VISITING TODO TRADITIONAL VILLAGE, FLORES

Talking about Indonesian culture is never-ending. One of the most unique traditional villages is the Todo Traditional Village, located in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara. These different cultures enrich Indonesia's cultural treasures. If I have previously shared the Wae Rebo Traditional Village or Bena Traditional Village, this time, I want to share my experience visiting the Todo Traditional Village.

History of Todo Traditional Village, Flores

Todo Traditional Village,  has much information about Indonesian culture. It is located at the foot of Mount Ranaka, precisely in Todo Village, North Satar Mese District, Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Todo Traditional Village is known as a village with Minangkabau civilization. Or the Flores people call it Minangkabau.

Todo Traditional Village is about 45 kilometres from Ruteng City, the capital of Manggarai. The path to this traditional Village winds up and down, but it pays off with green scenery in hilly areas and fresh air in some areas. Using a private vehicle from Manggarai takes about 1.5 hours.

Todo Traditional Village is located on a plateau surrounded by valleys. To reach it, you must rent a four-wheeled or two-wheeled vehicle because there is no public transportation. Access to Todo Traditional Village is still in stone arrays but neatly arranged around the yard.

One of the historical relics of this traditional Village is the Niang House or Mbaru Niang. Niang Todo is a traditional house similar to a round stilt house with a conical roof, wood, and bamboo frame. 

The roof is made of straw. In the past, this model house was the home or palace of the Todo King. If the frame of this building is opened, it will form like a spider web. It is unique. No wonder many researchers go back and forth to research in this traditional Village. 

This five-story house is supported by woodwork and bamboo. The Mbaru Niang household houses a human skin drum considered sacred by the local community. This drum has great power in determining the origin of the Manggarai Kingdom in Todo Village.

The uniqueness of this traditional Todo house is almost the same as that of the Mbaru Niang house in other traditional villages, such as Wae Rebo Traditional Village and Bena Traditional Village. This uniqueness also makes Todo's Mbaru Niang house a candidate for the Aga Khan Award in the Architecture category in 2023 from UNESCO.

The children and women of this traditional Village sell souvenirs made by their own hands. These include fabrics, bracelets, keychains and more. You can buy them if you need them or just for souvenirs and mementoes. This is a form of contribution to help the economy of this indigenous community. On the other hand, the indigenous people in Todo Traditional Village survive by farming.

My Experience of Visiting Todo Traditional Village

I visited Todo Traditional Village two years ago, precisely at the transition of the rainy and dry seasons. The weather was unpredictable during my two-week visit to East Nusa Tenggara and was sometimes hot and rainy.

When I visited Todo Traditional Village, the weather was hot and cloudy when I was about to go home. Not many guests were visiting then it was just me and my friend. A Flores official and his family were visiting at that time, and they were almost finished, so I was free to enjoy the atmosphere of this traditional Village.

I visited Todo Traditional Village by renting a four-wheeled vehicle. The road is quite winding and still has dirt and rocks. I left the hotel early and arrived at the traditional Village around 11 a.m. local time. The weather was scorching hot. It made my body sweaty, and I was quite reluctant to take a lot of documentation. Only when I wanted to go home did the weather start to cloud over.

Arriving at the entrance of Todo Traditional Village, we were immediately greeted by the officers there. After parking, we were invited to enter a traditional building, a stilt house, where tickets were purchased simultaneously for registration and to fill out a guest or visit book.

After we paid for the ticket, changed into clothes, and did other things, our guide invited us to start touring the Village. Todo Traditional Village. The distance is not far, only a few tens of meters from the ticket purchase point.

On our way to Todo Traditional Village, we will pass through a road covered with neat stones. We must also climb several stairs to reach the Village centre. Before you go around this village, you have to meet with Ketua Adat or Tribal Head first.

We were immediately taken to the tribal head's house for a welcome ceremony. Anyone visiting this traditional Village will first be taken to meet the tribal head's at his house. Then, there will be a five-minute ceremony. Meeting the customary head is like asking his permission to go around. 

Simply put, when we visit someone else's house, we have to meet the owner and ask permission to look around the house and its surroundings, more or less like that. This is one of the ethics or manners we must follow when visiting other people's homes, including traditional villages that still hold mysticism and sacredness.

Here, we will also sincerely donate to the customary chief as a form of our respect for him for being welcomed and allowed to look around the traditional Village he leads. It was the same when I visited Rebo Traditional Village in Ruteng.

After the ceremony, my friend and I immediately saw the traditional Todo house. We took pictures with the Todo children while enjoying the valley's beauty surrounding this traditional Village. There are only seven traditional Todo houses.

Entrance Ticket Price (HTM)

At that time, we paid IDR 100,000 for two people, including the services of a guide who would explain the history of this Todo Traditional Village. The cost also included renting one cloth package, namely a sarong, shawl, and headband. Both men and women are required to wear this cloth package.

A donation as sincerely as possible when you finish the ceremony to welcome guests by the tribal head of Todo Traditional Village.

Operating Hours

Tourists can visit Todo Traditional Village from 07.30 - 18.00 WIT. Try to visit this place in the morning so it is not too hot during the day, or visit in the afternoon when the sun is not too hot.

Activities and Attractions of Todo Traditional Village

Some activities or activities in Todo Traditional Village when you visit are:

1. Taking pictures

You can take various photos or documentation about the Todo traditional house, the activities of local people when weaving, pictures with children or local people, or documentation of the view of the Todo Traditional Village. But before you take their picture, get permission. Mostly, they will be happy and permit the tourists to photograph them.

2. Learn to weave

Those who like or are interested in weaving can also learn to weave from women in this Todo Traditional Village. Todo women are adept at making woven fabrics with various models, so there is nothing wrong with learning to weave from Todo women.

3. Interact with local people

Besides taking pictures and weaving, tourists can also interact with local people. Listen to the history of Todo Traditional Village, which is unique and rich in culture. It will certainly expand our knowledge of the history of culture and the uniqueness of Indonesia. For those of you who like history, it is very suitable to visit this traditional Village.

4. Listening to the history of the House of Niang Todo

One of the attractions or tourist attractions in Todo Traditional Village is the unique Niang Todo house. The conical shape is made of straw. This thousand-year-old house is a special attraction.

5. Listening to the history and taking pictures of Meriam Belanda

The second attraction is the presence of Meriam Belanda when entering this traditional Village. According to the guide there, five cannons are Dutch relics, so they are named Meriam Belanda.

6. Listening to the history and taking pictures of Compang and Menhir

The next attraction is Compang, a place for offerings during traditional ceremonies. It is rectangular but not too wide. It consists of eight ancestral graves of direct descendants of the king. In addition, you will also find menhirs, which are medium-sized upright stones that are similar to facemasks.

7. Listening to the history and taking pictures of Drums made of human skin.

After the guide explained the history and what was there, it turned out that another attraction of Todo was the existence of a drum made of human skin. This drum is a sacred object in the traditional Village of Todo.

8. Enjoying beautiful view

In addition to the presence of niang Todo, the traditional Village surrounded by this valley makes this traditional Village very beautiful with its back view in the form of mountains with a green view.

Tips for visiting Todo Traditional Village

• Obey all the rules that apply.
• Visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the heat.
• Prepare cash because there are no ATMs.
• Bring sunscreen or sunblock because the weather is very hot.
• Dress appropriately when visiting this traditional Village.
• Ask for permission before taking pictures with the local people.
• Do not litter.
• Getting to Todo's traditional Village is difficult, so wear comfortable clothes and prepare food and drinks.

When I visited the Todo Traditional Village in Flores, I learned a lot about Indonesia's rich history and culture, and I am proud to be Indonesian. Have you visited this Todo Traditional Village? If yes, please share in the comments column.