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The Beach
  Lombok is unfortunately much less popular than Bali, largely due to the riots in 2000, when Muslims and ethnic Sasaks attacked and looted the homes, businesses, and churches of ethnic Chinese and Christians to protest the sectarian violence in Maluku. While peace and stability has since returned to the island, the tourists have not. Today, most foreign visitors who do come to Lombok enjoy spending time in the west-coast beach resort of Senggigi, or on one of the three Gili islands a bit further north up Lombok. Tourists have also started discovering the Kuta beach area of the south. Although there are several mountain resort areas on the south slope of Gunung Rinjani, most of the tourists head for the beaches. You can see the essential Lombok in a one-day tour offered by several travel agencies and free-lancers out of Senggigi. This usually includes a look at a couple of Balinese temples, weaving at Sukarake village, pottery at Penujak, the traditional village-for-tourists of Sade and Kuta beach with the adjacent bay at Tanjung Aan. While this suffices for the visitors who have trouble tearing themselves away from the beach, there is a lot more to Lombok. Seeing the rest of the island, however, requires a bit of initiative. For traveling purposes, Lombok is best divided into three districts: West Lombok, Central Lombok, and East Lombok. The population center of Lombok is an urban sprawl in the west made up of three contiguous cities spreading inland from the coast: the old port town of Ampenan blends into the administrative city of Mataram, which blends into the commercial town of Cakranegara. Just a bit east of Cakra is Sweta, the site of Lombok's biggest market as well as the island's bus terminal. The combined population of the three cities surpasses the quarter million mark, about 10 percent of Lombok's total population. Mataram is the capital of Nusa Tenggara Barat province (incorporating Lombok and Sumbawa) as well as the capital of the West Lombok district. The island's two other regional capitals, Praya in Central Lombok and Selong in East Lombok, seem tiny and provincial in comparison. A wide, eight-kilometer-long one-way street through the three cities insures a smooth flow of traffic. This is the only area where the horse-drawn cidomo carts are not allowed, which greatly improves movement along the thoroughfare. This roughly east-west road begins as Jalan Langko in Ampenan, becomes Jalan Pejanggik in Mataram, and ends as Jalan Selaparang in Cakranegara. At Cakra it turns into the main cross-island trunk road to Labuhan Lombok, ending at the Lombok-Sumbawa ferry landing at Kayangan, 77 kilometers from Mataram. Each city has a very different personality. Ampenan, with its maze of small streets, old buildings, Chinese and Arab quarters and decaying port, has the most character and life. Mataram, the administrative capital, has modern government buildings and little of interest to the visitor. Cakranegara has craft shops, weaving, and points of interest from the days of Balinese domination. West Lombok With the three cities area of Ampenan, Mataram, and Cakranegara, the airport and the greatest concentration of hotels, West Lombok is the logical settling down place for tourists. The popular Gili islands are in this district, as are all the major Balinese temples, the center of the Wetu Telu and Mount Rinjani. North of the three cities area is the Senggigi beach, the Gilis, the Wetu Telu area around Bayan, and the foothills of Mount Rinjani. South are the quiet beaches and surfing areas of the southeast peninsula. Central Lombok Central Lombok is the tourist heart of the island. The region includes the traditional villages featured on most one-day itineraries, all near the three cities area, and the south coast: Kuta beach, which is the site of the nyale seaworm festival, and Tanjung Aan, with beautiful beaches and good waves for surfing. These areas are easy to reach, and many operators run day trips there. But before following the busloads of tourists, think about trying something different. If you have more than a passing interest in Sasak culture, stop at Batu Kumbung village, which has been suggested for "alternative" tourism. Batu Kumbung is a traditional Sasak village just 3.5 kilometers north of the Narmada water palace. Some of the village's women still weave ikat using traditional back-strap looms, and there is a creek here with healing powers. The village has acquired a measure of local fame for its music and dance groups—a gandrung ensemble and a kendang belek group. The troupes perform in the village, and in other nearby villages at events such as weddings. This is pleasant country for walks. If you like it here, you can learn the local dances, or how to play an instrument. It is possible to arrange for homestays at Batu Kumbung. East Lombok Except for the crafts area around Kota Raja, the eastern portion of Lombok is largely a blank on tourist maps. The area is not really geared for foreign visitors. But, in addition to the crafts area, a visit to the areas around Selong, and the coast between Labuhan Lombok and Kali Putih, to see Mount Rinjani, deserted shores, and the dry, empty countryside characteristic of this region is suggested. Geography There are several clusters of small islands off Lombok’s coast, all called “Gili” from the Sasak word for island. Some are inhabited by fisherman and stray cattle, and the best known – Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan, off the northwest coast—host hordes of young, mostly European tourists, especially in July, August and September. Lombok is dominated by Gunung Rinjani, Indonesia's highest volcano and the second-highest point in the archipelago, after Puncak Jayakusuma in Irian Jaya (New Guinea). Rinjani, 3,726 meters high, crowns a group of mountains that dominate the north-central section of the island. Most of the rainfall striking these mountains flows south, irrigating a large, rich agricultural area. Elsewhere on the island, the landscape is more barren, and planting is only possible during Lombok's rainy season, the October-March northwest monsoon. The coastal hills to the south, with average elevations around 500 meters, do not form a watershed, but drop spectacularly into the sea. These cliffs frame beautiful bays and sandy coves. Other than the harbors at Lembar, in the crook of the southeastern peninsula, and Labuhan Lombok, in the northwest, only the south coast is blessed with any decent bays. The strait between Bali and Lombok marks a very important ecological boundary, first discovered by the great 19th century biologist, Sir Alfred Russel Wallace. In his travels through the archipelago, Wallace noticed that the range of Asiatic animal and plant species, which extends through the Greater Sunda islands of Sumatra and Java, drops off sharply after Bali. The flora and fauna of Lombok, just across the Lombok Strait, bear a greater similarity to species found in Australia. Wallace drew a line along this boundary, which became known as the Wallace Line. Modern botanists and zoologists have refined Wallace’s findings, and now think of a zone of transition, dubbed Wallacea, rather than a sharply delineated boundary. History Little is known about Lombok's prehistory. The Sasak language, like most languages spoken in the archipelago, is Austronesian. The Austronesians, originating in mainland Asia began expanding from Taiwan around 5,000 B.C. to populate the Philippines, Indonesia and the South Pacific islands. Lombok is mentioned in the 14th century chronicle of the great East Javanese Majapahit empire as a dependency. The only copy of the chronicle itself, the Negara-kertagama, was found in the late 19th century in the small Lombok village of Pagutan, just outside of Mataram. In this period there were undoubtedly many local chiefs in Lombok, each controlling an area with a few villages. Occasionally one of these small-time rulers, who glorified themselves with the title "Raja," succeeded in controlling a larger area, which was soon broken up again. For a while, an "empire" of sorts, called Selaparang, controlled a region in eastern Lombok. Islam was introduced to Lombok in the first half of the 16th century from Java by either Sunan Giri or Pangeran Sangopati, or both. Pangeran Sangopati was the same man who was known in Bali as Pedanda Bau Rau, and in Sumbawa as Tuan Haji Semeru. These first Muslims preached a syncretic version of Islam, which blended with indigenous animism and Hinduism. Several early accounts concur that Lombok's first and most important mosque was the one still maintained in Bayan, in the north. In the 17th century, cultural and religious influences reached Lombok from another direction—Sulawesi. The Islamic kingdom of Makassar (now Ujung Pandang), allied with nearby Bima in Sumbawa, held some political control over eastern Lombok. In pre-Islamic times, the Balinese rajadom of Klungkung exercised a great deal of influence in Lombok. But it was Balinese from Karangasem who first conquered western Lombok, just after Islam was first introduced there from Java. This conquest was aided by Banjar Getas, the patih (prime minister) of the Sasak kingdom of Pejanggiq. Apparently the king of the region had seduced his wife after sending him away on business. After the Balinese victory, Banjar Getas was rewarded with lands and wealth. Later, the Balinese turned against his son and heir who, with his followers, was defeated in what became known as the First Praya War. Although the Balinese controlled the west, for a long time they remained there, blocked off by a thick forest, which existed until the early years of this century. In 1678, the Balinese crossed the forest and, with the help of some discontented Sasak aristocrats, laid waste to the Selaparang court. But it was another 150 years before the Balinese established hegemony in East Lombok. The Balinese introduced their irrigated rice-growing techniques but otherwise had little cultural effect on the eastern Sasaks, who maintained their Islamic faith. Between 1775 and 1838 the Balinese feuded among themselves, thus allowing the Sasak aristocrats in the east to regain a measure of independence. But in 1838, the Balinese at Mataram emerged firmly in charge. Not only had they defeated their rivals in nearby Cakranegara—whose end was marked by a mass suicidal charge called a puputan—but also the rajadom of Karangasem in Bali, the former feudal overlords of the Balinese on Lombok. The Mataram Balinese then established control of eastern Lombok, ending the period of independence of the Sasak nobility and villages of the east. The peasants of east Lombok were turned into serfs. Used to their autonomy, they revolted—in 1855, 1871 and 1891—and were crushed by the Balinese, who were supported by the Sasaks from the western half of the island. In spite of his military expenses, the Balinese raja of Lombok became extremely rich thanks to his control over trade, land tax and corvee labor. Between 1850 and 1890, the towns of Mataram and Cakra became filled with spacious palaces, public drinking fountains and illuminated main streets. Contemporary accounts describe the Raja of Lombok as almost certainly the wealthiest indigenous ruler in the eastern part of the Indonesian archipelago. This information, together with reports—later proved false—of tin deposits, was enough to rouse Holland's interest in the island. The Dutch, who had run trade operations in the region since the 17th century, had signed a treaty with the Balinese rulers of Lombok in which they stated they would never annex the island. Still, in 1894, on the pretext of a Sasak revolt, the Dutch invaded Lombok. The Dutch army, equipped with European weapons, was soundly defeated by the Balinese defenders. More than 100 Dutch soldiers died, including the force's second-in-command, General Van Hamm. It was a total rout. The Dutch could not afford to lose face, nor could they afford to reveal how thinly their forces were stretched across the archipelago. Angry, and with reinforcements, they returned. Mataram was burned to the ground. Then the Dutch advanced to the last Balinese stronghold, Cakranegara. The crown prince, Anak Agung Ketut, was killed and the old raja sent into exile to Batavia. But the Balinese still tough opponents, and many expired in a suicidal puputan rather than submit to the Dutch. The victory was not easy for Holland, and the Dutch forces suffered several hundred casualties. But the survivors were well rewarded for their pains by looting the raja’s treasure chamber. Measuring three by five meters, this room was 60 centimeters deep in rijksdaalers. A smaller vault was filled with gold coins, precious stones and a number of priceless ornaments. The Sasaks, who had requested the Dutch intervention, found themselves ruled by new masters, who were much harsher than the Balinese. Taxes were heavy and the Sasak men were forced into the heavy labor of road construction. Colonial rule in Lombok led to unprecedented economic exploitation and the impoverishment of the majority o the peasants. Many were dispossessed of their lands and became paupers. The Dutch ruled Lombok indirectly, through Balinese and Sasak aristocrats, who had to give up most of their revenues to the colonial powers. Still, the collaborating rulers were able to concentrate land ownership. Thanks to corvée labor, the Dutch built a series of nine dams which greatly increased rice production. But the population grew fast, and the peasants' average daily rice intake actually declined—from 400 grams in 1900 to 300 grams in 1940. The Balinese rajas had always required 50 percent of the rice harvest as tribute, but the Dutch by 1940 were insisting on 80 percent, and this was just one among a host of taxes. Things got even worse during the Japanese occupation, when the Sasaks faced starvation and terror. After Indonesia's declaration of independence in 1945, Lombok became part of the Dutch-controlled East Indies Federation, which covered the eastern part of the archipelago. In 1949, when Indonesian independence became effective, Lombok was made part of the Lesser Sunda province. In 1951, the province of Nusa Tenggara Barat was created, with its capital at Mataram. Today, Lombok is split into three political districts, or kabupaten – West, Central and East – with their capitals at, respectively, Mataram, Praya and Selong. Attractions Lombok is all about relaxing and embracing the recreational activities you’ll find around its beaches, from swimming, surfing, and sailing to scuba diving and snorkeling. The Senggigi beach and its neighbor, Mangsit, north of Ampenan are perhaps the most popular stretches of sands with its rows of beachside hotels, resort-like atmosphere, and crowds of tourists. The three Gili islands further north and the Kuta beach area in the south are also great places. The former, the Gilis, are a favorite among backpackers and the latter is a surfing mecca. Besides beaches and water activities, visitors can enjoy trekking up Lombok’s great volcano, Mount Rinjani, which rises to a height of 3,726 meters. Along the way, you’ll find numerous tranquil lakes, calderas, sulfurous hot spring pools, waterfalls, rivers, caves, small villages, and campsites. Lombok is also full of temples or pura that you can visit. It is not always easy to visit them, however. Unless there is a ceremony going on, most places are locked up. Finding the man with the key can be a frustrating endeavor. Only the few tourist-circuit temples are open most of the time. The most important rituals are usually held at the full moon (purnama) during the various months of the Balinese calendar. The Gunung Penson temple about six kilometers south of Mataram, the Pura Segara north of Ampenan, the Batu Bolong near the Senggigi Beach, the Mayura Water Palace in the middle of Cakranegara, the Pura Meru near Mayura, the Narmada about 10 kilometers east of the Pura Meru, and the Lingsar Temple a few kilometers north of Cakra and Narmada are some of the notable temples in Lombok. There aren’t many museums in Lombok, except the Panji Tilar museum in Ampenan, which has an excellent and well-displayed ethnographic collection. Transportation The roads of Lombok, most of them already paved, are improving fast. The best road, wide and smooth, connects the Lembar harbor with the three-city urban area at the harbor of Mataram, then heads east across the island to the ferry port of Labuhan Lombok. A road of similar quality connects the Central Lombok district capital of Praya with the east-west trunk highway. The East Lombok capital of Selong is also connected to the highway by a good road, which continues to the small fishing village of Labuhan Haji on the east coast, whence the pilgrims to Mecca used to depart. Cidimos are the main traffic problem on the roads of Lombok. These horse-drawn passenger and freight carts are ubiquitous, and often hold up cars and bemos. By some miracle, the poor horses seem to survive all the swerving vehicles. A good cidomo horse can cost around $250, and most drivers rent the horse and cart—for which they are personally responsible—from the owners. The paved back-roads of Lombok are often potholed and narrow, but work is progressing in many areas to improve and widen the surfaces, along with the building of lateral drainage canals. It's on these roads, where your vehicle has to travel more slowly, that you become the target of the children's especially shrill "Turis! Turis!" This unwanted attention is the price you pay to visit places off the tourist track. Small as it is, you will need several days and lots of driving to see all of Lombok. Vehicles, mostly 4-6 passenger mini-vans, are widely available for rent, with a driver and an English-speaking guide. These vehicles can reach most areas of Lombok, but to see some sections of the rugged south coast, where the island's best coastal scenery lies, you will need an experienced driver and either a jeep (locally called "hardtop") or a Kijang (a locally assembled utility vehicle) in good shape. Art and Culture The Sasaks never developed the arts to the same degree as their Balinese neighbors. There remains some good traditional craft-work—weaving, basket-making and pottery—but nothing that approaches the handicrafts of the Balinese. Nor have recent attempts at the modernization of the crafts industry, to produce items for sale to tourists, produced outstanding pieces. Lombok has been famous for its ikat cloth, but since tourists are not willing to pay the cost of a fine piece of cloth, hand-spun thread and natural dyes are being abandoned in favor of cheap, ready-made replacements. The island's potters, nevertheless, are considered excellent craftsmen. Also among the best of the local crafts in Lombok are baskets, finely woven from strips of rotan, banana leaves and other vegetal fibers. Sasak dances and ceremonies also seem somewhat less splendid than the lavish ceremonies of the Hindu Balinese. The main right of passage for a Sasak boy is his circumcision. During this ritual, he is dressed in finery and carried about on a large wooden horse. Muslim weddings, most of which take place after the harvest when funds are plentiful, are also lavish affairs. Circumcisions are often performed in the Muslim month of Muhammad's birthday. The ceremonies are often accompanied by ritual fights, called peresehan or berempuk. In these, men face off, armed with tough rattan staffs and buffalo skin shields. Blood flows freely in these exciting battles, which are not for faint-hearted spectators. Peresehan fights are also held in conjunction with national or local celebrations and, occasionally, as part of an agricultural ritual asking for rain. Milder versions of the fights are sometimes put on for tourists, and in these the men limit themselves to whacking each other's shields. Although there is lots of noise, there is no bloodshed. Dance and Music Visitors to Lombok should expect neither the vibrant dance and music of Bali nor the cultural refinement of Java. In Lombok, artistic activity is strong in certain villages and rare in others, but cultural performances are far less frequent than in Bali. In the few remaining traditional villages of Lombok, the performing arts are considered important community contributions, but they are not encouraged in modern or strongly Islamic villages. Although Lombok seems culturally impoverished when compared to Java and Bali, it is rich in arts when compared to the other islands of Nusa Tenggara. And for its size, the variety of dance, music and theater forms found in Lombok is remarkable. Dance and music are directly tied to cultural identity in Lombok. They are used in many ritual settings and believed to embody religious values. Some Sasak traditions are associated with the minority of nominal Muslims known as the Wetu Telu and others with the majority of orthodox Muslims, called Wetu Lima. Religion and performing arts have become deeply intertwined, which has caused heated arguments about the arts, Islam, and tourism as the orthodox population tries to eliminate the arts and culture of the Wetu Telu. The Sasak received various artistic influences over the last millennium, first from the Javanese, who brought Hinduism, Islam, the shadow play and poetry. Later, during the period of Balinese colonization (1740-1894), the Balinese brought theater, dance, new musical instruments, and a new tonality in music. Together, the Balinese and Javanese influences constitute a very important stream of cultural concepts which have affected not only the performing arts of Lombok, but also the island's architecture, agricultural practices, and adat (customary practice). A second stream of influence came through Sumatra, Malaysia, and the Ara world; this was a later arrival and is the origin of the different religious literature and theater forms. These two streams remain alive today. Balinese influence can still be seen in new music and dance forms, and Middle Eastern influences continue to evolve musical forms associated with Islam. Virtually all Sasak music and dance traditions reflect these two streams of influence, adapted to the environment and identity of Lombok. Lombok's performing arts are often divided into "traditional" and "contemporary," the latter meaning "Islamic." The traditional arts are associated with an early form of religious practice combining elements of ancestor worship, animism, and Hindu/Buddhism with Islam. Because of pressure from orthodox Muslims, these arts rapidly declined and would likely have disappeared entirely if not for government policy, which has sought to support traditional arts to retain cultural identity and entice tourists to Lombok. Traditional music now consists of various forms of gamelan orchestras and sung poetry, the tembang Sasak. The large Balinese minority in West Lombok retain their temple festivals and performing arts. Chief among these are the ritual canang sari dance performed only at temple festivals, and the gamelan gong kuna, a ceremonial orchestra unlike any in Bali. Visitors who are interested in these dance performances should coordinate their travels so that they arrive during the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Anniversary or during the annual West Nusa Tenggara Sports and Arts Week held alternately in Lombok and Sumbawa. Also, if there is a Pekan Pariwisata (“Tourism Week”), there’s an opportunity to watch quality performances. A marching parade in traditional dress is also usually held around August 17, Indonesia’s Independence Day. | |
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Article Contributors Anonymous user updated 1 year ago Anonymous user updated 1 year ago |
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