Some news from the construction site.
The ceremony
The ceremony took place as planned. It was quite an emotional moment at sunset, which added to its mystical atmosphere.
The ceremony began with incantations recited by Pak Rato, who is the equivalent of a pastor in the Marapu religion (the man in the blue top and carrying a machete). Once he had finished, he proceeded with the sacrifice of a white chicken. A few feathers were plucked and kept to be tied to the tree at the foot of which the sacrifices take place, thereby making the tree sacred. The chicken was then thrown into the fire for a very brief moment.
The chicken was subsequently cut open, and Pak Rato read the future in its entrails, while its heart was still beating… A moment of great suspense as we awaited his verdict: the gods are on our side, and Kabisu is destined for great success. (Phew!)
Next came the sacrifice of a pig, a breed native to Sumba. We grilled the meat and enjoyed it together with the village elders and several local officials, including members of the police, a military officer, and other people from the neighbouring village of Gaura. I was also offered a thigh and a leg, which I passed on to our Sumbanese contractor, as I couldn't keep them raw for too long…
An official visit
On a more down-to-earth note, we also received a visit from a senator and his entourage. They congratulated us for waiting until we had obtained all the necessary permits before starting construction.
We hadn't expected this visit, so it was a very pleasant surprise and reinforced our confidence in the way we are approaching the project.
The construction site
As for the construction work itself, the foundations for the restaurant have been excavated, earthworks have continued, particularly around the staff accommodation buildings, and assembly is now underway.
The water flow tests have been successful. We pumped water continuously for 72 hours without any loss of flow rate. Given that we are now at the very end of the dry season, this is the best result we could have hoped for.
I hope these updates help you picture yourselves here with us in Sumba.
Until next time, as the Kabisu adventure continues,
Frédéric
