Youth and Tourism Industry

As if two sides of a coin

Every region has their own uniqueness that has become their trademark. This uniqueness can be seen from nature, scenery, architecture, buildings or historic and cultural heritage that differs in shape and ornament from one region to another. It is critical for youth to know and understand their region’s historical and cultural heritage, especially in Sumba’s booming tourism industry.

As a continuation of the Cultural Heritage: Inventorying Cultural Heritages, Stube-HEMAT Sumba facilitates Sumbanese youth and undergraduates to visit Eastern Sumba regional museum on Saturday, December 8^th, 2018. On this visit, participants observe the collections inside the Eastern Sumba museum belongs to Department of Tourism. This collection includes ‘hinggi’ (traditional woven fabric), ‘ngohung’ (mortar), ‘tanga watil’ (betel nut placeholder), ‘kalumbut’ (betel nut placeholder for males), parang (blades), ‘jungga’ (traditional guitar), ‘makka’ (spinning top toy), ‘lamba’ (drum), gong, ‘mamuli’ (wedding dowry), and other collections.

Umbu Kura Lena, museum’s speaker conveys that NTT provincial government is campaigning tourism as a leading sector to develop other sectors. Therefore, various elements must participate actively within it, especially youths and undergraduates that has the motivation and fresh ideas. They are expected to be the man behind the wheel of the tourism industry.

In response to that information, Apriyanto Hangga, one of the Stube-HEMAT Sumba’s team, revealed his dream that the museum completes its collection, because the museum’s collection is less than 50% of Sumbanese historical and cultural heritage. He explains that some objects, e.g. ‘katoda’ (stone altar that is used by ‘Marapu’ -a local Sumbanese belief- believers), jewelry (e.g. rings, bracelets, vases, and crowns), hunting spears, etc. He also criticizes the local government’s slowness on building a museum and their difficulties on gathering their collection due to the fact that many Sumbanese cultural and heritage objects that went for sale outside Sumba, even overseas.

Sepritus Tangaru Mahamu, one of the participants, currently studying at AKN Waingapu, expressed his delight to be able to see heritage objects with his own eyes inside this museum. Prior to its establishment, he’s only able to listen to stories of traditional musical instruments like ‘djungga’ or guitar. Turns out he’s not the only one, there’s still plenty of youth who has never seen that musical instrument, not to mention playing it. Djungga lost its popularity competing with modern guitars that have more variation in tones. Right now, he’s enterprising on selling Sumbanese delicacies e.g. ‘kaparak’ and Sumbanese shawl. Even if it’s on a small scale, he believed that it will act as a stepping stone to be youth that steers the wheel of Sumbanese tourism industry.

At the end of the visit, the participants held a reflection and cataloged nature tourism spots inside Sumba. Other than that, they will also write a story that describes these spots as a form of advertising. Youth as the region’s next generation needs to be sensitive on tourism opportunities and become the initiator for its development, this sector can even be a job alternative as a tourism entrepreneur and job opportunity for others. (JUF)