Experiencing Traditional Harmony in Sade Village in Lombok Island

A Quiet Village Unspoiled by Modernity

Located in the southern part of Lombok Island, namely in Pujut District, Central Lombok, Sade Cultural Tourism Village lies quietly. This village has been standing strong and gracefully against the force of modernization while embracing their traditionality, which has been maintained and cared for 15 generations.

In the language of the Sasak tribe in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), sade means medicine or consciousness.

The culture of Sasak tribe in Sade Village has blended well with Islamic teachings. All social affairs, such as marriage, are settled at the mosque or Baruga Sekenam which is located to the left of the entrance to the traditional house area. In order to preserve the authenticity of the residents, Sade Village implements the one-family wedding custom, which means that Sade people cannot marry a person outside their tribe.

One other thing that is unique about the culture of Sade Village is its tradition of eloping (kawin lari). If a man wants to propose to a woman to be his wife, he must kidnap the girl and hide her from their family. The duration of the kidnapping and hiding could not be determined. It could be days or even months. Until at a time that was deemed appropriate, a messenger from the man’s side will visit the woman's family to inform her location and discuss the proposal and marriage plans after a consensus is reached by both parties.

What to Do

The first time you set foot in Sade Village, visitors will be immediately greeted by a local guide, which will assist the visitors in getting all the information they need while roaming around and enjoying the cultural beauty of the village.

There are around 150 traditional houses in Sade Village. These houses have unique roofs which are shaped like mountains and are built with reed grass. The walls and floors are made of clay mixed with rice bran, then covered with woven bamboo on the outer sides. The buildings of these houses have the title Bale Tani Gunung Ratu, which means that they are shaped like a mountain with a flat base.

It is important to note that all houses in the Sade Village area are residential houses, not exhibition buildings or cultural museums. The whole population living here is approximately 750 people who are still of the same lineage or family.

There is a certain uniqueness when you first step foot into the houses in Sade Village. Not like the usual thing you can find in your households, in Sade Village, the floor of the house is covered with buffalo/cow dung every now and then. The goal is to keep the floor clean of dust attached, strengthen the floor, and to prevent insects from entering the house.

Another tradition in this village is weaving. For Sasak women, mastering the art of weaving--or locally known as tenun--from their childhood is an obligation. The traditional weaving of Lombok is a form of preservation of the Sasak Tribe for women. The price offered for one piece of woven cloth varies from IDR 50,000 - IDR 400,000. In addition to woven fabrics, there are many Lombok souvenirs that are made directly by the Sasak people, such as key chains and accessories.

Things to Do Nearby

If you are looking to explore further, you can find Ende Tourism Village approximately 3 minutes drive to the north of Sade Village. The village is also a home to Sasak tribe, only it has a slightly different tradition than the people in Sade Village. One of the unique things about this village is the doors of the houses, which are made smaller than usual. According to local belief, the doors are deliberately built short so the guests who enter have to bow their heads and bodies to show their respects to the owner of the house.

At sunset, you can choose to ride south to Kuta Mandalika Beach: one of the few places in Lombok where you can see an otherworldly beautiful sunset scenery. Get ready to be enchanted by its many charms from the clarity of the sea water to the beautiful and sturdy rocks. Furthermore, Kuta Mandalika Beach also presents the charm of a clean and white sand stretching for 7,2 kilometers long. It’s only 15 minutes drive from Sade Village and it will surely complete your whole trip to the tropical island of Lombok.
 

How to Get There

Getting to Sade Village from downtown Mataram takes about 1 to 1,5 hours. Meanwhile, from Lombok International Airport it only takes about 25 to 30 minutes. There is no public transportation that can get you to Sade Village so you will need to rent a car or motorbike.