Sumba (Indonesia)

See also: Sumba

Sumba is one of Small the Îles of the Probe in the province Indonesia of Nusa Tenggara Is. It has a surface of 11.153 km ² and a population estimated at 350.000 - 425.000 people. Formerly, the island exported wood of Santal.

The island is located at the south-east of the island Sumbawa, in the south-west of the island Flores, in the west of the island Timor and in the north of the Australia.

The main city of Sumba is Waingapu, with a population of approximately 50.500 inhabitants.

Formerly, Sumba was inhabited by many distinct ethnicities. Sumba appears in the list of the " regions tributaires" kingdom Javanese of Majapahit. The first Europeans arrived in 1522. The island was integrated into the the Indies Dutchwomen in 1866, but the Dutchmen established there an administration only at the beginning of the 20th century.

The inhabitants of Sumba speak about the languages of the sub-group known as " Bima - sumba" branch Austronesian of the Languages austronésiennes.

Between 25% and 30% of the population a called traditional religion marapu practices. the remainder is Christian, in majority Calviniste but with an important minority Catholique. One finds a small number of Musulman S in the coastal areas.

History

Divided into volumes Worse, a Portuguese apothecary who of 1512 to 1515 lived Malacca, conquered in 1511 by the Portuguese, note in his Suma Oriental that the wood of Santal comes from Sumba and Timor.

Culture and tourism

Sumba is connected by air to Bali, only true tourist destination international of Indonesia. The principal airports are in Waingapu and Tambolaka.

Some interesting places:

  • Villages of Tambolaka and Waimangura

  • traditional Villages of Puu Naga, Tambeler, Tarung
  • Wanokaka, where the ritual of the Pasola proceeds, kind of tournament where the adversaries throw wood poles as a lance
  • Villages of Kawangu and Prailiu: traditional weaving and monuments of the traditional religion Merapu .

External bonds

Waingapu.Com | Sumbanese Community Portal ethnologue.com Bima-Sumba

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