Prehistory

Among the prehistoric inhabitants of the island were small-proportioned humans (classified as Homo floresiensis in 2004) that may have evolved from Homo erectus and lived on Flores as recently as 13,000 years ago. Some scientists, however, believe that remains are those of micro cephalic modern humans who also suffered from dwarfism. Much later under the rule of Sulawesi princes, Flores came under Dutch influence c.1618. The Dutch gradually gained control of the island, although Portugal held the eastern end until 1851 and the natives were not completely subjugated until 1907.

Flores Man In September 2004, at the Liang Bua Cave in western Flores, Paleoanthropologist discovered skeletons of a previously unknown hominid species. Homo floresiensis, affectionately termed hobbits after the small characters in the Lord of the Rings, appear to be miniaturized versions of Homo erectus standing about one meter tall. They may have existed until as recently as 11.000 BC.

Flores Man

Local reports of elf people, the Ebu Gogo, or the Orang Pendek of Sumatra, have caused speculation that Flores man may have survived into the historical period, or even to the present. The discovery has been published in the October 28, 2004, issue of Nature magazine. Flores was also a habitat of the extinct Stegodon dwarf elephant until approximately 18,000 years ago.

Administration

Flores belongs to the Lesser Sunda Islands and is part of the East Nusa Tenggara province. The island is split into five regencies (local government districts); from west to east these are: Manggarai, Ngada, Ende, Sikka and Flores Timur.

Volcanoes Flores has several active and dormant volcanoes, including Egon, Ilimuda, Leroboleng, and Lewotobi. Kelimutu is a mountain which is famous for its "Three Color Lakes", dark brown, light blue, and dark blue. It is really a magic natural wonder. According to the people who live around the lakes the colors of these lakes sometimes change. Climb to the top of the mountain to experience a truly dramatic panorama on these lakes. > climbing info and pictures of Mt. Kelimutu and the three color lakes

Three color lakes of Mt. Kelimutu

Map of Flores island

Flora and fauna

Culture

There are many languages spoken on the island of Flores, all of them belonging to the Austronesian family. In the center of the island in the districts of Ngada and Ende there is what is variously called the Central Flores Dialect Chain or the Central Flores Linkage. Within this area there are slight linguistic differences in almost every village. At least six separate languages are identifiable. These are from west to east: Ngada, Nage, Keo, Ende, Lio and Palu'e, which is spoken on the island with the same name of the north coast of Flores. Locals would probably also add So'a and Bajawa to this list, which anthropologists have labeled dialects of Ngadha. Portuguese traders and missionaries came to Flores in the 16th century, mainly to Larantuka and Sikka. Their influence is still discernible in Sikka's language and culture.

Bena Village in the Ngada district

Located in the Ngada district in Central Flores one can find the secluded village of Bena where the architecture is still traditional, with rites and customs that are remnants of the megalithic aera. > pictures of Bena village.

Religion

Flores is almost all Catholic (95%) and represents one of the "religious borders" created by the Catholic expansion in the Pacific and the spread of Islam from the west across Indonesia. In other places in Indonesia, such as in Maluku and Sulawesi, the divide is more rigid and has been the source of bloody sectarian clashes. At the coastal areas of Flores one can also find small muslim communities.