North Buton

  • Indonesia

Welcome Ceremony

Welcome Ceremony Dance

When we arrived at Munu Kalisusu Buton, we were greeted with friendly hellos by our guides, Antek & Fathiyatul; the girls spoke good English and accompanied us as we walked around the village.  We stopped by the Lobster & Fish Breeding (also a restaurant); the chilli lobster is highly recommended.

Indonesian Independence Day is the reason for the flags- the 17th of August marks Indonesia’s independence from the Netherlands in 1945. Indonesia had been a Dutch Colony for over 300 years. 

As we disembarked the bus, we received a warm welcome from the village chiefs; we were then invited to touch the sacred Conch Shell (Conch Shells which spiral to the right are very rare and considered especially sacred), the right spiral mirroring the motion of the sun, moon, planets and stars across the sky each person who steps onto the ground has to touch the shell

Sue touched the shell and made a wish.

We continued our exploration, taking a stroll around the Fort perched high on the hill above the town. The Fort offers a captivating view of the town. Close by, there’s a historic freshwater well, still maintaining its freshness and purity at a depth of 30 metres

The following day was busy, a bus ride to a natural swimming hole, then tea at the governor’s house, and dinner and dancing at the sports stadium – we all had a wonderful evening.

Our final day was a school visit, lunch and markets. Two days earlier, we visited a primary school and learnt about a new game called ‘Sandika’ is a game played with a stick and a triangular piece of coconut shell.

Bola Terowongan is tunnel ball.

Fisherman families live in stilt houses on the water, including the family rooster – we could hear his ‘cock-a-doodle-doo’ as we walked past.  Narrow wooden ramps provide access to the front door.

The North Buton Traditional Costume is worn during special occasions, festivals, ceremonies, and traditional events. It is a symbol of pride and serves as a visual representation of the region’s cultural heritage. The costume consists of several distinctive elements that are carefully crafted and beautifully adorned.