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- S I K KA
- Sikka was in the past of kingdom, but is
is now a regency. The capital is Maumere, on Maumere Bay on the
north coast of Flores. The town can be reached by air from Denpasar,
Kupang, and Ujungpandang, or by sea from Surabaya, and over land
from Ende.
- Bare mountains and hills dominated
the landscape. Today a reforestation program has turned large
parts into green pastures.
- A prehistoric bronze boat
from the Dongsong era, called Dobo or Baobatung is
found in a village near Maumere, where it is carefully kept
by the people as an ancestral heirloom.
- Paga is an old village near the beach. It was
a refuge for Catholic missionaries who retreated to this area
as the result of pressures by the Dutch authorities in Flores.
There is an old well with clear water. Its location is 40 kilometers
from Maumere.
- The small town Nitta was
the site of kingdom, and is rich in historical places, traditional
ceremonies and beautiful woven clothes with various motifs. It
is located 10 kilometers from Maumere.
- Sikka-Lela are the viliges
which were formerly center from which the Roman Catholic religion
spread across Flores. An old well, dug by the priest Le Cocg
(1885), can still be found.
- Bola Beach is located in the southern past of Flores
near Sikka and Lela. Many historical relies are found in these
two areas, ranging from traditional houses, to rare ivory heirlooms.
Ivory was in the past use as a dowry in marriage. Some of the
villages in Sikka, such as Sikka, Lela and Nita produce beautiful
ikat textiles with motifs that are peculiar to the region.
- Like TanaKa, in Ende
the soil covering hill near Lakebai is also edible. The
grains of earth can be eaten after they are fried.
- The island of Palue, in the
north of Flores has a megalithic culture. In the front- yard
of houses lie the graves and "mezbah" offering stones.
The people of the area are known to make great sailors. Life
is still much influenced by the belief in spirits, which are
believed to reside in natural objects. The island can be reached
in a few hours by motorboat from the maumere prier.
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