Moluccas

Franciscus Dondy Yanuprasetya

Bambu Gila Ceremony. Nowadays this ceremony is very rare. Unfortunately, I didnt have the chance to see it. So, in exchange, I took a photo of its paintings.

Moluccas
Photojournal by Franciscus Dondy Yanuprasetya

Prologue
It started from a conversation class in french cultural center (Lembaga Indonesia Prancis) in Yogyakarta. I met a research doctor named Bintari Dwihardiani. From then on, we became friends. One evening after the class, we had a chat in the caf. I said to her that I love traveling and going on an adventure. And I told her my last adventure in Kangean Islands. Then she told me that on July 2010 she would conduct a research (about helminth disease) in Amboina Island. I reacted spontaneously by saying, I would do anything for you, anything, if you take me there with you. I added, I may know nothing about the disease but Im sure that I could be useful. I would be anything to help you and it doesn't even matter if I don't get paid. I dont mind it as long as I can get there. Thats the important thing. Well, I'm not a spontaneous guy but maybe I said those words (without further thinking) because Amboina (or Moluccas) was one of the islands in Indonesia I wanted to go to so badly and it might be the only chance. I guessed I had never been that spontaneous in my life...
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1. Amboina Island 2. Tiga Islands 3. Pombo Island 4. Saparua Island 5. Seram Island
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Amboina Island

Liang Beach

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Gusepa Beach

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Act I
She said she'd think about it and she'd figure out what my role could be in her research. I kept my fingers crossed. A few weeks later (or maybe a month later) she had to go in a mission with MSF (Mdecins Sans Frontires/Doctors without Border) for 3 months in Haiti as an emergency hospital's director. So, she had to delay the research. I was a little bit worried that the research might be cancelled but she said she decided to do it on August-September 2010 and in the mean time I could read and learn some more about the research's method (she lent me a book).

Act II
On August, 24th, we went to Amboina and started the research. It was supposed to be a full month research but Bintari decided that two weeks was enough to gather the data. So she said that in the end of second week of September (before Lebaran, the 10th), she would go back to Yogyakarta. I said to her that I wanted to stay a little bit longer to explore the islands. She agreed.

Act III
We stayed in doctor's residence in Tulehu Hospital (Tulehu is also the name of the region) and luckily there's a beach nearby named Batu Kuda. The beach was named so because there was a rock that looked like a horse (batu means rock, kuda means horse) before the constant and persistent waves destroyed it. And because it's just 10-15 minutes' walk, we went there quite often. What I like about Batu Kuda is that there's a hot spring in the edge of the beach. But we can only see it when the tide is low. We can see it by the small red rocks around it, the smell of sulphur air, and, of course, the bubbles that comes out from the rocks and boils the water. One more thing that astonished me is when I looked carefully in the boiling water, which was very hot; I could see living creatures such as crabs and fishes! They were moving around freely as if they didn't feel the heat. It was amazing

Batu Kuda Beach, the remnant of the horse rock

Batu Kuda Beach, hot spring on the beach

Act IV
Beta and Ose were my first local words. It means 'I' and 'you'. I guessed it's important to learn a little bit local language and dialect for I would be living in Amboina for five weeks. They spoke very fast and at first I couldn't catch up and understand them. But finally I got used to it.

Act V
We had the chance to visit Natsepa Beach. It was not too far from the hospital. Some people said that its beauty is 'ordinary' but I thought even so, it's still beautiful. This beach is the favorite spot for young people of Amboina Island to hang out. It is also famous for its Rujak Natsepa, fruit salad with nuts, coconut sugar, and chili sauce. The people that I met before said to me that I had to taste it if I went there.

Act VI
Even though it was only two weeks, we even still managed to get a day off. This time we went to Liang Beach. It was in the morning and the tide was still high. In the perfect light and in the perfect moment, everything was extraordinary. It was marvelous. The white sand that stretched out along the beach was covered up by sea water. And when the sun shone through it everything became crystal, became clear. Few meters further, the sea color's dissolved into blue. I saw the magnificent gradation of blue. Light blue and blue pastel and dark blue Together with the blue sky, it was wonderful We couldn't resist ourselves to plunge and to swim in that blue paradise

Bintari (on the right) and doctor Elsa (on the left) in Natsepa Beach

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Waai Village, Morea (Eel) Conservation Site, a spring in the village

Morea/Eel Tamer feeding the eel

Act VII
In Liang Beach, there were these two lady travelers named Erin and Susi who came to us (maybe they knew that we were tourists too). Then we made an acquaintance. They were from Jakarta and came to Amboina for a holiday. After enjoying our time in Liang Beach we decided to visit Morea/Eel Conservation Site in Waai Village. We invited Erin and Susi to come too. We had heard that the eels (the people called them Morea) were incredibly huge and long. It made us curious and we wanted to see them with our own eyes. It was true. Actually, we could find the eels in several places, but the eels in Waai Village are protected. It is prohibited to harm them or even to catch and eat them. The eels are tamed too. While the wild eels eat leftovers from villagers' dishes, the tamed ones eat eggs (or the yellow parts of the eggs). We met an eel tamer from the village and we asked him to show us the eels. Because the eels lived and hid beneath the rock on the edge of the river, he had to lure them out. He descended into the water and picked up an egg from his pocket. He splashed the water with his fingers in a certain way that it created sounds. It was the sign to call the eels. After a while an eel approached the tamer. He made a hole on the egg and put it a little bit under water. He did this so the eel could smell the egg and get closer to him. The tamer stalled the eel by putting the egg on and off so we could see it little longer. Because after the eel get to eat the egg (It sucks the egg's inside with its mouth) it would go back to its home. He even let us to touch the eel. It was slippery

Act VIII
Bintari left before Lebaran Day. The chief of Tulehu Hospital, doctor Pontoh, was very kind to let me stay a little bit longer (even though I had nothing more to do). I was so thankful because that meant I didn't have to pay for a place to stay in Amboina while exploring the island. She said that I could use the place as a base camp and in case something happened I could ask for help

Act IX
After Lebaran I was all alone. Karlina Diah Indriasari, a friend that I met on my journey to Karimunjawa Islands, suggested me to contact her friend in Amboina named Reinhard Maulany. So, I contacted him. He was very nice and generous to keep me company and to offer me a ride around the islands. So with his motorcycle we went to Leahari Beach, Hukurila Beach, and Batu Lobang Cave. And along the road, if we passed some beautiful spots we would stop for a while to enjoy the great view.

Act X
Erin and Susi came back from Banda Islands. We agreed to visit some places again together. We went to Pintu Kota (pintu means door and kota means city, it is actually a cliff with a big hole, maybe the inhabitants consider it as a door to the island), Santai Beach, Tanjung Beach, and Batu Capeo (a rock that resembles a hat, even though I couldn't see the shape, batu means rock and capeo means hat in dutch language). 7

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Hukurila Beach

Batu Lobang Cave

Reinhard and his motorcycle Leahari Beach

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Pintu Kota, view from above the cliff

Kids playing in Santai Beach

Pintu Kota

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Act XI
What a small world. It turned out that there's connection between us. Erin has a friend at work who lives in Amboina named Santi Made. And actually she's Reinhard's junior high school classmate! Do you believe in coincidence?

Act XII
Another day, we decided to go to Tiga Islands, three small islands located in far western side of Amboina. The Islands are Ela, Hatala or Tengah (it means center), and Lain. It was difficult to get to these islands. We must go to Asilulu Village to get across the islands. But to get to this village, the public transport is rare because it's very far from the city. It's even harder on holiday. First we used public transport, minibus (the people called it oto). Then we hitch-hiked a car (maybe it was our desperate action). And finally we used ojek (motorcycle). It was long and tiring After we got to the village, we headed to the chief's house to ask permission. We also asked whether we could rent a boat. We went to Ela Island first (because it's the furthest from the village) and snorkeled around. Then we went to Hatala or Tengah Island. This island was full of people, especially children, who went there to do a picnic. We spent more time there. Finally, we headed to Lain Island (the closest from the village). There, we didn't do much. We just watched the view. We decided to go back to the mainland because it started raining. We sailed through hard rain and it was cold. We said goodbye to the chief and went back. The journey back to the city was also difficult. We walked while searching public transportation. After quite some time, there was this oto (minibus) that passed by, we jumped in quickly. On our way back, we had the chance to see Batu Layar (a rock that resembles sailing ship). This time, I could see the shape

Parrot. We could find this bird all over the island.

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Act XIII
Every year, one week after Lebaran, Baku Pukul Manyapu Ceremony takes place in Mamala Village. The villagers hit each other with long, thin, and thick sticks (or the village call it broom) from aren tree. They hit each other until they bleed. I couldn't imagine the pain when I saw it. But, after the 'war' is over, usually they put minyak mamala ('magic' oil from mamala) on their bodies. The people believe that this oil has the power to cure all skin diseases.

Act XIV
Pombo Island was one of my favorites. It is a very small uninhabited island between Seram, Haruku, and Amboina Island. When I went there, everything was perfect. The weather was nice and a lot of sun. The sea was as calm as a lake. It was as if it became the mirror of the sky or vice versa. The panorama was breathtakingly wonderful. I loved it.

Act XV
Erin left and went back home but Susi decided she would stay a week longer. She said she would come with me to explore the other islands. One day, we went to Haruku Island by speedboat. But we didn't spend much time because we didn't feel very well. So we decided to go back. Luckily, we saw a ferry in a distance and we decided to check it. The very was about to leave so we went on board. We were also thankful that there was a ferry because it cost a lot cheaper.

The plant of Sago, the primary food for the inhabitants. We could also find it everywhere.

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Franciscus Dondy Yanuprasetya

Baku Pukul Manyapu Ceremony in Mamala Village was preceded by The Dance of The Bird and other performances.

The dance was accompanied by rebana music

The lines of Baku Pukul Manyapu Ceremony participants

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The participants of the ceremony hit each other with brooms (thin, long, and thick sticks from aren tree) until they bleed. After the war they put mamala oil all over their bodies to cure the wound.

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Tiga Islands

Tiga Islands consist of three small islands. Above: Tengah or Hatala Islands. Insert: Erin and Susi, after snorkeling in Ela Island.

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Pombo Island

View of the island from the sea

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Pombo panorama, Amboina Island (left side) and Seram Island (right side)

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Pombo panorama, Seram Island (left-center side) and Haruku Island (right side)

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Act XVI
Next day, we went to Saparua Island. We had a rendezvous at 8.30 AM (the ferry left at 9.00 AM). But Susi arrived late so we missed it. Actually Susi arrived when the ferry sailed just few feet away but it was the same anyway, the ferry could not stop and go back. We thought deep for a while how to get to Saparua Island. Fortunately, there was another boat heading toward the island! We heard a man shouting, Saparua, Saparua! So we hurried (we ran actually) and jumped inside. Maybe it was also luck because the boat moved faster and the destination was different from the ferry's destination so we got the chance to explore. We arrived in Haria Village (the ferry's destination was Hulur Village, in the other side of the island). We visited Duurstede Fortress nearby and spent some time there, enjoying the beautiful view. Satisfied, we headed to Hulur Village to catch up the ferry. When we got there, the ferry was just arrived! But it had to go to Seram Island first so we had to wait. While waiting, we entered a warung (kiosk) and had something to eat and drink. The owner lady was kind. We had a little chat. She told me that there was a cave nearby named Gua Air Putri with a spring inside. The source of water in Saparua Island comes from spring inside caves. She told us also about the cave's or spring's legend. But when I heard it, I thought of several similar legends in Indonesia. The legend was about seven goddesses who descended from heaven to take a bath in the spring. We were curious though so we went to the cave. The water was very fresh

View of Amboina Island from Pombo Island

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Saparua Island

Saparua Island (left side), Maulana Island (right side), and Nusa Laut Island (far center side)

Duurstede Fortress
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Duurstede Fortress view

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Duurstede Fortress panorama

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Hulur Village, view from ferry harbor

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Gua Air Putri, Hulur Village

Act XVII
Seram Island is huge. It's much bigger than Amboina Island. We didn't have much time there so we just followed a friend's suggestion who said, If you go to Seram, you must visit Sawai. It's worth it. But unfortunately Sawai Village is a remote place. It's located in northern Seram, beyond the mountains (the harbor is in southern Seram). Actually we didn't know anything about the place. We had only our courage. That's all we had. To access Sawai, we had to pass a mountain. This mountain is also a part of Manusela National Park. This Park is a paradise for birds and butterflies. We saw them flying around along the road Sawai is located in a gulf, which often makes the sea as calm as a lake, and surrounded by magnificent limestone cliffs. There were many floating houses. We stayed a floating guest house. We could just snorkel right away if we wanted too. We took a small boat to see the surroundings and the limestone cliffs closer. We met a family who also spent the night in the guest house. They had a truck with open trunk so we asked them if we could hitch-hike in their back of the truck until the harbor. They agreed and we were relieved. Even though we had to stand the heat and the rain, we could save our money.
Gua Air Putri, Hulur Village

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Seram Island

Sawai Village with mountainious background

Manusela National Park

Sawai Village, floating houses

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Sawai, limestone cliff

Epilogue
One month had passed. There were many places I wanted to go such as K Islands, Tanimbar Islands, and Aru Islands but I had only one week left. Those islands are extremely far from Amboina. So I thought the possible place to go was Banda Islands. Yes, I decided that my last week in Moluccas would be in Banda Islands It's not over yet but overall my journey in Moluccas was incredible. The islands that I visited and the people I met gave me unforgettable experience. I was very grateful for what happened to me this past month. I hoped that I could be there again someday...

Sawai, limestone cliff

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