On the island of Sumba, in East Nusa Tenggara, there are traditional villages that feel like stepping into the past: rows of houses under towering thatch roofs, and at their centre, large, ancient megalithic stone tombs. These aren't replicas built for tourism but genuinely lived-in villages, where the traditions and the Marapu faith are still alive today. For many travellers, these traditional villages are the most memorable face of Sumba, far deeper than its beaches and savannah alone.
The uma, a house with a towering roof
A Sumbanese traditional house is called an uma, and many are of the Uma Mbatangu, or tower-house, type. It's a stilted house with a soaring roof of alang-alang grass, the single most distinctive feature of a Sumba village. Heights vary, but in Ratenggaro, known for the tallest houses on Sumba, the towers can reach well over ten metres. That soaring roof isn't just a style but carries meaning: it's seen as a link between the world of people and the world of spirits, where the most sacred things are kept.
The three parts of the house, and what they mean
Unlike the traditional houses of Wae Rebo, which have five levels, a Sumbanese house is read in three parts, each with its own function and meaning. The lower part, called salikabunga, is used to keep livestock. The middle, rongu uma, is where the family lives day to day. The upper part inside the tower, toko uma, is used to store the harvest and to hold objects of worship. The arrangement mirrors how the Sumbanese see the world: from earthly matters below, to human life in the middle, up to what is sacred and tied to the ancestors at the peak.
More than just a place to live
A Sumbanese house also serves as a marker of a family's status and history. On many houses you'll see buffalo horns or pig jaws mounted as signs of the great ceremonies that family has held; the more there are, the higher its prestige and role in custom. In the very top of the tower, families keep heirlooms and objects of worship considered sacred and not to be touched casually. So an uma isn't just shelter but a kind of living record of who a family is and what they've been through.
Megalithic tombs at the heart of the village
What makes a Sumba village even more remarkable are the megalithic stone tombs standing in its centre. These are large stone slabs resting on stone pillars, altar-like, some carved with decoration. Strikingly, burying ancestors in stone tombs like these isn't merely a relic of the past but a tradition still carried out today. The numbers can be staggering: Ratenggaro has around 304 stone tombs, while Wainyapu has some 1,400 dolmens, table-like tombs of a large flat stone resting on upright supporting stones, among the densest concentrations on Sumba. Building a tomb like this is no small feat, either. The huge stones were once dragged together from far away in a ceremony involving many people and the slaughter of animals, as a final mark of respect for the deceased. Because of that, a stone tomb also shows just how honoured the person buried within it was. Standing among these old graves, you feel just how close the Sumbanese are to their ancestors.
Marapu, the root of it all
Both the form of the houses and the stone-tomb tradition in Sumba are rooted in Marapu, the island's indigenous belief. Simply put, the word Marapu is often traced to "ma", meaning the divine, and "rapu", meaning departed souls, that is, the ancestors. For Marapu followers, the ancestors aren't truly gone but remain present and watch over their descendants. That's why the houses, the tombs, and the way of life in a traditional village are all designed around respect for the bond between the living and those who have passed.
A village layout full of meaning
A Sumba village is usually not laid out at random. The houses generally stand in two facing parallel rows, an arrangement often linked to the shape of a boat, with the megalithic tombs at the centre as the heart of it all. The open ground in the middle isn't empty space but where customary ceremonies and communal life take place. So when you walk among the houses, you're really standing in a space that holds its own rules and meaning for the people who live there.
Which traditional villages to visit
Several of Sumba's traditional villages are best known. In Southwest Sumba, especially the Kodi area, Ratenggaro and Wainyapu are famous for the tallest tower roofs and a great many stone tombs, plus a setting close to the coast. In West Sumba, near the town of Waikabubak, Tarung and Praijing are easier to reach and often the starting point for getting to know Sumbanese culture. Each village has its own atmosphere, so if you have the time, visiting more than one gives a fuller picture.
How to visit, and the etiquette to keep
Most traditional villages are fairly remote and not served by public transport, so the most practical way is to hire a vehicle or join a trip. Ratenggaro, for instance, is about one and a half to two hours' drive from Tambolaka, and there's usually a modest entrance fee. Because these are inhabited villages, there's an etiquette to keep: ask permission before photographing residents or particular houses, don't touch or climb on the stone tombs, and follow the guidance of locals or your guide. Buying woven cloth or handicrafts directly from residents is also a good way to show respect and support them.
The best time to visit
The most comfortable time to visit is the dry season, roughly April to October, when the roads to the villages are easier and the weather is kinder. Morning or late afternoon tends to be best, with soft light and a quieter atmosphere. If you come in February or March, a village visit can be paired with watching Pasola, though Sumba is busier with visitors then. Whenever you go, leave enough time to actually talk with the residents, because it's their stories that bring the village to life.
See the Sumba Overland Open Trip 5D4N package
Weaving a village visit into a Sumba trip
Traditional villages are best enjoyed as part of a wider Sumba journey. You can pair them with watching Pasola if you come in season, driving through the savannah, visiting white-sand beaches, and seeing Sumba's distinctive ikat weaving up close. Strung together like this, a traditional village isn't just a place to photograph against a backdrop of tower roofs but a way into understanding how the people of Sumba still keep their traditions alive.