06/02/2025
The mysterious and rugged island of Sumba, Indonesia
These traditional houses have 3 storeys, with the underworld below the house – where the animals live – the human world – where the living live – and the spiritual world – where the gods and ancestors live, where also their cult objects and supplies are stored. According to Marapu belief, the storeys represent the harmonious relationship between man and Gods and a traditional house is therefore not just for housing, but also symbolise a spiritual unit. In villages you will also find the typical Sumba megalithic graves. The megalithic culture in Sumba originated about 4,500 years ago and this tradition is still alive today, and the other newer religions in Sumba also incorporate parts of the Marapu beliefs. Their megalithic tombs consist of a large rectangular stone plate over the actual grave, looking similar to an altar. Older grave chambers were carved out of a single large piece of limestone, with a matching cover plate. The different designs and dimensions of individual graves are in accordance with the importance of the family. The material of the cover plates even today, is still mostly limestone, weighing often many tons. Gravestones are usually decorated with scenes and sculptures from the life of the deceased and their life after death according to Marapu faith.
