Flores, from Portuguese which means “flower”, is an island in the administrative region of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The word Flores comes from the Portuguese word “cabo de flores” which means “Cape of flowers”. The name was originally given by S.M. Cabot to refer to the eastern region of the island of Flores. This name was finally used officially in 1636 by the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies, Hendrik Brouwer. A study by Orinbao (1969) revealed that the original name of the island of Flores was Nusa Nipa, which means snake island. From an anthropological point of view, this term is more useful because it contains various philosophical, cultural and traditional meanings of the Flores people.
Flores is included in the Nusa Tenggara Island Group together with Bali and West Nusa Tenggara, with an area of around 14,300 km². The population in Flores, in 2007, reached 1.6 million people. The highest peak is Mount Ranaka (2350m) which is the second highest mountain in East Nusa Tenggara, after Mount Mutis, 2427m in West Timor.
Flores Island together with Timor Island, Sumba Island and Alor Island are the four large islands in the province of East Nusa Tenggara. NTT is one of the archipelagic provinces in Indonesia with 566 islands. Flores, with its area, population and resources, both natural and human, which are considered quite adequate, is currently preparing to become an expansion province in NTT.
At the western and eastern ends of Flores Island there are several groups of small islands. To the east there is a group of Lembata, Adonara and Solor Islands, while to the west there is a group of Komodo and Rinca Islands.
To the west of the island of Flores, after the group of small islands, there is the island of Sumbawa (NTB). Meanwhile, to the east after the group of small islands, there are the Alor Islands. To the southeast is the island of Timor. To the southwest is the island of Sumba, to the south is the Savu Sea, to the north, across the Flores Sea, is Sulawesi.
Ethnicity, language, belief system and culture
Ethnic group
The Flores ethnic group is an ethnic mix of Malays, Melanesians and Portuguese. As a result of Portuguese colonization, interaction with Portuguese culture was felt in Flores culture, both through genetics, religion and culture. There are several tribes on Flores Island, including:
1. Lio tribe
2. Riung
3. Ngada
4. Nage-Keo
5. Ende tribe
6. Manggarai tribe
7. Sikka tribe
8. Lamaholot Tribe (Larantuka)
9. Lembata
The cultural differences between the Riung, Nage-Keo, Ende, Lio and Sikka sub-ethnic groups are not very significant. Meanwhile, the differences between these sub-ethnic groups and the Manggarai and Bajawa people are quite significant. Just like in terms of physical form, there is one striking difference. Flores residents starting from the Riung people further east show more Melanesian characteristics, such as Papuans, while the Manggarai and Bajawa (Ngada) people show more Mongoloid-Malay characteristics. The Larantuka sub-ethnic group is different from the others. This is because they are more mixed by being influenced by cultural elements from other Indonesian ethnic groups who came and mixed in the city of Larantuka.
Language
Based on the results of lexicostatistical calculations, we can divide several regional language elements in Flores based on the differences between each tribe. Each of these tribes has various languages and ways of pronouncing them. In general, this language comes from the Malay language which also developed to suit the areas inhabited by these tribes. Like other areas in NTT, Manggarai was also influenced by wandering people from across the country, such as Chinese, Javanese, Bugis, Makasar, Dutch and so on. So it is not surprising that the Manggarai language also has a more distinctive language apart from its physical characteristics which are different from other ethnic groups in Flores. Although each particular region has a different dialectical variety, in general Flores people have at least 5 regional languages, namely:
1. Lamaholot language: generally spoken by the people of East Flores which consists of parts of mainland Flores, Adonara Island, Solor Island and Lembata Island.
2. Sikka language: Generally used by Flores people in the Sikka district.
3. Ende/Lio language: Used by Flores people from the Ende and Lio tribes
4. Ngada language: The use of this language includes the people of Ngada district and its expansion, namely the Nagekeo district area.
5. Manggarai language: The speakers are generally people who live in Manggarai district, including its regional divisions, namely East Manggarai and West Manggarai.
It is said generally or in general, because in certain border areas geographically and socially culturally they are different and influence each other so that regional languages in those regions are also affected. For example, on the border of East Flores district and Sikka district, in the western part of East Flores district there are certain areas where people speak Sikka, and this also happens in several other areas such as the border areas of Ende and Maumere districts.
Apart from these 5 languages, Flores people also use Malay as their mother tongue. The speakers are generally people who live in the city of Larantuka and several other areas such as Hokeng in the Wulanggitang subdistrict in East Flores district.
Belief System
The people of Flores already adhere to religions such as Catholicism, Islam, Christianity and so on. However, there are still ancestral traditions or beliefs that are maintained, one of which is the megalithic tradition in several Flores sub-ethnic groups. For example, the tradition of erecting and maintaining worship buildings for ancestral spirits as a form of respect (cult) for ancestors and their spirits began around 2500 – 3000 years ago and some of them still continue today.
The impact of erecting monuments from the megalithic tradition is very broad, including aspects of symbolism, views of the cosmos (universe), the origins of humans, animals and so on. Prayer and mantra ceremonies, as well as various media to express symbols physically in togetherness. The megalithic tradition that developed on the island of Flores from the beginning of its emergence can be seen in the remains such as traditional house designs and monuments of worship of ancestral spirits, including decorative arts.
Apart from that, it is also seen in worship ceremonies including prayer processions, mantras, clothing, artists, sound and dance arts as well as ceremonial equipment (ubarampe) and so on. Megalithic traditions can also be seen in the spatial layout, function, construction and structure of buildings. Not to forget the life cycle ceremonies starting from birth, initiation, marriage and patterns of residence after marriage and death, burial and mourning. Of course, it is also related to ceremonies to earn a living, such as clearing land, spreading seeds, harvesting, hunting, metal processing and so on, as well as making pottery, weaving and weapons.
Culture and Arts
Dances originating from Flores, one of which is the Caci dance, is a war dance and folk game between a pair of male dancers who fight with whips and shields in Flores. Caci is a dance attraction from Congkasae Manggarai. Almost all areas in this region know this dance. This dance, which is the pride of the Manggarai people, is often performed on special occasions. The Caci dance comes from the words ca and ci. Ca means one and ci means test. So, caci means a one-on-one test to prove who is right and wrong and is a Penti Manggarai ritual. Apart from the Caci dance in Manggarai, there are also dances from Flores which are starting to be popular nationally, namely Gawi, Sodh’a, Rokatenda, Ja’i
Administration
Flores is part of the province of East Nusa Tenggara. The island is divided into 8 districts; from west to east as follows:
1. West Manggarai with the capital city of Labuan Bajo,
2. Manggarai with the capital Ruteng,
3. East Manggarai with the capital Borong,
4. Ngada is the capital of Bajawa,
5. Nagekeo with the capital Mbay,6. Ende with the capital Ende,
7. Sikka with the capital Maumere,
8. East Flores with the capital Larantuka.
9. Lembata with the capital Lewoleba
Topography of Flores
Flores has several active and dormant volcanoes, including Ia(Ende), Egon, Ilimuda, Lereboleng, Lewotobi, and Ile Ape (lembata), Rokatenda (Palu’e), Ebulobo(Boawae), Ine rie (Ngada)
Flora and fauna
Flores has one of the rare and protected animals in the world, namely Varanus komodoensis or better known as the giant monitor lizard. This raptile lives on Komodo Island and Rinca Island, both of which are in West Manggarai Regency, West Flores. Apart from Komodo Island and Rinca Island which are included in the Komodo National Park area, Flores also has another National Park located in Ende Regency, namely Kelimutu National Park. The main attraction of Kelimutu National Park is the Three Color Lake, which always changes the color of the lake water. However, in the Kelimutu National Park area, various types of plants and moss grow and develop naturally. Therefore, at the beginning of 2007, the management of the Kelimutu National Park began to identify the biological riches of the Kelimutu National Park to later be developed into the Kelimutu Botanical Gardens. So, later tourists who come to the Kelimutu Natural Tourism Area, apart from being able to enjoy the magic of the Three Color Lakes, will also be able to observe the biodiversity in the Kelimutu Botanical Gardens.
In Mataloko, Ngada Regency, there are geothermal sources which are currently being developed into electricity sources. In Soa, east of Bajawa city, the capital of Ngada district, there is a natural hot spring bath. Many foreign tourists come there.
In Riung, north of Ngada district, there is a 17 Island marine park which is as beautiful as the Bunaken marine park in Manado. What is unique about this marine park is that there is an island called Bat Island which is home to thousands of bats.
Archaeological sites
In September 2003, in the Liang Bua cave in western Flores, paleoanthropologists discovered the skull of a previously unknown hominid species. This finding was called the “Flores man” (Homo floresiensis, nicknamed the hobbit). This discovery was published in the 28 October 2004 edition of Nature magazine. The status of this finding is currently still being debated, whether it includes Homo erectus or Homo sapiens.