Tanimbar Kei - The Explorers

Hi,

if anyone wonders why our organisation, Arsitektur Hijau, chose to pick Tanimbar Kei as our destination for expedition this year, the reason could have been so many. But for sure it's because of the architecture of the village; why the people still maintain all the traditional houses, which have their own function and history of ancestors, in this modern era. Before I tell you further, there are 8 things you should know about this island: (don't ask why I pick only eight things, I don't know either)

1. Tanimbar Kei has diverse people in their five religion (Hindu (animism), Islam, Protestant, Catholic, and Advent). 

2. People in Tanimbar Kei still believe the existence of their ancestors among them.

3. There are seven sacred places in their village (Upper and Bottom included), one of them is a forbidden forest.

4. Every traditional house has their own function, ancestor, history why the house was built, and a sacred room where everyone can't go in except the owner of the house.

5. Tanimbar Kei has the sacred island called Nuhuta Island. It doesn't have people to stay and animals like mice and lizards (cicak, biawak) are forbidden to be killed.

6. Their main food is 'hotong', because rice production in Eastern of Indonesia is hard to grow. You can see more about hotong in here.

7. There are no bicycles, motorcycles, or even cars in this island. They only have boats, the little ones. And, children only go to school for primary and mid school, and for high school they have to go to outside the island and go to bigger island that has high school facilities. 

8. It has a lot of virgin beaches; you can find more than three pure beaches around the islands and they are all beautiful.

So probably some of the things I've mentioned are just repeating sentences from my post before. But that's what I think about Tanimbar Kei, what I've repeated is the unique things about it. 

Talking about houses (again), we always gather (it's likely our base camp) in one of the house in Bottom Village, it was Rahan Sokdit (House of Sokdit). It is included in traditional houses, but the construction itself is not included in vernacular houses (it's already made from bricks). The ancestor of Rahan Sokdit was Muslim, so this house can't be entered by pigs or dogs (because those animals are haraam in Islam). This house in unique like the other traditional houses in Upper Village. The history is quite complicated. Once this house was located in Upper Village and its function is to greet the visitors outside the island. For the sake of visitors' comfort (they don't have to go upstairs to Upper Village, they can take a break first in Rahan Sokdit), the house was moved in Bottom Village. Traditional houses should be built from woods in the forest. It's to keep the house traditional and to maintain the ancestors' heritage. But, the owner of Rahan Sokdit cut the fresh woods/trees from the forest. It is forbidden for people to make a house from fresh woods/trees. The trees should age first, then people can cut them down. The good thing about it is to maintain the forest and keep it dense, and the trees that aged have stronger woods than the younger ones. So, after the owner did that, he was punished by one of the houses in Upper Village. Finally, the house was moved to Bottom Village but it should be obedient to all the rules from that one house in Upper Village (I honestly forget the name of the house he he). 

We, the members of our expedition, always gathered in Rahan Sokdit to eat, have a tea time with the local people, discuss our research, and mostly talk to each other and have fun with the locals.  

Our members were 22 people (13 girls and only 9 boys) and we were totally happy to be a part of this incredible experience. We had preparation to do this expedition since the mid of September, 2016. But, to be honest, we had not enough preparation for this (if I could percentage the process, it could only be 70%). Despite the preparation, I had amazing time in Tanimbar Kei, so did my everyone who joined. And we survived! We could go back to Bandung safely and we got a lot of unforgettable memories. Here are some photos of the members, enjoy.

Left to right: Devin, Putri, Thirafi.

She is Putri, and is totally in love with nature and like to explore about it more. I took her picture when we were in Pelni Ship for 20 hours.

This is my little cousin, Niti. She does photography as well, more to digital one.

They are Yana and Zahra, who are one-year younger than me, but we get along as good friends.We were watching sunrise together.

El Yub, the wood stairs, made manually by bare hands of Tanimbar Kei people and tools to help such as saws and axes.
 We tried to reach the Upper Village at out first day in Tanimbar Kei through the wood stairs, it was scary but fun.

The sun shined so bright, and it gave the good light to take a picture. People in frame: Thirafi and Metha. 

Late afternoon situation when we were told generally about the Upper Village (still day one in Tanimbar Kei). 

Thirafi and Stella, my partners in interviewing local people (we were an interview team), with three beautiful local girls.

Some of the members of expedition with the locals. Look at them; looking so excited and happy.

This was a good scene. We were given the fresh coconuts and we were asked to try them. The coconuts felt so fresh and pure. It was so great tasting the coconuts for more than three times in around 10 days. :) (in frame: Yana)

This is Radhian, I think he tried to feel the moment of tasting a coconut in a hot day.

This is Stella, she kept being amazed with all of the things in Tanimbar Kei; the nature and the people. So did I, so did
 the other members.

This is Putri (again), staring at the view of great sea in the beginning of sunset.

Devin tried to keep his eyes closed because the sun struck hard our skin. He was in Rahan Maslador, and it all was only
 the construction, not fully covered yet. He sat right at the door of the house.

Stella (again), with her best smile, as an evidence of being grateful and happy.

Zahra and her phenomenal hat. We were about to go to Tanjung Kor (the cape) with a little boat. It is still lcoated in the
 island of Tanimbar Kei.

Zahra was trying to keep focus on taking pictures. The sunset created perfect temperature and shadows, didn't it?

Left to right: Hani Tangko, Stella, Zahra, and Niti. Were were on the one of the beaches in Tanimbar Kei. They were so
 many beaches here!

I was taking Niti's portrait in Tanjung Kor (the cape), it was full of sharp corals and stones.

This is Devin. Don't you think he's like one of the japanese tourist? He he. Anyway, we were in the Mun Village at mid day. Look at the background, it was beautiful!

This is Spain Louis. He was about to go topless, just like Devin did. Minutes later, they were playing around the shore.

Left to right: Spain, Devin, and Michael (we call him Miki). We were standing at the dock in Mun Village. They were about to jump together!

Left to right: Hafian, Hafizh, Metha, Zahra, Ifaza, Stella, Andhira, and Niti (the half body).The girl at the back was the local.

He is Danu. He's responsible for our subject; it's about the villages, the houses and its constructions, and the people and
 their cultures. He was standing in front of one of the traditional houses in Upper Village.

This is Najda, her face is kinda straight, so every time I took a pic of her, her face was always stay still like this. Despite the face, she has amazing talent at drawing and she is one of a kind.

This is Thirafi, we were in Pasir Panjang in Tual City (it's outside Tanimbar Kei and it got more facilities for public). Pasir Panjang is known as one of the top beaches that has smooth sand in the world.

All photos were taken by Yashica fx3 super 2000 and film Kodak 200, except for the first four photos were taken with film Fujipro 400H.

Comfort Zone: Being Sick

This is not what it looks like.

Hear my story first, then you'll sum up yourself.

I've been thinking about myself and my healthy life style recently. It's annoying, knowing that my weight is a little bit over-weight than normal people have. I have a disease history and sometimes it got relapsed. I once had typhus when I was about 11 years old; I did any activities that I could and I forced myself to do those and unconsciously my body felt both hot and cold, and exhausted for days. And it was when all started. I already got typhus for more than three times. The distance of me being sick of typhus could be close, it's about more or less a couple years. There's always a feeling and symptoms before I get sick. When I eat too much spicy food combine with forcing myself to do stuffs till late, I start to feel it. The more I feel, the more I fear. This is probably the worst thing I have in my life, be afraid of getting and feeling what I don't want to get, and feel. I can't say it's trauma, but it's more like that... I guess. 

So, what I'm trying to say here is that I'm not comfortable being sick (who wants to get sick, no one for sure). But my body feels like that it's its comfort zone of being sick (again and again). The effect of it in my life could be anything. I can't force too much doing my normal routines (but in my college life, it's all about forcing yourself to reach the goals), I can't get too tired and having less healthier food all the time. I mean, this is all my fault. I started to have cheating life and bad life style, by not having healthy food oftentimes, and having less exercise. I always try to do new things in having healthier life style, but when I force to be healthier (like recently I'm on diet), I get sick too. So I think my body can't accept anything that is over and too much of things. Normal life is the best choice to my body. But, you know, when you want to get out of your comfort zone and you need to do a little bit harder and challenge yourself, it could be better for your experience. What I mean about challenge myself is to do beyond my limit, not just about being healthier, but being better as a person. 

You may say I'm talking nonsense, but I'm just trying to share what I think about my body. And so far, I love it, and I try to love more about my weakness. You should too.

Tanimbar Kei - The Local People

Ola! I am totally excited to tell you guys my last expedition with Arsitektur Hijau (it's sort of organisation in my campus, exploring more about vernacular architecture; you can see the website here). Start from the third of July and ended up on fourteenth of July, my friends and I (we were 22 individuals) went to Tanimbar Kei, a not-so-small island in Kei Islands, Southeast Maluku. We went with just one big carrier to keep the clothes and survival kit, and a backpack to keep the data safe. So basically the expedition is about going to a small village that still has vernacular architecture and local traditions. Our journey to Tanimbar Kei wasn't easy, we had to use airplane to Ambon, and a big ship to Langgur City, and a medium boat to Tanimbar Kei. It took a day and a half to get there from Bandung. The big ship took 20 hours of the trip. TWENTY HOURS, and we didn't get a good place to stay on the ship, we stayed at the deck of it! It was cold of sea wind but it was fun and unforgettable experience!

When we reached the village by the boat, we were welcomed by the most friendly people I've ever met. They welcomed us very well. We were separated into four groups to stay in four houses, but for eating and discussing the data we were going to take, it's in the house that has large terrace and its location was quite strategic.

Tanimbar Kei is a big island for me, it has a lot of resources from nature, such as coconuts, woods, fish, and beautiful sceneries. It only has one big village administratively, but local people separated into three villages, Mun Village (most of the people are Muslims), Bottom Village and Upper Village (it's up in the hill and still has traditional houses with strong traditions and sacred places in it). Bottom and Upper Villages are separated by the height and high contour, yet they are connected by wood stairs named El Yub which is almost perpendicular. But there are two other stairs that made of concrete (they were from the government). 

I'm going to talk a lil bit (more to share in the next post) about the vernacular houses that located in Upper Village (Kampung Atas). There are more than 20 traditional houses that has different functions other than just a house and each house has its own function and name based on the background of the first ancestor that built the house. I give you an example, it is Rahan Teli (Teli house, people call Rahan for houses, especially for traditional houses). Rahan Teli has the other function to keep all of the farm's product. It's 'hotong', the main food for people in Tanimbar Kei and it has high nutrition as well. 

I learned so much here in Tanimbar Kei. One thing I feel like it's sad leaving Tanimbar Kei was the people. They are differently unique from the other people outside the island. Tanimbar Kei has five religions (Hindu, Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, and Advent) and the people live peacefully. I mean, how can it be so easy for them? It's very magical seeing them respecting each other's religion and still gather as a big family. They were all kind, down-to-earth, and wise. The children were all easy-going and fun. Mostly I spent my time talking to local people there, and we understood the language we spoke (most of them can speak Bahasa, but still fluent speaking their mother tongue), and I enjoyed listening to their life sharing and how they live in Tanimbar Kei; it was very simple yet it brought me joy. They taught me it is okay not to have everything, as long as you have what you need and who you love. It's sad when my friends and I leaving them. Luckily I took pictures of them, well not all of them, just some. I always remembered to bring my analog camera, so yea I captured them and there were some great moments which were captured as well. Enjoy.

This is Mr. Dodi, they call him Pak Pejabat a lot. He's one of the important people in the village.

This old man believes his ancestors can protect him if he can protect the nature sacred things, so does everyone in the
village.

She's the wife of the old man (a picture before this one).

She lives in a house called Rahan Vetung (Vetung House).

This is Mr. Tam. He's popular because he can't stop talking about anything! He's super funny, also friendly, just like
the other men in the village.

Kids were sitting beside the babies' graves.

Oh, what a favourite part to take a picture of. This was a man cutting a giant grouper fish for the main object of worship
 and 'offerings' to the ancestors. Mostly it's for offerings, the rest was for the village people, including me and my
 friends (the village's visitors). 

Look how excited he cut the fish. The meat's so thick, so was the skin; it's like tripes!

A local kid started to look at me and ask who I was. I introduced myself and asked him to be pictured by me.

This is Iped (I have no idea if the spelling's true or not). He likes to swim and directs a boat to places around the island.

This is Nela and her friend. They seem to be shy in this picture, but they're actually kind and energetic.

These little girls got a bit talent of modeling, look at their natural poses!

This is Mr. Is, he accompanied me most of the time with two of my friends (the interview group). He was making a
 'janur' for the ritual ceremony to avoid the diseases in the village, offered for the ancestors to protect the village and its people.

Mid age women made a lot of empty 'ketupat' that shaped like animals and swords. These were made for the ritual
ceremony to avoid the diseases too. Made in the morning, delivered in the middle of the receding shore at dusk.

This is Mr. Cada, he used to be a boxing player and joined some competitions in Jakarta, but he came back to Tanimbar
Kei to be a head of Rahan Tokyar (Tokyar House). 

He cut the wood with saw. People nowadays rely on technology, even people of Tanimbar Kei are quite open to
machines that help them making traditional houses.

Two cutie little boys after jumping to the Goa Inanam (the cave that had a private pool in it). :)

All photos were taken by Yashica fx3 super 2000 and film Kodak 200.