SD1-008

Genre: Oral history (late 1800s, 1900s). Title: Nua Meline. This recording, from one of the first recording sessions, was made with only the H4N recorder in the home of Bapak Woko (b. c. 1938), kampong Kaju keri, 25 Feb 2014 in the morning, with only him and Stefan Danerek present. Here Woko tells the history of the merchant house built by Nua Meli (Nua is a man's name that means house) in Tomu by the beach, that existed when a Nua Meli (b. 18--) was a lakimosa (adat leader) of the Keli domain (Meli was a lakimosa from Lei who married and moved to Tomu? Tomu people do not know anything about this anymore).At this harbour/beach and store and trading post, goods from the island, such as green peas, were stocked for trading with sea merchants, such as Lanu (Bugis, Bajo, people from north), Bugis and others. In the past rifles were bought for ivory tusks, and boats were until the 1970s exchanged with ivory from Larantuka (acc. to Bapak Mboe). Cloth, thread and accessories were bought from seafarers (also acc. to a senior man in Tomu, 140301). The merchant house, a kind of storage house, mentioned as office ('katho') was destroyed in 1928 when it was hit by the tsunami caused by the volcanic eruption (Ronggasengga, Rokatenda). It was rebuilt and used again for some decades, until it was destroyed in the natural disaster of 1973, when the harbour/beach was swept away too, so that the natural harbour became less good. Bugis-Makassarese and Seram traders brought goods, such as cloth, Seram thread, sapada (daggers) and gold. They bartered with agricultural goods, such as sweet potato, green peas, and woven cloths.Palu'e, Flores, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia. Recording made in kampong Kaju keri, Keli domain