Tarung village, Sumba: visiting Waikabubak's ritual heart

You leave the traffic of Waikabubak, climb a few minutes up a stony lane, and the town seems to fall away. Tall thatched roofs stand in two lines around a yard of massive stone tombs, buffalo horns hang along a veranda, and a dog sleeps on a slab older than anyone can remember. Below, you can still hear motorbikes. Up here, the conversation is about clans, ancestors and the moon.

Tarung and Waitabar are the ritual heart of the Loli area around Waikabubak, and among the easiest traditional villages in Sumba to reach. Being easy to reach does not make them any less sacred.

What Tarung is and why go

Tarung sits on a small hill on the western side of Waikabubak, and its neighbour Waitabar lies at the other end of a boulder-lined path, so the two feel like one village. Both have high, thatched clan houses on stilts with livestock penned below, and large stone-slab tombs in the yards. Several houses have special roles: some keep sacred heirlooms such as machetes, gongs and drums, and others are responsible for deciding when Wulla Poddu, the holy month, begins. Wulla Poddu is a period of austere rites in roughly October to November that ends with offerings, song and dance. Waitabar has its own leaders and sacred objects, and some of its houses show long rows of buffalo horns from past sacrifices, a sign of status.

On a Saturday in October 2017 a fire swept through Tarung and, according to police quoted at the time, burned all 30 houses and their contents; arson was ruled out. Most houses have since been rebuilt in the original style, with thatch and timber, although local accounts say not every family received help. Some older travel listings still describe the village as closed: it is not, but remember that you are walking through a community that rebuilt its homes and sacred houses from ashes.

For more on Marapu belief and how traditional villages work, see our guide to Marapu, ikat and traditional villages.

How to get to Tarung

• From Tambolaka airport (TMC): about 40 km, roughly 1 hour by car to Waikabubak.
• From Waikabubak centre: the village is west of Jalan Ahmad Yani, a 10-15 minute walk uphill or a few minutes by ojek.
• From Waingapu (WGP): about 135 km, realistically 3.5-4.5 hours by car via Waibakul.

Cars can get close, but the last part is on foot up the lane and the path between the two villages.

When to go and the best time of day

Any dry-season morning (roughly May to September) is pleasant, cooler than the coast because Waikabubak sits in the hills. Late afternoon light is beautiful on the roofs, and you may see women weaving on the verandas. During Wulla Poddu (around October-November) there are strict ritual rules and some ceremonies are closed or restricted; if you visit then, go only with a local guide and follow instructions. The exact dates are set by the elders each year.

Tips and etiquette

• Donation: there is no fixed ticket; sign the guest book and leave a contribution. Around IDR 10,000-40,000 per person (roughly EUR 0.50-2 or USD 0.60-2.50) is the usual range for Sumba villages in 2025-2026, more if someone spends time explaining the village to you.
• Go with a guide from town or the village. Younger residents often speak good English and may invite you in, but a guide helps you avoid sacred spots.
• Ask before photographing people, houses, altars and tombs. Do not sit or climb on tombs and do not touch ritual objects or buffalo horns.
• Dress modestly and speak quietly near the sacred houses.
• Women sell ikat and other crafts here: buying directly is a good way to support families.
• Betel nut (sirih pinang) is an appreciated gesture if you are welcomed into a house.

Nearby

• Waikabubak town, with the market, ATMs and simple warungs all within walking distance.
• Praijing village, about 3 km away, with its terraces of tall roofs and village-run tours.
• Waikelo Sawah waterfall, about 11 km west towards Tambolaka.
• Lapopu waterfall, about 16 km south in the national park.