Marapu

As tourism in Indonesia swings back into action, we took the opportunity to catch up with lead singer, Yanto. Now based in Bali, Marapu is a seven piece band playing authentic roots reggae. Theirs is a sound that demands to be heard live – gaining national and international recognition. On their upcoming 5^th studio album, they take a new direction as they tell stories of the people and islands across Indonesia, reflecting on unique cultures, traditions, and ways of life.

Their hit single and glorious music video, “WELCOME TO SUMBA” showcases the exotic charm of their home island and has captured the hearts of fans, propelling Sumba into the collective conscious.

Yanto talks more about their home island and the band’s favorite spots to visit in Sumba.

What does the word Marapu mean?

Marapu is the original belief and ancestral religion of the Sumbanese people. The traditions and ways of living of the Sumbanese people are still passed down from generation to generation to this day and come from the Marapu tradition. Marapu is the basis of the Sumbanese way of life; as Sumba people, this was our inspiration for the name.

Marapu has been going for 23 years. Where do you see yourselves in the next five years?

We will continue to work and be consistent. We will soon release a new album and tour to new places through our music. Hopefully, we will have the opportunity to play more overseas shows again, and we can spread our messages and songs about Indonesia to more people.

Where do you get the inspiration for new songs?

Our concept for the upcoming album, which will be released at the beginning of 2023, is driven to promote Indonesian regions. Most of our upcoming songs will be inspired by the amazing Indonesian Archipelago, including, of course Sumba, but also other islands, like Flores, Rote, Alor, Papua, and Bali, to name a few…

What is the message of Marapu’s new songs?

Our last album, Won’t Be Fooled, released in 2018, was about national and international social issues like corruption, discrimination, racism, ecological issues, and so on.

We decided to do something different on our 5th album with our new songs promoting our love for Indonesia and its islands, and giving people the envoi to come and visit Indonesia. The new songs mostly talk about unique Indonesian destinations and the traditional ethnic cultures of those regions.

Sumba is becoming a popular travel destination. Regarding tourism, how do you feel about the island’s development?

Yes, Sumba is indeed developing with tourism. That is progress. Sumba island has been popularized by all sorts of national & international media, magazines, and travel documentaries reflecting on the incredible tourism potential of the island. But we think that before pushing too much tourism to the island, the government must focus a great deal on improving the infrastructure that is crucial for sustainable tourism. Such as better roads and access to tourist destinations, especially to the south coast, where many stunning white sand beaches, bays, and world-class surf spots are located. Also, open more tourism accommodations and facilities like hotels, homestays, more restaurants and warungs, and some petrol stations and ATMs so tourists can stay and enjoy these spots.

There are definitely positives and negatives in terms of impact, and managing those aspects is important. Still, it’s good that Sumba has started to be known in the world of tourism and that is good for us Sumbanese people.

Do you have any favorite spots in Sumba?

There are so many stunning spots all over Sumba. For sure, if you are going to East Sumba, we can recommend you to visit:

TARIMBANG Beach,

KAKADU Bay,

LAPUTI Waterfall,

WAIRINDING Hill,

and TANARARA Hill, these are all jaw-dropping spots!!!

Also, make sure to visit the Traditional Sumba villages (Marapu traditional villages) because there you can be immersed in the traditional way of life of the Sumbanese.

What should our readers see and not miss?

The incredible Sumbanese Stone Dragging ceremony (Acara Tarik Batu), refers to a huge tombstone that is carved from rocks and then ‘dragged’ to the kampung (village) of the person for whose grave it will be used. In the past, dragging was the joint effort of thousands of men.

Also, the Pasola Festival, a horse-mounted spear-fighting competition from western Sumba.

You must visit Sumba because this island is very different from the other islands in Indonesia.

Where is the most beautiful place in the world for you?

Without a doubt, for us, the Indonesian Archipelago has the most beautiful places in the world. Choosing one will be difficult because Indonesia has too many stunning locations.

Now that the enforced hiatus of the pandemic is over, Marapu is more than ready to start touring worldwide again. The Marapu adventure continues…

Listen to their Music

Follow Marapu Official
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarapuOfficial
– Twitter: @Marapu_Reggae
– Instagram: @marapu_reggae
– Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/MarapuMusicChannel
– Reverbnation: https://www.reverbnation.com/marapuband