Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine February 2018 | Page 95

Travel | Baubau
93
Since ancient times, this city has been an important hub
connecting the eastern and western islands of Indonesia.
5 Senses – Sight
KAMALI BEACH
One of the best ways to enjoy
Baubau city is to visit Kamali beach
at night and enjoy a mug of saraba,
a warm drink that is a Sulawesi
speciality, made from a mixture of
ginger, palm sugar and milk. After
sunset, there is a vibrant atmosphere
on the city-centre beach. Crowds come
to see the impromptu markets that are
run by local residents every night.
Salah satu cara terbaik untuk
menikmati Kota Baubau adalah
berkunjung ke Pantai Kamali pada
malam hari dan menikmati secangkir
saraba, minuman hangat khas
Sulawesi yang terbuat dari campuran
jahe, gula aren dan susu. Setelah
matahari terbenam, suasana pantai
yang terletak di pusat kota ini sangat
semarak. Keramaian datang dari pasar
dadakan yang digelar oleh penduduk
lokal setiap malam.
(onde-onde), palm sugar sponge, sweet potatoes
with coconut and sugar (baruasa), glutinous
rice-flour cakes (palu) and a sweet glutinous rice
cake (waje), which are all arranged according to
tradition. After offering their prayers, the guests
then eat lunch together with a plate of red rice,
a mug of chicken curry (nasu wolio) and a bowl
of pumpkin cooked in coconut milk (konduru).
These three dishes form the special menu for
the haroa ceremony.
Although it is still commonly celebrated by the
people of Baubau, nowadays the haroa is only
conducted in an orthodox manner inside the
Buton Palace Fortress. This fortress was originally
a centre of culture that became the main driver of
the Buton civilisation. Inside, there is the palace
of the kingdom and the homes of several
respected families from the La Ode and Wa Ode
clans, the descendants of whom continue to
hold important positions in local politics.
The fortress, which is spread across more than 23
hectares, is believed to be the largest in the world.
The limestone rocks that make up its structure
are said to be glued together with egg white.
Burhan Basran, a young historian I meet, offers
an alternative version. According to him, the
limestone rocks used in the fortress were joined
together naturally by the rain and heat over
many years. “Eggs were only used as a
supplement by the builders while constructing
the fortress,” says Burhan. However, there has
been no scientific investigation to find out
which version is correct.
3
1 Coconut trees over the white sands of
Lakeba beach.
2 A boy paddling a traditional wooden boat in
Palabusa, a small village renowned for its pearls.
3 A fisherman carrying his harvest to
Wameo market, Baubau.
4 The historic Agung Wolio mosque in the
Sultan of Buton area was built in 1712.
In the afternoon, the fortress, which is located
at the top of a hill, becomes a favourite
gathering spot for Baubau teenagers. The
view from the top is truly beautiful: the
landscape sweeps across to the crowded and
vibrant city centre, and in the distance I spot
several ships going back and forth through the
narrow gap between Buton and the Muna
islands. The sky is so clear that afternoon
that I can see Sambapolulu mountain on
Kabaena island. As the sun lingers in the
west, the city lights begin to come on.
The following day, I set off in a rental motorcycle
for Karya Baru, a neighbourhood around 20km
from Baubau city centre. Several years ago,
this area, which is inhabited by the Ciacia
people, became famous when it adopted the
Korean Hangul script as a method of
communication. Although the script is
imported, they have kept their original Ciacia
language. “Our language doesn’t have a script;
it is oral rather than written. This made it
difficult for us to pass on knowledge to the
next generation. That is why we borrowed a
script from outside,” says Abidin, a high
school teacher who pioneered the use of the
Korean script in Karya Baru.
I feel bemused when I first enter the
neighbourhood and see the Korean alphabet in
various places, from road signs to school gates.
It is as if I am on the edge of Seoul or Busan,
except without the K-Pop atmosphere. Visually
this is certainly a unique experience for me.
4