Wolotopo Traditional Village
Wolotopo Village is one of the traditional villages that is most visited by tourists besides Moni Village. Wolotopo went around 12 kilometers to the east or around 30 minutes drive from Ende City, moved in Ndona Subdistrict, Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara.
This village is usually a supporting tourist destination when visiting Lake Kelimutu. Wolotopo Village is interesting because it is an old village that still maintains and harmonizes the megalithic tradition. Here the Sporto Friends can see buildings and traditional houses and typical Flores settlements. Traditional house buildings and settlements are built on high stone structures and firmly above the ground with terraced steps.
Needed to deal with terraces, stones obtained from the sea or mountains are stacked so that they can be built at home. Here some houses resemble low-stilt houses supported by oval-shaped stones or wood. These houses have thatched roofs, while others have used zinc.
On the pages of houses that are circular in shape, the stone appears to be more accurately called a menhir. The interesting thing about this village is the existence of traditional houses that have survived for more than seven generations. The place is located on a hill not far from the residential complex. This traditional wooden house has the advantage of ancient architecture and technology that has proven to be strong and also has proven times. Most of the traditional houses of old, traditional houses in Wolotopo were also built without using nails, some parts using wooden pegs.
Restoration efforts that make some parts have to use nails. This traditional house was designed with a building structure specifically designed for earthquake shocks. With a length of 12 meters and a width of 10 meters, this antique traditional house is similar to a stilt house supported by oval stone and coconut wood which is used by 30 pieces. The floors and walls are also made of wood.
The roof is made of sago palm. Formerly, in Wolotopo Village there were four large traditional houses or one of them, namely sa’o tarobo, sa’o ata male, sa’o sue, sa’o taringi. However, now only two large traditional houses remain: sa’o ata male and sa’o sue. Not only the traditional house, on the hill with this beautiful view can the Friends of Sporto find a wooden building called kedha kanga, making it like a tomb, because it is here, removing the bones of the ancestors and even the mummy.
There are also menhir stones and offerings used for the benefit of traditional ceremonies. Traditional ceremonies are indeed carried out on this hill. The view on the hill which directly faces off the southern coast adds to the beauty of this sacred place. Mount Iya, which is grayish-blue, looks gracefully standing in the middle of the sea of Flores.
Once reversing Wolotopo Village, from a distance there appears an antique Wolotopo village on a hill equipped with stones prepared as supporting buildings. Upon arrival in this village, of course traditional village tourism and history treats will be an impressive experience. Culture and customs are still so thick in this traditional village area. Not to mention the scenery and uniqueness of old building architecture that is still maintained and sustainable to this day.
- With a distance of 12 km to the east from the city of Ende, Wolotopo can be reached by two-wheeled vehicles and four-wheeled vehicles with about 30 minutes of travel.
- Places to eat
- Parking area
- Worship place