1001 Sandalwood Horse Parade on Walakiri Beach, Sumba Island
13 July 2018 15:10 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The residents of Sumba Island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), held Thursday a traditional event titled “1001 Sandalwood Horse Parade”. According to a release broadcasted by the Tourism Ministry, the event took place on Walakiri Beach, East Sumba.
The sandalwood horses became the main characters in this world-renowned parade. The Deputy of Marketing Development of the Ministry of Tourism, I Gede Pitana, said the event had successfully lured tourists, particularly foreign ones. “The 1001 Sandalwood Horse Parade is unique, only in Sumba,” Pitana said.
Sandalwood horses are an unmistakeable icon of Sumba. Its existence has closely been related to the livelihood of Sumbanese for centuries. In the past, the horses were considered as the primary vehicles for trading activities as well as a means of transportation for the noble.
Read: Sumba, the Land of Knights
The parade was enlivened with weaving-bind festival and traditional dance performances, where participants were invited to join and mingle with locals. Some guests also donned the typical Sumba clothes, making them look like relatives of the local.
The sandalwood horse parade is an annual event that takes place in the second week of July. NTT Tourism Agency head Darius Jelamu said the event was one of the province's mainstay agendas of tourism.
“This is Sumba's tribute to Indonesia. This event is good branding for Sumba and attracts many tourists.
FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA