Bawomataluo Village in South Nias Sub-District, Nias Regency - Indonesia

For those who love culture tour in Indonesia, Nias Regency becomes a good destination for a vacation. It is located in North Sumatra Province and offers numerous places for tourists to explore, including Bawomataluo Village. Why is the place? The village has lots of cultural attractions like megalithic relics, traditional houses, stone jumping tradition, and much more. It is said the village has been there for more than 300 years! No wonder, it has tons of historical value and unique traditions. Not to mention it becomes a recommended vacation destination for those who visit Nias Regency.

The Nuances
Bawomataluo Village belongs to South Nias Sub-District and it resides in a hilly area. It explains why the atmosphere feels so cool and comfy up there. Actually, Bawamataluo was named after such location which means “Bukit Matahari” or the hill of the sun. After arriving at the village, tourists might see stone stairs and several traditional houses. The unique thing is that these houses have a similar shape and size. The foundation is made of wood and they feature a room that is made of sago palm leaves.

Exploring Bawomataluo Village
The best attraction that tourists can enjoy in Bawomataluo Village is definitely Fataele Dance (war dance). Some male dancers gather to perform unique dance moves, as the symbol of local bravery. Their attire even looks so great, featuring several colors and ornaments. These men even use a spear and sword as their dance attributes! Thus, during the performance, tourists are recommended to take pictures of it as the locals allow them to do so. The only consideration is that they must come at the right moment when the dance is held.

Another unique tradition that tourists can watch on the site is Hombo Batu. It is part of the village and has been performed for generations. The boys gather at some place and get prepared to pass the test (jumping stone). It is said the test decides the maturity of the boys, but in the past, it was done as the qualification to join the local war. As for tourists, such performance is definitely fun and thrilling! It is because there is the risk of getting injured among the participants. It is quite daring, after all.

Another charm of Bawomataluo Village is the presence of an ancient seat of Nias King. These are made of stones, having the length of 10 meters! Usually, the king used them when delivering messages to his people. Aside from the seat, visitors can also find ancient statues, which were used for worshiping the gods. No wonder, the locals embraced animism back then and they worship several statues that represent the gods.

Nearby Attractions

• Baloho Beach
• Hiliaurifa Village
• Tuindrao Village
• Orahili Fau Village
• Hilialawa Mejaya

How to Get There
From Gunungsitoli City, travelers can simply head to South Nias Sub-District. It takes about 3 hours and the distance is 113 km. As for the best route, they must choose Raya Pelud Binaka Street. It can even be faster if they use a comfy vehicle and come during working days (when the traffic is low).

Where to Stay

• Keitaro Hotel
• Yohannes Motel
• Sem Hotel
• Toho Nias Hotel