Yamdena (spelt Jamdena during the Dutch colonial period) is the largest of the

Tanimbar Islands The Tanimbar Islands, also called ''Timur Laut'', are a group of about 65 islands in the Maluku province of Indonesia. The largest and most central of the islands is Yamdena; others include Selaru to the southwest of Yamdena, Larat and Ford ...

in the Maluku Province of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

Saumlaki Saumlaki is a town in Tanimbar Islands Regency, Indonesia. It is the seat of Tanimbar Islands Regency, as well as the biggest town in the island of Yamdena. Previously a small village, it has grown to a relatively sizeable town due to its politica ...

is the chief town, located on the south end of the island. The island has a range of forested hills along its eastern coast, while its western coast is lower. The forests are inhabited by wild

water buffalo The water buffalo (''Bubalus bubalis''), also called the domestic water buffalo or Asian water buffalo, is a large bovid originating in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Today, it is also found in Europe, Australia, North America, So ...

. The Yamdena language is spoken on and around the island. Christianity is the main religion, but

ancestor worship The veneration of the dead, including one's ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of t ...

is still practised. Handicrafts on the island include woodcarving, fine goldwork,

Ikat ''Ikat'' (in Indonesian languages means "bind") is a dyeing technique originating from Indonesia used to pattern textiles that employs resist dyeing on the yarns prior to dyeing and weaving the fabric. In ''ikat'', the resist is formed by b ...

weaving (mainly on nearby Selaru Island). In 1987 a new species of

Bush Warbler Bush-warblers (or bush warblers) are small insectivorous songbirds of the genera ''Cettia'', ''Horornis'', and ''Bradypterus''. They were formerly placed in the "wastebin" Old World warbler family. None of the genera as traditionally delimited ...

was recorded on the island.

Megalith A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. There are over 35,000 in Europe alone, located widely from Sweden to the Mediterranean sea. The ...

: In the village of Sangliat Dol there is an antique stone stairway that leads from the beach to a boat shaped stone platform. There are several similar ones but less preserved sites on the islandLonely Planet Indonesia, 9th edition, page 770
/ref> which originally represented the boats on which the inhabitants' ancient ancestors arrived on the island.

Transport

Saumlaki is linked by air and sea to Langgur-Tual in the

Kei Islands The Kai Islands (also Kei Islands) of Indonesia are a group of islands in the southeastern part of the Maluku Islands, located in the province of Maluku. The Moluccas have been known as the Spice Islands due to regionally specific plants such ...

Gallery

File: Sogliat_Dol_-_Stone_Stair_Case.jpg, Stone staircase leading from the beach in the village of Songliat Dol, East Yamdena File: Stone_Boat_Songliat_Dol.jpg, Stone boat used for ancestor worship ceremonies in Songliat Dol, East Yamdena File: Decorations_on_Stone_Boat_Songliat_Dol.jpg, Motifs on the stone boat of Sangliat Dol, East Yamdena File: Weluan_Beach_-_Christ_Statue.jpg, ''Kristus Raja'' Christ statue at Weluan, reflecting the region's strong Christian faith. File:Saumlaki tepi laut.jpg, Saumlaki Harbour, the principal port for Yamdena and the Tanimbar Islands

References

{{reflist

External links

Yamdena Wordlist at the Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database
Tanimbar Islands