Flores Island People - Incredible Diversity

Flores island is home to such a diversity, but why are different people of Flores island so different? How do they coexist on the same island?

Here are 6 highlights from life and culture of Flores Island People

Flores locals told us about their personal experiences regarding each of these highlights.

People of Flores

Flores consists of multiple ethnicities. The main ethnic groups are the Manggarai, the Ngada, the Ende and Lio, the Sikka, and the Lamaholot. Each of them has its own traditions and beliefs. Some of them still have caste systems.

There are different types of marriage such as cross-cousin marriage, Levirate marriage (a type of marriage in which the brother of a deceased man is obliged to marry his brother’s widow).

Sororate marriage (a type of marriage in which a husband engages in marriage or sexual relations with the sister of his wife) usually after the death of his wife or if his wife has proven infertile.

People in Flores still care about their land. 

Five years ago, two locals were killed during a dispute over the land clearing. People here still seem to care more about their traditions than business and tourism.

Each region has its own traditions and customs, a different language, and a different kind of weaving. Everything is different. However, we take these differences as the diversity that enriches the island of Flores.

All the ethnic groups here live side by side in peace and respect.

Languages and dialects of Flores Island People

Another unusual feature of Flores Island is how many dialects it has. Due to mountainous relief communities were separated from each other and had to form their own language.

People from different villages communicate using Bahasa Indonesia. It’s also used for education and formal affairs. But friends and family members still chit-chat using their community’s dialect.

“ As we speak different languages, there are some words that sound the same but have absolutely different meanings, and it might lead to conflicts.

For example, there is a word “mena”. It means “there” for people in the Nageko community. They say it when giving directions. But in Lamaholot this exact word is used as swear word for women. So, you can imagine what kind of misunderstanding might happen.”

Religions of Flores Island People

When it comes to religion Flores is quite different from the rest of Indonesia. 85% of the people here are Catholic. In 16th century Portuguese colonists and missionaries started arriving on the island. They heavily influenced the culture and religion of Flores. But there are still Muslims and Animists on the island.

People in Flores are very tolerant to different religions.

“We help each other during religious holidays. For example, if Catholics celebrate Christmas or Easter, Muslims volunteer to help prepare food. Not only that, Muslims also help maintain order while Catholics gather at the church for celebrations. And vice versa when the Muslims celebrate Eid-al-Adha or Eid al-Fitr.”

Traditions of Flores Island People

This is what varies the most from tribe to tribe within Flores Island people.

One of the most unusual traditions comes from the Lio tribe. It is called Pati ka ata mata ot Dhera, which means feeding ancestors. This tradition is usually carried out during ceremonies or holidays (Christmas and Easter), and at New Year’s celebrations. Food is served on small plates with a small glass of moke (traditional alcoholic drink) and water.

This ritual begins with serving food on a large stone shaped like a table or in a special house where people believe their ancestors used to live. Then someone who is believed to be an elder will say a prayer to invite the ancestors to come and enjoy the food. After that, the dish will be left alone for thirty minutes to an hour.

“As a child, my mother often gave me the task of checking the temperature of the food. When it is very cold, it means the ancestors have finished eating and the dishes can be taken away or we can eat. Traditions like this can be found in almost all areas on the mainland of Flores. In Manggarai, where I live now, people call it: teing hang.”

Coffee in Flores Island

There is a special sort of Arabica coffee that grown in Bajawa on Flores. It tastes different from Arabica coffee in other places because Arabica in Bajawa grows on a high hill more than 1200 meters above sea level so it has low-level acidity. Every village in Bajawa has its own coffee plantation because coffee is one of the main sources of income here.

“I was born and raised in Ende, Central Flores. At Ende, we have a habit of drinking coffee with a big amount of sugar so that the bitter sensation of coffee is no longer felt. When I moved to Ruteng, Manggarai I was surprised: Maggarai people drink bitter coffee.

They believe that drinking coffee with sugar is like betraying the process of how the coffee is grown and processed. Manggarai coffee has its own taste because of its unique soil conditions, as well as because of other plants that grow with the coffee.”

Food of Flores Island People

One of the most popular traditional dishes in Flores island is Lekun – rice cake. It’s mostly cooked in the eastern part of the island, in Sikka Regency. Sikka Kowe people have ceremonies for every stage of life: when women are pregnant, when babies are born, and so on until death.

At every ceremony, they make this special cake. The recipe is simple: mix rice flour, black rice flour, glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, salt, brown sugar, and banana, put it in bamboo, and put a banana leaf on top. Then bake it in the fire until the bamboo skin gets charred. This is how you know it’s ready.

“We call Lekun a “peace cake”. Because we also eat it at negotiations about wedding ceremony and while waiting for the results of negotiations. We believe it will bring peace to a new family and into a new life.”

Many Thanks to: Alfridus, Martinus and Maria Pankratia for sharing your stories about the beautiful culture of Flores island.