Mantar Cultural Village

Charting the Cultural Horizon in Mantar Village: The Guardian of Tradition Above the Clouds

Desa Budaya Mantar, located on the hilltop of Poto Tano District, West Sumbawa Regency, is not just an ordinary tourist destination. Known by the nickname "Land Above the Clouds," Mantar is the last bastion of authentic Samawa (Sumbawa) tribal customs and traditions. As a living cultural center, this village integrates the community's living spaces with the preservation of ancestral values, making it a dynamic cultural laboratory in West Nusa Tenggara.

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Architecture and Spatial Planning as Cultural Identity

The physical structure of Mantar Village reflects the life philosophy of its people. The neatly arranged wooden stilt houses, known as Bala Reji, are built without iron nails, but rather with wooden pegs and an elastic tying system that is earthquake-resistant. The placement of houses facing east and west is not merely aesthetic but a symbol of the harmonious relationship between humans, nature, and the Creator. In the center of the village, there is a public space that functions as a customary meeting arena, a place where the customary law of Saling Saling (mutual care, mutual affection, mutual nurturing) is collectively practiced.

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Traditional Arts: Sound and Movement from the Heights

In Desa Budaya Mantar, art is not just entertainment but a part of life rituals. One of the most prominent performances is Ratib Rebana Al-Ikhlas. This art form combines the dexterity of drumming the rebana with the chanting of dhikr and praises in Arabic and ancient Samawa languages. This music usually accompanies important processions, from welcoming honored guests to traditional wedding ceremonies.

In addition, there is the Nguri dance, an offering dance that symbolizes the openness and hospitality of the Mantar people towards newcomers. The dancers wear *Kre Alang* (traditional Sumbawa woven fabric) woven with gold and silver threads, creating a visual sparkle against the backdrop of green hills. Oral art also plays an important role through Lawas, oral poetry used to convey wise advice, love proposals, and social criticism in customary gatherings.

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Handicrafts: The Legacy of Kre Alang Weaving

This cultural center is the production base for Kre Alang, traditional Sumbawa woven fabric with distinctive motifs of "Bunga Satung" and "Pucuk Rebung." On the terraces of the stilt houses, Mantar women still use traditional non-machine looms (ATBM) called Gedogan.

The process of making a single piece of fabric can take months, as the Mantar people still maintain the use of natural dyes extracted from the roots of local trees and bark. Education on weaving techniques is passed down through generations via informal apprenticeship programs for the village's young women, ensuring that this skill does not disappear with time.

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Education Programs and Community Involvement

As a cultural center, Mantar Village carries out structured educational functions. There is the Mantar Mengajar program, where customary elders (Tokoh Adat) provide regular instruction to the younger generation on Tau Samawa (Sumbawa people) ethics. The material taught includes etiquette in speaking, correct traditional attire, and understanding family lineage to maintain strong kinship ties.

The village youth community is also actively involved in cultural tourism management. They are trained to be cultural guides capable of explaining the philosophy behind each artifact and tradition. This creates an ecosystem where cultural preservation is directly proportional to the improvement of the local community's economic welfare.

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Cultural Events and Annual Festivals

Mantar hosts various cultural events that attract national attention. One of the most unique is the Mantar Festival, which combines cultural attractions with air sports (paragliding). In this festival, customary rituals are performed before the athletes fly, as a form of seeking permission from nature.

In addition, there is the Barapan Kebo (buffalo racing) tradition held in the rice fields below Mantar hill. Although technically performed on flat land, all preparations and safety prayer rituals are conducted in Mantar Village. This event is not just about the speed of the animals but about thanksgiving for the harvest and prayers for soil fertility in the next season.

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Heritage Preservation and Strategic Role

Conservation efforts in Mantar Village include the protection of historical sites, including ancient tombs of Islamic propagators and artifacts from the kingdom era. The village enforces strict rules regarding physical development; every new building must follow traditional aesthetics to maintain the village's authentic facade.

The role of Desa Budaya Mantar in regional cultural development is very significant. This village serves as a reference for the West Sumbawa Regency Government in formulating community-based preservation policies. Mantar proves that modernity—brought by the flow of tourists and technology—does not have to erode local identity. Instead, technology is used as a digital documentation tool for oral histories that were previously only stored in the memories of the elders.

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Unique Value: Harmony on the Hilltop

One aspect that distinguishes Mantar from other cultural centers is the concept of "Mantar Berbagi" (Mantar Shares). This is a social system where every guest who arrives is considered part of a large family. There are no barriers between the performance stage and the audience; tourists are invited to join in dancing, try the looms, or participate in the process of cooking traditional food like Sepat and Singang.

The existence of Desa Budaya Mantar on the hilltop also provides a spiritual dimension. The altitude of this place is believed to be a point closer to the ancestors, so every customary ceremony performed here has extraordinary solemnity. The quiet atmosphere in the morning, covered by thick fog, while listening to the sound of Lawas being chanted from afar, provides a transcendental experience for anyone who visits.

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Conclusion: The Future of Tradition

Desa Budaya Mantar continues to transform without losing its identity. With a strong commitment from its community to uphold the values of Saling Jaga (mutual care), this village stands firm as a cultural beacon at the western tip of Sumbawa Island. Through the integration of art preservation, youth education, and sustainable tourism development, Mantar ensures that the sound of the rebana and the sparkle of Kre Alang's gold threads will continue to echo from above the clouds for generations to come. This village is not just a relic of the past but a vision of the future where humans and their culture live in harmony with the universe.