SIRUNG, a volcano with taboos

I first learned about Mount Sirung when flew Kupang to Alor in the late 1980's. Coincidently I took left row on board Merpati Airlines (the airlines gone bankrupt). As usual I sat by the window. Wow a volcano down there. White spot with smokes.

Internet was not exist by then. Heard none talked about it. It was hard to trace anything. I then tried to get a map. There it is. Mount Sirung on Pantar Island. How to get there? Pantar is I think, the most remote island in the chain of Lesser Sunda Islands. The nearest Islands are Alor and Lembata. These islands are like sitting on the edge of the earth. No further place to go. Isolated. Map showed very few road.

Time goes by until few years ago I got requests to climb Sirung. Volcanoers. With very little knowledge on it, tried to gather information. I got none to ask to. Finally, I noticed that there is regular Ferry service connecting Flores, Lembata, Pantar and Alor. Places like Lewoleba, Wairiang, Baranusa and Kalabahi are where got regular calls.

How about land transport? How about roads? How about accommodations? Basic questions on planning a trip.I got all the answers when I mysef finally step my feet on the Island of Pantar in April 2019. "Pak, kami tenaga kontrak Pemerintah Pusat bagian kesehatan untuk Daerah Tertinggal, Terpencil, Terkebelakang, Terluar, Perbatasan dan Kepulauan" Wow that long? It was the explanation of Sekar a fresh university graduate from Makassar who I met in Pantar on my Sirung "expedition".

She studied about health care hired by the government for two years to work at the place which are Tertinggal means left behind in comparison to other regions in Indonesia. Terpencil means very remoted. Terkebelakang is neglected, terluar is outmost, perbatasan is located at the boundary of the country and kepulauan means archipelagic.

Sekar's explanation was the answer of my long buried questions. I met her following someone's phone call that night. "Pak, boleh kami ikut mendaki Sirung besok?" Sir, could we climb Sirung tomorrow morning, too? She lamented. Of course you can! How many of you? "Six, sir"

It was the last chance to ascend Sirung as the cashewnut trees seems to having flowers very soon. Whilst their contract to come to an end by August 2019. They are all energetic and cheerful young professionals from many different places in Indinesia. They are Protestants, Moslem and Catholics. Seeing them, I really love my country, Indonesia!

Sirung is really magic for me. On our arrival at Mauta village - in the previous day - the road forked. We chosed the left but soon we are stoped by some seen unfriendly youths who have followed our "pick up" truck since we entered the village. "Mau ke Sirung, Pak?" To climb Sirung, sir? I noded, yes. "Sekarang tidak bisa ke Sirung, Pak. Jambu mente segera berbunga". You can not climb Sirung from now on as our cashewnut start to having flowers very soon.

I then asked where the Chief of the village's house. I went to the chief of the village's house only to find the door was closed. Someone showed up from behind the house, explained that Kepala Desa - chief of the village is away on a visit to Kalabahi, the capitol of the regency. I asked who can I meet then, who is the second after Kepala Desa. Secretary of the village I have to meet. But again, the house was closed. The secretary was away to his cashewnut field.

Our pick up truck turned arround only to see more people gather arround. Most of them suggested us to return to Baranusa. But a lady suggested to call Kepala Desa instead. But my chell phone was almost run out of battray. Not possible to make a call. No phone number too. Another lady tell the number, I added to my handset. Mmm how to call? Luckily the lady lend me her phone. 4G only at that spot, move few meters away, the signal is gone.

"ooo bisa Pak, saya bilang bapak bisa ke Sirung besok pagi. Pergi ke rumah sekarang, nanti Pak Kaur yang urus. Ada Mama dan adik saya di rumah" It was Kepala Desa on the phone. Under his authority I was autorized to climb Sirung on the following morning. He told me to overnight at his home. There are his mom and sister at home. Kaur or Kepala Urusan Pembangunan - head of village development affairs - will take care of us during the visit.

We arrived at Kepala Desa's home. Quite a large house. Hardened dirt floor with concret wall. Three bed rooms with mosquito net. But we are six person alltogether. "Di sini 2 orang, kamar itu 2 orang dan kamar yang sana 2 orang" Pak Kaur explained proudly. Here two person, that room two person and another two at the next room. Kaur thinks a lady in our group was a wife of one among us. But she is not, hence a room only for herself. I came with 4 French tourists and my French business partner. My business partner and me then sleep on the floor.

That night came some other people to the house. For dinner I brought three big fishes from Baranusa. I told the lady that one of the fish was for the meal on return from Mount Sirung.

A man was introduced to be our guide for Sirung tomorrow. The briefing: don't ever pick any leafes en route, don't break any branch or trees, don't roll any single stone and don't make any unnecessary sound or voices, better to keep quite and speak slowly. Wow!

"But sir, why?" Well, whenever you violate those rules, we will have no cashewnut harvest! "But sir, cashewnut is not a native plant to the island, it was introduced in the late of 1970's?" We have many bad experiences. Cashewnut failed to bear fruit. Cassava, corn and other plants gave no harvest. We then learnt that our wrong doings made Sirung get angry, throwing ash and sulphurs which destroy our plants, our life.

The starting point: Kepala Desa's house, Mauta village. Map taken on return after Sirung trek.

The trek to Sirung starts at 4 o'clock in the morning. The trail was easy, mostly flat in the beggining. Narrow, mostly covered by bushes. It was a cloudy morning. We got our first morning light almost after half way up in the slope of Sirung.

Smoke was the first we saw. Closer to the crater the trail slopes down. Easy walk. Then flat, to climb a bit. Then voila Sirung!

The crater lake is possible to be approached. Sometimes the villagers have to go down till the crater lake to fetch stranded deer after being chased by dogs on hunting season.

There are three routes to reach Sirung, the Mauta village route is the easiest and closest to the crater.

Ascending Sirung is forbidden during the cashew nut bearing flower and fruits. It is from April or May to October. Then planting season (corn, millet etc) starts in November. Hence the effective Climb season is effective from end of December to April.

Pantar is accessible by regular boat either from Wairiang on Lembata Island or from Kalabahi on Alor Island.

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