Sumba by The Sumba Foundation, Forward by Lawrence Blair
During the boom years of Indonesia’s self-promotion as a tourist destination, from the mid-1980s until the economic collapse and the toppling of the Suharto regime in 1998, little attention was paid to the hundreds of fascinating islands stretching east of Bali all the way to New Guinea.
Amongst the most rewarding for the adventurous traveller, surfer or anglers is Sumba Island which, despite being only a two hour flight from Bali, has remained not only surprisingly little visited by outsiders but is a powerfully individualistic island culture with an exceptional and unspoiled natural beauty that is seldom found elsewhere in the archipelago.
Since Indonesia entered the age of mass tourism, time has passed this island by with little acknowledgement of its natural history, its people and their unique culture. As the mesmerizing images in this picture book show, this ancient land of bareback horsemen, warriors and monuments hasn’t received the attention it deserves.
Known as “the cowboy island of the south seas,” Sumba is the breeding ground for the country’s strongest horses, as well as the source of some of Indonesia’s most handsome ikat fabrics. For the student of ethnography, Sumba is a treasure trove. The harsh climate and difficult natural surroundings have forged a hardy people known for their intact ritual tribal life, flawlessly built high-peaked thatch-roofed structures, mammoth sculpted stone tombs and excellent tuak. Here is an authentic culture with none of the layers of Hinduism and Islam found elsewhere in Indonesia. It can be said that it is the largest animist island in Indonesia.
As this book reveals, Sumba also provides an unexpectedly pristine marine environment, particularly along the south coast fronting the Indian Ocean. Here are the white sands, thundering rollers and intense blue water which bring awe to the hearts of surfers and big game fishermen.
A great number of talented people participated in the making of Sumba, among them longtime Sumba resident and Coordinator-in-Chief Claude Graves. Other contributing authors and aficionados include Lawrence Blair known internationally for the film Ring of Fire which he made with his brother Lorne Blair, and Jann Wenner, the publisher of Rolling Stone magazine. Chief photographer Jason Childs, a native of Australia, is renowned as Indonesia’s premier surf photographer.
The production and publishing costs of Sumba have been subsidized by sponsors, allowing all the proceeds from the sale of the book to go directly to The Sumba Foundation (www. sumbafoundation. org <http://www. sumbafoundation. org/> ), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the indigenous people of the island. The foundation assists the Sumbanese by enhancing the quality of their lives through improved health, education and employment opportunities. In buying this book, you will be making life better for the people of the island.
Sumba by the Sumba Foundation, Foreword by Lawrence Blair, The Sumba Foundation 2004, ISBN 981-05-1951-6, 176 pages, glossary, bibliography, index.
Available for Rp425,000 at Periplus Bookshops in the Bali Galleria and in the Matahari in Kuta, Warung Made in Seminyak, Ngurah Rai Airport (both international and domestic terminals), in Gramedia Bookstores, and in Ary’s, Ganesha and Periplus bookshops of Ubud.
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