heritage
Standing Stones and Ngada Houses in Bena
Bena, Ngada, Flores
93
The village council's own guide walks you along Bena's spine of ancestral stones and explains which clan owns which platform.
Mixed 3h
from Rp 500.000Discover experience
traditional · heritage · cultural
Bena
The story
Bena's houses face each other across a spine of ancestral stones, each set belonging to a named clan. The village council decides the visitor route, the entrance contribution and which platforms stay closed.
Culture
Catholic practice layered over Ngada adat: clan structure, ancestral stones and ceremonies announced by the council, not by a calendar you can book.
Local people
Around forty households across nine clans, farming, weaving and hosting on a rota.
Food
Corn and cassava staples, arabica coffee from the surrounding hills, moke palm spirit at ceremonies.
Crafts
Ngada ikat with dark indigo grounds, woven on the veranda between farming seasons.
Nature
Mount Inerie's cone above the village, bamboo slopes and hot springs in the valley.
Experiences here
