LOMBOK
Thirty-five
kilometers east of Bali at its closest point, Lombok is inevitably
compared with its better-known western neighbor, although it
differs considerably in almost every respect: physically, culturally,
linguistically and historically. It also contrasts quite markedly
for the visitor, with less widespread tourist facilities, sparser
public transport and simpler accommodation, although things
are changing pretty rapidly.
Approximately
ten percent of Lomboks 2.5 million inhabitants, are Balinese,
and it's very easy, especially if you arrive in the west where
most Balinese are settled, surrounded by their distinctive temples
and household architecture, to perceive Lombok simply as an
extension of Bali. However, the majority of the populations
are the indigenous Muslim sasak, people. Today the two cultures
appear to coexist relatively amicably, but it doesn't take too
long to discern rather less imitable emotions below the surface-
perhaps not surprising given historical events and the fact
that a lot of the economic advantages of increased tourism have
eluded the native Sasak.
From
the seventeenth century onwards, Lombok can increasingly under
Balinese influence, after the Balinese had helped the Sasak
aristocracy defeat invaders from Sumbawa, to the, east. Infighting
among the rajas of the four Lombok principalities - Pagasangan,
Pagutan, Mataram and Cakranegara - further weakened the hold
of the Sasak rulers. In 1830, Ratu Agung acceded to the throne
of Mataram, and over the next thirteen years brought the whole
of Lombok under his rule. In 1849, he also gained control of
Karangasem in east Bali in return for supplying his subjects
to the Dutch as troops for their campaigns in Bali. His brother,
Ratu Agung Ngurah, succeeded him in 1872, and, seeking to serve
his own ambitions in Bali, pushed the demand for troops too
far. The residents of Praya rebelled in 1891, and unrest quickly
spread. The Dutch intervened and eventually invaded Lombok in
1894, bringing the entire island under colonial rule until Indonesian
Independence.
Measuring
801un by 70km, Lombok is slightly smaller than Bali and divides
conveniently into three geographical regions. 'Me mountainous,
parched northern area is dominated by the awesome bulk of Gunung
Rinjani, at 3726m the third highest peak in Indonesia, and until
late 1994 believed to be dormant Trekking at least part of the
way up Rinjani is the reason many tourists come to Lombok, and
it's an easily organized and highly satisfying trip. To the
south of this mass, the central plains, about 25km wide, contain
the most productive agricultural areas as well as the major
road on the island linking the west and east coasts. Attractive
villages perched in the southern foothills of. Rinjani are easily
accessible from here, and many of the island's craft centers
are also in or near this cross-island corridor. Further south
again is a range of low inland hills, around 500m high, behind
the sweeping bays and pure white sands of the southern beaches,
all of which can be explored from Kuta, the accommodation centre
of the south and surfing focus of the island. Several groups
of islands lie off the
Lombok
coast. The trio of Gin Islands- Trawangan, Meno and Air - off
the northwest coast, are the best known to tourists, long-time
favorites with backpackers in search of sea, sun and sand in
simple surroundings, although Gili Trawangan, in particular,
is heading up market at a rapid rate. Those off the southwest
peninsula and the northeast coast are also becoming more accessible.
Lombok's rainfall ranges from 1500mm to 2000mm a year, much
drier than Bali, but wetter than Sumbawa and the islands further
east. As with Bali there are two seasons, rainy from November
to March and dry the rest of the year. Lombok, s economy is
based on agriculture, with rice, cassava, cotton, tobacco (major
export), Soya, beans and chili peppers being produced. However,
in recent
centuries the island has found it impossible to support its
burgeoning population, and thousands have died in fan-tines
on the island, reportedly 50,000 as recently
as 1966. Consequently, many people have left and continue to
leave, to settle on other Indonesian islands as part of the
government's transmigrasi scheme The government is also trying
to moderate the island's dependence on agriculture, and pumice
is now the main export mostly to Hong Kong.
Cultivated
pearls, farmed in co-operation with the Japanese, fetch over
US$1 million a year, seaweed and sea cucumber are growing in
economic importance, and income from the increasingly well-known
pottery industry and from tourism is rising annually.
