Kupang - Spectacular
02 August 2008 | Kupang
Chris White
The experience of Kupang has been somewhat mindblowing. From arrival of course we had all the paperwork including customs, quarantine, Health, migration and harbour master. We still haven't completed our migration but will catch up with that tomorrow or next day. EVERYONE has been so extra-ordinarily courteous and helpful with this complex and bureaucratic process - well it has almost been a pleasure as much as dealing with bureaucracy can be! But certainly the help and courteous approach from all the officers has taken any pain out of the process. (Even though we are temporarily impounded it has no adverse consequences on us!) Tomorrow we will take on some "Sola" diesel at about 55cents per litre.
So first night here we caught up with some people we had not met but had been in contact with well before the Rally and had a few, maybe even quite a few, beers at $2.50 for a largish bottle at Teddy's Bar on the beach which led to a slow start to yesterday morning.
Last night the provincial Governor hosted us for a dinner and entertainment which was spectacular with gifts for all participants, dancing and welcome ceremonies that the local people seemed to enjoy as much as us. There was much laughter and merriment. Music on traditional instruments was fantastic, including a rendition of Waltzing Matilda on one simple instruments that sounds like an orchestra.
Today the Ministry of Tourism put on a tour for us. Well we started at 0700 and have just returned at 2230. We must have been right aross West Timor and visited traditional villages, the Highlands - and they are high - and what I think was the end of the road, four wheeling at its best, and a wonderful Timorese Village. It is a very humbling and levelling experience that these people with so little gave each of us a beautiful welcoming gift, and treated us to the traditional welcome ceremony, the annual children's hair cut ceremony (each person only has their hair cut once in their life at about 2 years of age) complete with the sacrificing of a pig for the occasion. We then experienced a wonderful traditional feast of their local foods. Years ago these people were headhunters - fortunately for us they have retired in that regard. But we were given freedom to roam the village, see them at their traditional weaving which we each had a gift of, visit their traditional housing and "women's work place" or pantry/kitchen a dome shaped thatched building quite large with only a very small low door to crawl through and enjoy foods including cassava and paw paw leaves and flowers, cassava, banana, mandarin, meats, corn dishes, rice dishes etc.
Interestingly the housing although simple and traditional all the way along the route often consisted of the sleeping living area, the pantry/kitchen (women's business area), the shade and meeting areas and were beautifully maintained all round, clean and tidy with swept earth and an obviously industrial persons who take pride in their dwelling. We saw many villages and these typical housing establishments "hanging"off the edge of the mountains and hills in the highlands, talk about a house with a view, but the lasting impression is of these wonderful sharing and happy people who truly welcomed us along the way and at every stop in a very personal and caring manner.
It is ironic that those with the least share the most, and those in the world that are the "haves" as opposed to the 'have nots" are least willing to share not only the material goods that they have but also the spiritual warmness and common kindness and acceptance of mankind. Their parting words were often, "thank you for coming to see us and to share our lives, you are welcome back at any time and are now part of our family, we apologise if we have not done as much as possible for you or if you are disappointed with anything you have had or seen today, but we are only people and not perfect". I would add "but more perfect than many in the western world!"
On each occasion they wanted to know what they could do FOR US, not what they could take from us.
Right down to the trip home tonight where at about 2030 the highway was closed off in one village as they performed a "departing ceremony"of dancing, singing and traditional music before we returned to Kupang.
I can only describe it as a very humbling experience to meet these friendly and happy people, who work hard at survival in the toughest of conditions but don't complain or moan and are so willing to share what they have with us, who they have only just met.
A wonderful, wonderful day.