Kampung di Atas Awan, the nickname of Kampung Adat Wae Rebo, a village located in Satar Lenda Village, West Satarmese District, Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province.
This village is worthy of being called a heaven above the clouds. With its height reaching 1,200 meters above sea level, supported by the cloud fog surrounding the village and the beautiful Manggarai mountain area, it spoils the eyes of anyone who visits this village.
Access to Wae Rebo Village
The journey to Wae Rebo begins with the first 6 km from Dintor Village to Denge Village using a motorbike. Upon arrival at Denge Village, visitors continue their journey to Wae Rebo by climbing for approximately 3 hours.
During the climb, visitors will be treated to views of dense forests, as well as crossing rivers and crossing the edge of a cliff that is still pristine, pampering the eyes of visitors and leaving an unforgettable impression.
Initially, access to Wae Rebo Traditional Village from Labuan Bajo was still difficult and required a total time of around 8 to 13 hours by land route. However, along with the development of infrastructure, access from Labuan Bajo can be shortened to only 4 to 6 hours by land.
Mbaru Niang, The Palace Above The Clouds
Upon arrival at Kampung Adat Wae Rebo, visitors will be presented with a unique view of seven cone-shaped traditional houses on stilts and roofed with palm leaves, with a construction that is united using rattan rope.
The Traditional House is Mbaru Niang, one of the attractions of Wae Rebo Village. Mbaru Niang has survived for 19 generations and is famous for its authenticity because it has a shape that has never changed from the building that was once built by the ancestors of the Manggarai tribe.
According to jelajah.kompas.id, Mbaru Niang has made Wae Rebo a cultural tourism destination that must be visited by tourists in the last decade. This makes Wae Rebo a historic village that received the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award Heritage Conservation in 2012 and makes Wae Rebo part of the cultural heritage. Wae Rebo is also included in the top 50 best tourist villages in the Indonesian Tourism Village Event (ADWI) in 2021.
The Floors in Mbaru Niang
Mbaru Niang consists of five floors and is inhabited by 6 to 8 families. Each floor has several different functions:
- Ground Floor (Lutur), functions as a residence, family room, and a place to receive guests. This floor is divided into three parts, including the outermost room as a family room, several family rooms that are partitioned with wooden planks and a kitchen located in the middle of Lutur.
- Second Floor (Lobo), functions as a place to store food and goods.
- Third Floor (Lentar), functions to store plant seeds.
- Fourth Floor (Lempa Rea), functions as a place to store food reserves in case of crop failure.
- Fifth Floor (Hekang Kode), is the highest level which is considered sacred and is a place to store family heirlooms and a place to put offerings for the ancestors of the village community.
Penti Budaya Wae Rebo
The local wisdom reflected in the Wae Rebo community is not only found in the architecture of the Mbaru Niang traditional house, but there are also many other cultures that have blended with the customs of the local population (Flores residents).
Penti Budaya Wae Rebo is one of the traditional ceremonies that still has very strong cultural elements. This ceremony is not only a celebration of agricultural products, but also has a deeper meaning related to the expression of gratitude to God Almighty and the ancestors, as well as being a momentum for reconciliation and strengthening the bonds of brotherhood between villagers.
Rangku Alu, A Traditional Game in Wae Rebo
When visiting Wae Rebo Village, visitors can also see other local wisdom such as the traditional game Rangku Alu. This game is often shown to local and foreign tourists as one of the local cultural attractions. Tourists can also join in playing with local residents.
This traditional game is played by four people using four bamboo sticks. The bamboo sticks will form a crossbar that is moved, while other people must pass through the gaps that are not pinched by the bamboo. This requires dexterity and coordination from the players so that the arranged bamboo can be moved rhythmically and produce distinctive sounds and movements.
Wae Rebo Woven Cloth
In addition to having beautiful natural beauty and traditional culture that should be preserved, Kampung Adat Wae Rebo also has great potential in the creative economy-based economy. Not only limited to local wisdom and cultural identity of Kampung Adat Wae Rebo such as traditional houses or traditional ceremonies, but also other activities such as weaving cloth that can create economic opportunities for the people of Kampung Adat Wae Rebo.
The woven motifs in the Kampung Adat Wae Rebo have Manggarai motifs and have brighter colors that dominate, such as bright green, bright orange, bright blue or bright yellow with a black base color.
Each motif on the Wae Rebo woven cloth is always inspired by the surrounding nature, such as flora, fauna, and other geographical elements, creating the characteristics of the Wae Rebo woven cloth, each cloth of which has certain philosophies such as containing social status, important events in life, or cultural values adhered to by the community.
In addition to being used as souvenirs to drive the local economy, Wae Rebo Woven Cloth is also a tourist attraction through the process of traditional weaving techniques. This weaving technique is passed down from generation to generation and all processes are still carried out by women.
Visitors can see firsthand the process of making Wae Rebo Woven Cloth which involves several stages. Starting from spinning cotton into yarn, coloring the yarn with natural dyes from local plants such as roots, leaves, and so on, until the process ends with weaving using a simple traditional loom.
References
Indonesia Kaya. (n.d). Wae Rebo, Kisah Sebuah Kampung di Atas Awan. indonesiakaya.com/pustaka-indonesia/wae-rebo-kisah-sebuah-kampung-di-atas-awan/
Master Plan Desa. (2020). Desa Adat Wae Rebo, Perkampungan Adat Lestari di Pegunungan Flores. masterplandesa.com/desa-adat/desa-adat-wae-rebo-perkampungan-adat-lestari-di-pegunungan-flores-2/
Detikbali. (2023). Desa Wae Rebo Warisan Budaya UNESCO: Lokasi, Tips, Tarif, dan Daya Tarik. detik.com/bali/nusra/d-6640156/desa-wae-rebo-warisan-budaya-unesco-lokasi-tips-tarif-dan-daya-tarik
Kompas.com. (2023). Mengenal Wae Rebo: Rumah Adat, Budaya, dan Cara Menuju. denpasar.kompas.com/read/2023/11/16/190413778/mengenal-wae-rebo-rumah-adat-budaya-dan-cara-menuju?page=3
Jelajahkompas.id. (n.d). Menjaga Warisan Kopi Waerebo. jelajah.kompas.id/kopi-nusantara/baca/menjaga-warisan-kopi waerebo/#:~:text=Kopi%20biasanya%20dijual%20kepada%20pengepul,dilintasi%20saat%20berkunjung%20ke%20Waerebo.&text=Tahun%20ini%2C%20harga%20kopi%20berkisar,14%20juta%20dari%20penjualan%20kopi.
Okezone Lifestyle. (2017). Okezone Week-End: Tenun Manggarai Desa Wae Rebo NTT, Warna Kain yang Mencolok Jadi Pemikat para Wisatawan. lifestyle.okezone.com/read/2017/09/08/194/1772229/okezone-week-end-tenun-manggarai-desa-wae-rebo-ntt-warna-kain-yang-mencolok-jadi-pemikat-para-wisatawan
