Saying goodbye to Labuan Bajo and the luxurious Pinisi ship felt slightly heavy-hearted. The Corrs had started getting used to life on the sea, with the gentle rocking of the waves lulling them to sleep (except when Jim explained his theory about the underwater currents that could swallow ships) and the unparalleled sunset views. However, curiosity about the next island, Sumba, which Nisa described as "Indonesia's African Savanna with a mystical touch," was enough to re-ignite their spirit of adventure.
The flight to Tambolaka or Waingapu in Sumba offered a drastically different aerial view. The expanse of the blue Flores Sea gradually gave way to drier land, golden-brown limestone hills, wide valleys covered in grasslands, and occasionally, the sight of unique, towering traditional house roofs.
"Wow, this is completely different from Bali or Lombok," Sharon commented while gazing out the plane window. "It feels more... ancient? More majestic?"
"Exactly. Sumba is a very special island, Sharon," Nisa replied, sitting across the aisle. "Its Marapu culture is still very strong, and its nature is wild yet incredibly beautiful. And the most famous thing..." Nisa deliberately paused.
"What? Land-based dragons?" Andrea guessed, still slightly traumatized by the Komodo dragons.
Nisa laughed. "No. But almost as magnificent. The horses! The Sumba Sandalwood Horses."
Upon landing and traveling overland to one of the most authentic traditional villages in West Sumba (of course, with smoothly arranged escort and coordination), The Corrs immediately felt a different atmosphere. Traditional houses with towering steeple roofs (Uma Mbatangu), large megalithic stone tombs scattered in the village courtyard, and villagers who greeted them with warm smiles while maintaining their traditional dignity.
The village head and the traditional elders welcomed President Nisa's entourage with a simple yet solemn welcoming ceremony. There was an energetic war dance from the village youth, a serving of betel nut (sirih pinang) (which The Corrs politely declined this time, having learned from Jim's experience of almost getting 'drunk' when trying it on another occasion), and a presentation of Sumba ikat woven cloth with incredibly intricate and beautiful motifs.
"This... this is amazing," Caroline whispered to Alex, her eyes glued to the details of the woven cloth just given to Nisa. "How can they create such complicated patterns by hand?"
Alex tried to explain the weaving process that can take months, the natural dyes, and the philosophical meaning behind each motif. Jim, naturally, was already engaged in a serious discussion with one of the traditional elders (with the help of a translator) about the Marapu belief system and its connection to megalithic traditions.