Ende, Sasak Tribe Traditional Village: Lombok Island, Indonesia

Lombok is known for its beautiful beaches, diving sites, island hopping and Mount Rinjani hiking. Another good place to visit when you are visiting Lombok Island is its traditional village, Ende Village. 

Ende village is located about 2 hours from Senggigi beach area. Villagers here still preserve their tradition, from their daily activities of making the weavings, farming, and even its indigenous house. 

The house which is called as Bale Tani is usually small, about 10-15 sqm, made of wood, bamboo and grass roof. What is really interesting the the smell of cattle dung in the village. It turns out that they use to dung for flooring, as a glue of the soil. Usually after some months, the soil floor will crack and that is when the dung must be applied on the floor to make it smooth. The philosophy of this practice is to remain that as human which is embodied on the soil floor, they will return to mother Earth and as farmer they work hard which is embodied in the dung use. Usually man or husband sleeps outside, while inside the house is from woman and children. 

When the house is damages, it will be repaired by the community, and they work together hand in hand. One thing i find very interesting is the way the man of the village court a girl, not by proposing to the parents like most of the custom in Indonesia but by kidnapping the girl first. 

Sasak tribe are mostly farmer, they grow rice, corn and other vegetables. Currently only few villages still maintain the traditional house. Even though Sasak tribe are moslem, they still also practice their indigenous belief and tradition.