Berita11.com— Timor Tengah Utara (TTU) or North Central Timor Regency located on the transport path Kupang-SoE-Atambua is often crowded by public transports. Kefamenanu, the capital city of North Central Timor (TTU) Regency is located on Timor Island, NTT province and bordered with regencies of TTS, Kupang, Belu, Ombai Strait and Demokratic Republic of Timor-Leste in Oekusi
The Regency led by the Regent David Juandi and Vice Regent Eusabius Binsasi is divided into 24 Sub-Districts and 175 villages. Many natural charms, marine, wealth of art, cultures and ancient history can be found here till at present. Ancient legacy is still maintained by TTU tribes and communities. Many traditional villages that still keep ancient objects are inherited from generation to generation. Heritage objects are well maintained and stored in traditional houses and can not be moved ineptly. Its community life still continues to do traditional activities even though people believe in Catholic, Christian and Islam. Hereditary traditions keep being maintained so that kinship remains well preserved.
Here are some cultural recommended tourist magnet for you when visiting North Central Timor namely Wini and Tanjung Bastian Beaches, International Post Boundry of Wini Indonesia and Oeccuse Timor Leste, traditional houses, ikat weaving, Kure traditional Easter in Koten Noemuti village and many more:
Wini Beach
Wini beach is located in Sub-district of North Insana, North Central Timor (TTU) about 65 km from the city of Kefamenanu. It can be reached by public transportation, rental cars or motorcycles for about an hour. This place is an unspoiled beach tourist object with its charming black sand, and cool and fresh air. Most tourists who visit there are coming from Kefamenanu and outside. Near the coast, there are Wini beach and Wini Port and Tanjung Bastian beach. Wini beach is one of the natural tourism objects of TTU Regency superiority.
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As Enclave area that borders between North Central Timor (TTU) -Indonesia and Oeskusi-East Timor, and Tanjung Bastian become new tourist magnet. The area is also very strategic as a buffer border that is ready to be developed by the central government as central development of various aspects of life. As a leading porch of Indonesia (NKRI), the region had been prepared to sustain the economic growth of the area and also bridges to supply the needs of cross international boundary.
Wini is an area surrounded by giant rocks. Barren rocky mountain appears in dry season and looks beautiful with its green carpet in rainy season, then Wini looks so beautiful from all sides. The small town looks more beautiful because of vast blue sea stretches out. It offers exceptional panoramic beauty for taking pictures. Some foreign tourists even called it ‘Little Texas’ or Texas of Timor.
Tanjung Bastian
Tanjung Bastian Beach is located in Hamusu C village, North Insana Sub-district, North Central Timor (TTU). This white sandy beach offers offshore natural beauty and charm of challenging hills. Surrounded by giant cliffs, this location offers natural scenery sloping beach and towering Rocky Mountain ala a headland. Even the mountain and steep cliffs becomes border of two countries Indonesia and Timor Leste. The location is said to be discovered by an adventurer named Bastian who firstly anchored there hundreds years ago. Its clear and clean water is very suitable for bathing and sunbathing.
At the location, every August International Horse Race Tournament held involving participants from various regions in Indonesia and Timor Leste. Because it is located in Indonesia territory, the beach is frequently visited by tourists who previously have visited Oekusi district before, East Leste then it has become one of domestic and foreign tourist destinations for participants of Sail Indonesia since last few years.
Tanjung Bastian is only 67 km from the city Kefamenanu, the capital city of North Middle Timor or it is 187 km from Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara province. Many land transport modes such as buses, travel cars are available and the very adequate road conditions are representative ready to pamper visitors. Not far from the location, there are fishermen village and Wini area which has a commercial pier crowded by loading and discharging ships. In recent years, Wini has been evolved as a location for fishing and fishing boat landing. The activities at the pier are very interesting that characterize traditional fishing activities of Timor
Sonaf Maubesi
Sonaf, the ancestral heritage of Insana Kingdom that still maintained from generation to generation is located in the village of Letmafo, Insana Sub-district, 18 Km from Kefamenanu city with sufficient intensity transportations because it is on the main transport line Kupang – Atambua. SonafMaubesi/Uisfinit consists of two traditional houses: SonafKiu (Tamarind Tree Palace) and SonafUsapi (kusambi tree Palace). In the middle of the palace (traditional house), there is a large lopo called LopoSaenTesan (Manse Sean Neon Tesan). The inside of both houses, there are royal heritages and a place used to conduct ritual ceremonies (tola). In this palace, each year offerings of crops (mausufa) dedicated to the king as the unity of the whole order of indigenous peoples.
Sonaf Oelolok
Sonaf Oelolok is sonaf of Insana King in Ainiut. The distance from Kefamenanu City is about 30 Km with sufficient transport intensity of Kupang-Atambua. Insana royal center has Lopo with its 9 colonnades. Sonaf environment is still well preserved because flows of water from springs never stop although in dry season. In Sonaf vicinity, there are paddy fields cultivated by people hereditarily.
Bitauni Cave
One of the places to be a religious tourism is Bitauni Cave, originating in the sacred cave Ustauni, which further used to be a defense stronghold for tribes of Aplasi (SilabAplasi), Taolin, Pakaenoni and Tutpai. After occupying this cave, every year Aplasi tribe performs traditional Easter called KaosToli (reveal fabric cover), accompanied by dance-Bidu Bidu ball (Bidu cave dance). Bitauni cave approximately 34 km from the regency town and 3 km from the sub-district town is a place of pilgrimage for all Catholics in the diocese of Atambua. The cave is also a home for procession of cross history trace when Easter or prayer of Rosary during the months of May and October. Located on rocky hill surrounded by tropical forests and it is under banyan tree and other protective trees add the atmosphere of silence and solemn prayer.
TTU Ikat Weaving
TTU Regency known with its typical ikat weaving motifs is alluring. Mothers’ creation of ikat weaving from each region in all TTU Regency is even paid seriously attention by tourists. Most tourists have even ordered their handicraft products in significant amount. Many kinds of ikat weaving are displayed in stores souvenir Biboki Art Shop and also at various events expo.
Kure, Traditional Easter in Noaemuti
If you’ve followed the procession of Samana Santa in East Flores then now you can know better traditional Easter procession in Kote Noemuti North Central Timor (TTU) Regency commonly called Kure. In this tradition, Rotating prayer tradition (religious culture) enters Three Holy Weeks for Catholics held on Holy Thursday evening and Good Friday evening in a series commemorating the feast of Easter.
The procession continues inherited by Catholics since 17th century in the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus (ParokiHati Kudus Yesus) Noemuti, includes several stages such as Trebluman/Prayer of Self Cleansing; Procession of TaniuUisNeno / SoetOe; Kure; Saturday Aleluya and Sefmau. Many people or followers out of TTU coming from Kupang and other places to takepart in this event.
The Anniversary of TTU Regency
The anniversary celebration of Timor Tengah Utara (TTU) Regency, on every September 20th is always conducted to have historical trace of birth of Kefamenanu city through processions of culture and tradition, cultural festivals, and exhibitions of TTU Regency development. In this event, all the potential of the areas including tourism potential and cultural arts are staged. Many visitors are willingly to witness this annual event. Bidua dance, traditional music and other bamboo flutes also enliven the event. [Fortuna]
