Bena village, a village located in the megalithikum Ngada, Flores NTT, precisely in the Village Tiwuriwu, District Aimere. Access to the village of Bena can be reached using rental vehicles from Bajawa with the distance of about 19 km to the south Bajawa. From Labuan Bajo, Bajawa can be reached about 7-8 hours by land. Location of Bena village situated on a hilltop with a backdrop of Mount Inerie really make the atmosphere of the village of Bena more beautiful and exotic. Its presence at the bottom of the mountain is a hallmark of the old society who believe and revere the mountain as a place of the gods, and the people believe that the existence of god Bena Yeta that have place on Mount Inerie will protect their village.
Currently the village of Bena consists of approximately 45 houses that each surrounded by nine tribes inhabiting these houses, the tribe Dizi, tribal Dizi Azi, tribal Wahto, tribal roar Lalulewa, tribal roar Solamae, tribal Ngada, tribal Khopa, and Ago tribe. Distinguishing between one tribe against other tribes is their level of as much as 9 units and each of the tribes are in a level altitude. The composition of the houses in Bena looks very unique because of its circular form the letter U, and each house also has a roof decoration are different from each other based on the ruling lineage and lived in the house.
In the middle of the village, there is a building which is called by local people Bena, nga’du and bhaga. Both are symbols of ancestral villages in the yard, kisanatapat, where the ceremony was held to communicate with their ancestors. Nga’du means symbol male ancestors and resembles an umbrella with a single colonnaded buildings and thatched palm fiber, until it looks like cottage shade. Pole ordinary Ngadhu of special types of wood and hard because they serve as a gallows animal sacrifices when the traditional feast. While bhaga means ancestor female symbol that resembles a miniature house.
How to get to Bena Village
Bena Village is only 3 hours from Ende Airport. Some Visitors combine the tour to Bena village with visiting Kelimutu 3 color lake. Bena Village can be accessed from Labuan Bajo about 6 hours drive through cooling area Ruteng. mostly the Visitor stop and overnight in Ruteng and do some activities in Ruteng before getting to Bena Village.
To visit the village of Bena visitors are not charged admission ticket but the visitors are expected to sign the guest book and leave a voluntary donation for the maintenance and preservation of the village. Not only are farmers, the women of the village of Bena usually more often seen weaving typical Flores who later sold to tourists with a range of up to 300 thousand. Quite expensive indeed, but take it to those who did not bring enough money can buy typical woven scarf Bena with 75,000-100,000 price alone. Bena village into a tourist destination Ngada in addition to being an attraction for domestic tourists, it turns presence is also an attraction for foreign tourists.
For those who want to feel the sensation of life in the stone age together smiling hospitality of its inhabitants, stop for a moment in the village of Bena if you are traveling overland on Flores. Enjoy the luxury and grandeur of one of the amazing cultural heritage archipelago in Bena. Million special impression awaits you in Bena!
