Jakarta, IO – As an archipelagic country, Indonesia has diverse customs and cultures. Not only in the form of arts and foods, it also has many tribal groups with their own distinctive characteristics.
Abui tribe is one of these unique ethnic communities. They live in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and are known to be the happiest people, reported Kumparan, Friday (5/5).
Angela Padafing, a student from the University of Timor in her thesis entitled “Ethnomatematics Exploration of Mokodan Woven Cloth and Kui Motifs in the Culture of the Alor Abui Tribe” explained that the tribe is also known as Alor. They are renowned for their woven fabrics which have rich and distinctive motifs.
But most of all, they are known for their warmth, friendliness and harmony. They show that happiness can be found in simple things, such as living together in a friendly manner, getting along well with others, and respecting the outside community.
This is reflected in their folk dances and songs in welcoming guests. They even generously turn the village where they live as a tourism village.
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In their daily communication, they use Abui language, derived from Alor, Papua and Makasai. The language is divided into three dialects — Kobola, Alakaman, and Atimelang. However, this language is at risk of disappearing because the local government encourage them to use Indonesian.
Abui people in Takpala Village, which has been designated a tourism village, offers a deeper knowledge of Abui culture. To reach this village, visitors need to travel 13 kilometers from Kalabahi and spend about Rp400,000 to enter the traditional village. (un)