaurant and bar right on the harbour and apart from the amazing food, it does a great happy hour and refreshing cocktails. The second floor is the bar area which during happy hour is full of visitors and the view…well see for yourself.

The Lonely Planet says Flores has become the next big thing in Indonesia and with stunning hidden beaches, amazing diving, mountains and volcanos (thankfully quiet at the moment), and rice fields, it’s hardly surprising. What got me the most were the colours. My morning walk was the blue-est waters meeting white sand with palm trees and purple flowers. I met an older chap and his grandsons who were helping Dad on the boat before heading to school, and they lived right there, on the boat. It’s not often we are lucky enough to see true village life so I sat down and watched and tried to chat. But while Indonesian is the main language of Flores, there are actually 6 official languages in Flores and whichever one the older man was speaking, it wasn’t Indonesian. So I smiled and nodded, joined in pointing at things, and still managed to feel like we had a good chat!

If you are holiday-ing in Indonesia and want to stay somewhere quiet and natural, consider Flores as a MUST island to put on the list. It’s a tourist mecca if you are looking for dragons, diving, great local and international food, and just somewhere a bit quiet to relax and daydream about moving to a tropical island…

Written by the team from The Travellist Indonesia (https://the-travellist.com/ and https://thetravellistindonesia.com/) on behalf of Love Komodo.

The Floating Hospital

Rumah Sakit Terapung Ksatria Airlangga is a lifesaving health initiative, delivering much needed medical attention and care to people living in some of the most remote locations in the world. It is a ‘floating’ mobile hospital, aboard a traditional Indonesian phinisi boat that travels all over Indonesia, to the outermost edges of the Indonesian border where it meets Australian waters. Stopping at islands throughout Indonesia, it provides medical care to marginalised communities and remote villages who otherwise wouldn’t have access to doctors and medicine.

The floating hospital has 13 crew members, which includes the medical team, trainee medical students and the boat crew, who are mostly from Surabaya, Bandung, Jogyakarta and Jakarta. Crew members are all volunteers who put their own lives on hold to come aboard, returning to their lives and livelihoods after their gruelling shift aboard the boat, when the next group of volunteers are ready to come aboard to relieve them.

The hospital crew work closely with government officials and the puskesmas to notify the community about the boat’s arrival, so that villagers can be ready to see the doctors and medical team when they arrive. The floating hospital set sail on its maiden voyage in October 2017, and since then has seen hundreds of thousands of patients, performed 1800 on-board surgeries, and delivered 17 healthy babies via caesarean section. The doctors frequently perform vital cataract surgery on patients who have sustained eye damage and injury due to outdoor work, such as within the traditional fishing industry. They also take care of dental health, general check-ups, tonsillectomies, minor surgeries, hernia operations, plus they can test for more serious conditions and act as transport should patients require urgent care or hospitalisation.

The day we met with the crew, they were heading to Rinca and Komodo to check on the small communities living on the islands amongst the famous dragons – a pretty spectacular workplace that few get to experience.

The work of the crew on the floating hospital is life-saving, and provides essential, primary care to isolated patients and villages without access to any other health care. They run on donations only that directly fund the medicines, equipment and patient care. As a charity, staffed with volunteers, and relying on donations to continue their good work, any and all donations are welcome.

Learn more by heading to:

KITABISAKOLASEINSTAGRAMFACEBOOK

Or donate directly to the Yayasan accounts:

Yayasan Ksatria Medika Airlangga
Bank CIMB Niaga
703849215300

Bank Mandiri
1420020177787

Bank BRI
041101000525306 

Written by the team from The Travellist Indonesia (https://the-travellist.com/ and https://thetravellistindonesia.com/) on behalf of Love Komodo.