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Bena Traditional Village 
Bena Traditional Village is a must visit for anyone visiting Flores Island that wants to experience what life is life in an authentic traditional village. Bena is in the Aimea District in Ngada Regency and is located about 15 kilometers to the south of the town called Bajawa and about an 8 hour drive from the town of Labuan Bajo. It is a Traditional megalithic Village with a rich cultural history and is very welcoming to Tourists. The Village is located at the bottom of a giant volcano named Inerie. Talking a couple of hours or even a full day here can truly feel like you are transported back in time. The local houses are built in a traditional style that is unique to the Island of Flores. The homes display a traditional vernacular style of architecture that is easily recognisable to be a common architectural style on the Island of Flores. At Maika Komodo Tours we make sure that each and everyone of our tours get a truly unique cultural experience, but connecting with locals and learning about different aspects of local culture, including; local rituals, ancestral beliefs, and more. Spending time with the village locals over a cup to local coffee is truly an experience to be cherished.
Bena Traditional Village is comprised of over 40 traditional homes that house nine original tribes within the village. The different tribes that make up Bena are; the Dizi Tribe, Deru Solamae tribe, the Dizi Azi tribe, the Ngada tribe, the Wahto tribe, Deru Lalulewa tribe, the Ago tribe, and the Khopa Tribe. The Village sits right at the bottom of a massive volcano called Inerie that over shadows the village. Which is why the locals believe the volcano is connected with the Yeta God, and she always protects their village. That are many unique aspects of the traditional homes. For example each traditional home is built around the wood kitchen which is located at the center of the house. Another interesting bit of information not commonly talked about is that there are 28 boards that are used to build the kitchen. It is like this at the center of every traditional home. The 28 equal boards represent the womens’ monthly cycle. There are also wood carvings all along the outside of the kitchen, which represents many aspects of the culture as well. The carvings can only be carved by a certain linage of the family that is qualified to do so.
As can be seen in many photos, the village revolves about the center, which is why the homes are laid out in a U shape format. This layout allows for the courtyard to be at the center. The reason the Village is considered a megalithic Village is because there are rock slabs that represent statues in the center of the courtyard. These represent tombs of the ancestor that previously lived in the village. The bigger stones represents a higher rank in the village. A practice used in many cultures, even still in modern times. For example, any chiefs of the village that passed away would be represented by the largest stones. There are other unique characteristics of the different buildings as well. While on your tour, your will noticed each home has a slightly different top on it, representing the family that lives there. As well, you will see the jaw bones and skulls of buffalo haning on the sides of the homes. This represents all the different animal sacrifices that have taken place in the home. Including, home building, weddings, funerals, seasonal rituals and more. There are also two other kinds of buildings in the courtyard. The small buildings are used in ceremonies. One building style represents the women and one building style represents the man. The Nga’du has an umbrella like feature with spears on the top of the roof. The Nga’du represents the male ancestors. The other small building are called the Bhaga and resembles a small home with a large opening which is like an open air window. The Bhaga represents the Female. During a traditional new years ceromony, the children gather around the Bhaga while the grandmother is inside and take part in a local drink.
To book a tour of Bena Traditional Village contact us today and we can work with you to help you have a great time while visiting Flores, Indonesia.
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Komodo Tour Packages and Flores Overland Tours We can work with you to put together a tour that works with your schedule. Choose between;
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We offer, One Day Trips or... 2 Days / 1 Night 3 Days / 2 Nights 4 Days / 3 Nights If you would like to book a tour of Bena Traditional Village or anywhere else in Flores for an Overland Tour, Contact us today and we can work with you and your group. We have many options with Komodo Island Tours or Flores Overland Tours to choose from. Our professional local guides are here to make sure you have a great time while visiting this unique area of the world.
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“I had a Wonderful tour! I had one of the best times of my life with you guys! Thank you so much!” - Amber - North Carolina (USA) |
“Thank you for showing my family the best time in Komodo, I highly recommend. So Amazing!" - Donna -(Spain) |