Omo Hada (Royal Palace Complex)

Nias, North Sumatra, Indonesia
1715
There were once many villages in Indonesia with steeply pitched wooden dwellings built without nails and embodying vernacular motifs and architectural practices. The Nias Habitat (Omo Hada in the Nias language), on an island off Sumatra, is one of the very few surviving ensembles of this type. The main house was erected in 1715 by Sozalawa Bu'ulolo as a royal palace and meeting room for ritual events that included the election of clan chiefs. Surrounding dwellings are built on wooden poles with centered entrances reached from below as a safeguard against attacks. The Nias region is poor, but it lies near Lagundri beach, a popular destination for visiting cruise ships and surfers from abroad. While establishing an economic base is crucial, there are fears that changes introduced through outside contact may encourage locals to disassemble or compromise the structures. Since their erection, none of the houses has received any serious conservation treatment and many suffer from leaking roofs and insect infestation. In addition to finding funds for materials to make repairs, locals must be made aware that the Omo Hada is a national cultural asset.