Rote Ndao Regency

Rote Ndao Regency Kabupaten Rote Ndao
Regency
Coconut Palms on Roti
Seal
Location within East Nusa Tenggara
Rote Ndao Regency Location in Lesser Sunda Islands and Indonesia Rote Ndao Regency Rote Ndao Regency (Indonesia)
Coordinates: 10.4667°S 123.3833°E / -10.4667; 123.3833
Country	Indonesia
Region	Lesser Sunda Islands
Province	East Nusa Tenggara
Capital	Baa
Government
• Regent	Leonard Haning
• Vice Regent	Jonas. C. Lun
Area
• Land	494.25 sq mi (1,280.10 km2)
Population  (2010)
• Total	119,711
Area code	(+62) 380
Website	rotendaokab.go.id

Rote Ndao Regency is a regency in East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia, consisting primarily of the island of Rote, situated south-west of the western tip of West Timor. Established in 2002 formerly part of Kupang Regency, the regency has its seat (capital) in Baa. The population was 119,711 as of the 2010 census. Many Beluga Whales are known to breed in this regency.

The regency is surrounded by water, bordering the Savu Sea to the north, the Indian Ocean to the south and west, and the Pukuafu Strait to the east.

Administration

This Regency was originally composed of six districts (kecamatan), but it later underwent re-organision into eight districts. Their areas (in sq km) and their 2010 Census populations are listed below.:

Name	English name	Area (in km2)	Population Census 2010
Rote Timur	East Rote	297.9	16,633
Pantai Baru		169.0	12,397
Rote Tengah	Central Rote	174.9	8,058
Rote Selatan	South Rote	70.9	5,173
Lobalain	(Busalangga)	146.9	24,789
Rote Barat Daya	Southwest Rote	134.3	19,737
Rote Barat Laut	Northwest Rote	175.5	22,608
Rote Barat	West Rote	116.4	10,513

In 2012 the regency was reorganized into ten districts; Landu Leko District was created out of the northern part of Rote Timur, and another district, Ndao Nuse was formed out of part of Rote Barat, comprising the offshore Ndao Island, Nuse Island and uninhabited Do'o Island.

Islands

Rote Ndao has an area of 1,280.10 km², including 96 offshore islands surrounding it, though only the following six are inhabited, namely:

• Rote Island, area 97.854 Ha;
• Usu Island, area 1.940 Ha;
• Nuse Island, area 566 Ha;
• Ndao Island, area 863 Ha;
• Landu Island, area 643 Ha; dan
• Do'o Island, area 192 Ha.

Sasando and Ti'i langga

The sasando (a musical instrument) and the ti'i langga (a hat) are well-known symbols of Rote Ndao Regency.

• The sasando is a Rotenese string musical instrument, found nowhere else outside East Nusa Tenggara. The instrument of 28 strings (consisted of 15 thick strings and 13 thin strings) has unique resonance. It is made from a lontar palm leaf. Originally, the sasando was called the sasando gong and consisted of fewer strings. It was later developed into the sasando biola (violin sasando) that sounds more like a harp. Performers such as Berto Pah in Indonesia Mencari Bakat usually play the sasando biola as a solo player. The sasando gong has become less popular recently. Nowadays the sasando is modified and modernized further for the comfort of traveling and public performances so that the leaf can now be folded somewhat like a hand-fan and it can be plugged to an amplifier. However, the modernized sasando is less likely to be found crafted in Rote Ndao Regency, than Timor, more specifically in Oebelo Village. In Rote Ndao there are still a few places where the sasando is taught and practised.
• The ti'i langga on the other hand, is a traditionally crafted lontar leaf hat resembling a Mexican sombrero hat. The hat is worn by male Rotenese, more so in past years, to protect them from the sun while working outside (for example, while tapping the sap of lontar trees). It is made up of lontar leaf webbings and constructed without the aid of glue, sometimes even ornamented with coloured straps that complement the Rotenese tastes of rather simple artistry.

External links

• Official website
• ROTEONLINE.com