Once known as 'Sandalwood Island' for its fragrant wood, Sumba later became famous for its miniature horses. The island is divided into two regions: the dry East and the fertile West, ideal for farming. The people once practiced headhunting and the marapu religion. Sumba is known for its megalithic monuments and stone tables, used to honor ancestors. In the past, funerals of Sumbanese rajas were elaborate, involving human sacrifices and treasure burial. In West Sumba, the pasola is an annual horseback combat ritual for blood sacrifices.
Sumba’s aristocratic weavers produced intricate ikat textiles, including men’s cloths (*hinggi kombu*) and royal sarongs (*lau pahudu*), with beads and supplementary techniques. Another ceremonial skirt, lao hada, featuring shell and bead appliqué, was used in elite marriage exchanges. Accessories include beaded minaudières for betel nuts, chest pectorals, and tortoiseshell combs.
Traveling goldsmiths crafted iconic mamuli, omega-shaped heirlooms, stored in traditional homes and displayed during significant rites. Marriage exchanges, especially in East Sumba, often included gold mamuli pendants, incorporating the wife and children into the husband’s clan. Initially dominated by immigrants, Sumbanese later adopted goldsmithing, with Dutch coin trade introducing more precious metals. Sacred collections of heirlooms like mamuli, tied to founding ancestors, remain in noble families. These ornaments, depicted on stone graves, symbolize continuity and status, linking the living with ancestral spirits.