Orahili Gomo Tourist Village

Origins and Periodization of Orahili Gomo's Establishment

Historically, the Gomo region is considered the ancestral land for all Nias people. Based on the oral tradition of Hoho, passed down through generations, the ancestors of the Nias people first descended from the sky to a place called Boronadu, located very close to Orahili Gomo. Orahili Gomo village is estimated to have been inhabited since the late Neolithic period, entering the Bronze-Iron Age, with stone relics dating back 1,000 to 3,000 years ago.

The village was founded as a center for defense and clan settlement. Its location on high hills was not without reason; this position provided a strategic advantage for monitoring enemy movements during the frequent inter-tribal wars of the past. Orahili Gomo became a prototype for other traditional Nias villages in terms of spatial planning and social organization.

Megalithic Architecture and Construction Details

The main uniqueness of Orahili Gomo lies in its massive distribution of megalithic artifacts. The architecture here does not use modern cement or adhesives, but relies on stone carving skills and wooden peg techniques in its house construction.

1. Omo Hada (Traditional House): Houses in Orahili Gomo are the typical Omo Hada type of South Nias, which are rectangular (unlike North Nias, which are oval). These buildings stand on large, hard wooden pillars (manawa) placed on flat stone foundations to dampen earthquake vibrations.

2. Daraya and Harefa: In front of the traditional houses, there are courtyards filled with arrangements of megalithic stones. These stones serve as seating areas, ceremonial tables, and commemorative monuments.

3. Behu (Stone Monolith): These are menhirs 2 to 3 meters high, carved with geometric motifs or symbols of strength. Behu were erected to honor ancestors or to mark the success of a tribal chief in holding a feast of merit (Owasa).

Every carving on the stones in Orahili Gomo has specific details, such as the Ni’ogomo motif (typical of Gomo), which shows a high level of artistic complexity, proving that the ancient community here had advanced social strata and technical skills.

Historical Significance and Key Events

Orahili Gomo holds a central position in the chronology of Nias history. This village is the center of the "Living Megalithic Culture." Unlike megalithic sites elsewhere that have been abandoned, in Orahili Gomo, the social function of these stones is still understood and respected by its inhabitants to this day.

One of the most crucial historical events is the village's role as a center for the dissemination of Nias clans. From Gomo, residents migrated south (Bawomataluo) and north, bringing with them house-building technology and their stone traditions. Furthermore, the Orahili Gomo region is recorded in Dutch colonial records as the most difficult area to conquer due to its challenging terrain and the fighting spirit of its warriors, known as stone jumpers and skilled fighters.

Important Figures and Social Structure

In oral historical records, the names of great leaders or Tuhenori are often associated with the construction of stone monuments in Orahili Gomo. The leadership system here is very strict, where a leader must prove their capacity by erecting megaliths through the Owasa ceremony. This ceremony involves the slaughter of hundreds of pigs and the distribution of meat to all residents, which is then symbolized by the erection of a large stone as a mark of the leader's social status.

Cultural and Religious Functions

Before the arrival of Christianity in Nias in the 19th century, Orahili Gomo was the center of the ancient religious practice of Fanomba adu (worship of ancestral spirits). The large stones in the village were considered mediums of communication between the human world and the spirit world.

To this day, the strongest cultural value is the respect for lineage. Every stone standing in front of a resident's house is a historical archive that tells who their great-grandfather was and what achievements were accomplished. This makes Orahili Gomo not just an open-air museum, but a library of identity for the Nias people.

Preservation and Conservation Status

Currently, Orahili Gomo Tourist Village has been designated as part of the national Cultural Heritage Site. The South Nias Regency Government, along with the Ministry of Tourism, continues to strive to register the Gomo region with UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Conservation efforts include:

• Physical Restoration: Repairing the thatched roofs of traditional houses that are starting to decay and repositioning stones that have tilted due to land shifts.
• Community Education: Empowering local youth as historical tour guides to ensure the accuracy of historical narratives.
• Site Protection: Strict supervision against the theft of stone artifacts, which was rampant in the 1990s for sale to foreign collectors.

Unique Facts about Orahili Gomo

One rarely known unique fact is that some megalithic stones in Orahili Gomo have precise small holes, which, according to archaeological research, were used to observe constellations or as markers for planting seasons. Furthermore, the weight of some menhirs here is estimated to reach several tons, and they were moved from the river in the valley to the hilltop using only human power and rattan ropes, an extraordinary achievement of ancient civil engineering.

Orahili Gomo Tourist Village is tangible proof that Indonesia possesses a very grand past civilization. Visiting this village provides a deep understanding that a nation's progress is not only measured by current technology but also by how strongly they hold onto their historical roots and cultural identity. For researchers, historians, and adventurers alike, Orahili Gomo is a must-visit destination to understand the essence of humanity and the culture of the archipelago.