Wae Rebo Village Uniqueness In NTT: History, Tradition, Traditional Houses

Wae Rebo Village (ISTIMEWA)

YOGYAKARTA - Wae Rebo Village is one of the locations in Indonesia that has its own charm. Known as a village above the clouds, Wae Rebo is visited by many tourists both from within the country and abroad. So what are the uniqueness of Wae Rebo Village which makes many people want to come.

The natural beauty and uniqueness of customs in Wae Rebo made this village hold the title of Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in August 2012. In 2021, this village will also represent three villages in Indonesia for the best tourism village award event in the world held by the UN tourism agency.

Wae Rebo Village offers its natural and cultural attraction. This village is located above an altitude of 1,200 meters above sea level and is surrounded by several mountains and valleys. The people there live peacefully on the highlands and come into direct contact with nature. For those of you who are curious, let's look at the uniqueness of the village of Wae Rebo in East Nusa Tenggara.

Wae Rebo village is like a hidden paradise in eastern Indonesia that is exotic and still traditional or preserving its traditions. Here are some uniqueness of Wae Rebo village which makes many people interested in coming here:

Ancestors of the village of Wae Rebo are known to come from Minangkabau, West Sumatra. After moving from one village to another in the NTT region, they finally settled in Wae Rebo. The decision to settle was based on a dream that showed that the location was eligible as a place to live.

These requirements include fertile land and are suitable for farming, for food security, a population that is not too dense compared to other villages, supporting the health aspect.

Until now, Wae Rebo village is inhabited by the 20th generation. Even though time has passed, they still maintain their ancestral traditions, culture, beliefs, and architecture very steadfastly.

Wae Rebo Village is inhabited by 44 families, of which the majority of the population works as farmers who grow coffee, tubers, and cloves. Meanwhile, women in this village generally make woven fabrics typical of East Nusa Tenggara.

Every visitor who comes to this village will be greeted with a typical Flores coffee dish. This coffee is planted directly by the residents of Wae Rebo and is famous for its unique and delicious taste.

For clean water needs, residents rely on mountain springs called sosors. This sosor is divided into two types, namely male and female sosor.

One of the main icons in Wae Rebo is its traditional conical house with a fixed number of only 7 houses from the past until now. This traditional house called Mbaru Niang, is made using wood as the main structure and the roof is made of damped weeds.

Overall, this house reflects the harmony between humans and nature. Mbaru Niang has 5 floors each of which has different functions. The following is the explanation of each level of the house and its function:

Mbaru Niang architecture has a distinctive philosophy of the culture of Wae Rebo. Its conical form symbolizes the protection and unity of society, while its circle represents the social life of the Manggarai community which is full of balance.

In the midst of 7 Mbaru Niang houses, there is a circle-shaped stone arrangement called Compang. Compang serves as a sacred place for residents to get closer to God, nature, and their ancestors. This location is considered sacred, so indigenous people prohibit tourists or visitors from riding the Compang.

Such is the review of the uniqueness of Wae Rebo Village which is interesting to explore. The village above the clouds in NTT offers its own attraction in terms of the charm of nature and culture or traditions of the people there. Also read 5 tourist villages in Indonesia that carry the concept of sustainable tourism.

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