Mama’s House of Wolowaru, Flores – The Harmony Hall of The Patti Clan

The Island of Flores has been famous for its various patterns of traditional houses. The patterns are their expressions of thoughts and feelings to reach harmony along with nature, fellow human beings, and the spiritual world. The Rumah Mama (Mama’s House) in Wolowaru, Ende Regency, is one of the few left, in addition to similar houses in Bena, Nage, Wogo, and Todo.

The large traditional house called seoria is located on the left side of the Ende-Maumere road, about one kilometer from the junction towards the Kelimutu Lake.

Being in Lisedetu Village, Kelimutu District, the presence of the custom house is conspicuous from the road with its distinctive mark: breast-like bulge on both main doors. Consequently, the house is called House of Mama or “tetek” (breast) house, to show that women have significant roles in
the cosmic of Lio sub ethnic. The size of the house, which is larger than most residents’ houses—with typical thick palm fiber roof—is characteristic of the area when we passed down the road from Kelimutu Lake.

Yuliawati Kuntadi Patti (53), wife of the musolaki (tribal chief) of Wolowaru, Imannuel Isa Patti, who accompanied Warisan Indonesia, explained that the custom house is already 400 years of age. It was built by the ancestors of her husband, the forerunners of the Patti clan. Although she is Sundanese (from West Java), Yuliawati fluently explained the philosophy of Rumah Mama and also the history of Patti clan whose hometown was Ambon before they migrated to Flores around the 17th century.

According to her, the main objective of the stage house— measuring about 8 meters by 9 meters supported with 9 pillars—is to serve as the dining hall for the musolaki of Patti clan. In this custom house, traditional celebrations are held during the months of April, June, and October.
Moreover, any dispute related to custom are mostly related to property—normally called tanah lise or tanah pire—or a rivalry over a woman, which will be settled in a convention held in this custom house. “When the dispute still cannot be solved in this house, then the musolaki would throw the conflicting parties with mantra-laden rice. The person exposed to the rice would be disabled for the rest of their life,” Yuliawati said.

According to her, the custom house—with a commanding air that also gives an impression of a haunted house—is prohibited for children and unmarried women. They are not allowed to enter the house. There has been no legit explanation why children and single women are forbidden to come to the house. “We just follow the advice of our ancestors,” she answered lightly.