Nomad in Flores

A Nomad arrives in Labuan Bajo in west Flores.

Even though the Weber Line running through the North and South Moluccas is considered to be the borderline between Asian and Australasian fauna. From west to east Flores you can already see a shift in ethnic features from Malay to Melanesian and as such can be seen as a borderline between the Malay and Melanesian worlds.

We have been sailing the Nusa Tenggara seas for days now and are reaching the end of our boat trip. About 45 sailing minutes from our final destination in Flores we have one more stop at a beautiful deserted isle called Kelor, with a fine white beach and a bustling underwater life. It’s hard to say goodbye, but from the beach of this little isle we can already see our last port of call in the distance.

Finally we reach Labuan Bajo on the main island of Flores the furthest point of my voyage to the wild wild east of Indonesia. Labuan Bajo is a relaxed, but still unpolished little fishermen’s port in the west of Flores island. International tourism is moving eastwards and the port is slowly expanding its’ facilities to accommodate visitors. The only thing I really craved for however was a good shower.

Still it was hard to find a room and the place I’m staying at often loses electricity. Roads are rough and fresh water supply is irregular. Cultural activity like the bloody Caci fights are held for the benefit of the community and not led by commercial incentives. Last but not least visitors can purchase at local prices unlike most of Bali and much of Lombok where visitors can expect to be ripped off.

Live mostly continues to the pace of native drums and a Nomad is taking a few days of reflection to write.

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The Portuguese Indos of Flores.

Centuries before the Dutch had conquered the Nusantara Islands the Portuguese had ventured into this South East Asian archipelago in search for fabled riches. From their trading post settlements the first Indo-European communities evolved. Heavily hybrid in nature holding on to Portuguese dress, language and religion, but having strong influences from the indigenous islanders they integrated with. One such Portuguese Indo society was based in the port city of Larantuka in East Flores, on the opposite side of Labuan Bajo in West Flores.

The Larantuqueiros, as these original Indos called themselves, were a sub-division of a greater seafaring Portuguese Indo community called the Topasses (the hat wearing people or people of 2 languages), some of which fled from the Portuguese settlements in the South Moluccas, when the Dutch established dominance there. The Dutch called these pre-colonial Indos the ‘Black Portuguese’ and remained in conflict and competition with them long after the ‘totok’ Portuguese had surrendered to the Dutch flag.

Being native to the land the Topasses never retreated to Portugal and remained active as seafaring traders, building their own trading post settlements from Flores and Solor to Timor in East Nusa Tenggara. Proficient in maritime navigation, as well as western warfare, the Topasses became a powerful and independent entity dominating the sandalwood trade for 200 years. Being racially and culturally mixed they also easily established strong ties with the indigenous peoples.

"These [the Topasses] have no Forts, but depend on their Alliance with the Natives: And indeed they are already so mixt, that it is hard to distinguish whether they are Portugueze or Indians. Their Language is Portugueze; and the religion they have, is Romish. They seem in Words to acknowledge the King of Portugal for their Sovereign; yet they will not accept any Officers sent by him. They speak indifferently the Malay and their own native Languages (Note: Portuguese Petjok), as well as Portugueze." Diaries of British Brigadier William Dampier, 1699.

Unlike smaller Portuguese Indo communities and families, at large the Topasses never integrated much with the Dutch colonials. Nowadays in fact the Topasses have mostly assimilated into the indigenous people of Flores, Solor and Timor. However their influence in Flores is still discernible in language, culture and religion. In Timor many of the royal Raja families still descend from the Topasses.

There are old roots here a Nomad identifies with...