Alor Island Research Articles

Database Management for the Arrangement and Management of Online Boarding Houses in the Archipelago Region

Teluk Mutiara District is one of the sub-districts in the Alor Island group, currently a sub-district that has the potential for quite rapid regional development. With the increasing prospects for development and activities in this region, more and more people are coming to work, try their luck, attend education and live in this region. The geographical location of Alor Regency with the Islands region makes people choose the alternative boarding house as a temporary residence. People experience problems when looking for a boarding house because they have to go around and ask acquaintances and friends about the availability of empty boarding rooms. Boarding house owners are also limited in promoting boarding houses, they only write information about the boarding house business in front of the house. This limited information means a system has been created that can register, search for and promote boarding house businesses according to needs quickly and precisely. The iterative method is used in developing systems because this method can accept changes in requirements from users if necessary. The system was successfully built with a boarding house and promotion data collection feature as well as a boarding house search feature based on location, facilities and closest distance

Kajian Histokimia Sebaran Karbohidrat Netral Pada Usus Halus Ayam Hutan Hijau (Gallus Varius) Asal Pulau Alor

Green jungle fowl (Gallus varius) is a type of local chicken in Indonesia. Green jungle fowl are only found in Indonesia, which are spread from Java, Madura, Bali, Lombok, Sumba, Sumbawa, Flores and Alor. The small intestine consists of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum which function in the absorption of nutrients. Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) is a special staining method that aims to see the characteristics of neutral carbohydrates in cells or body tissues. A positive PAS staining reaction is indicated by the presence of a magenta-red color in the examined tissue. This study aims to determine the distribution of neutral carbohydrates in the small intestine of the green jungle fowl (Gallus varius) from Alor Island. Small intestine samples were taken from 3 green jungle fowl collected in Alor District. Microscopic observation of small intestine tissue that has been stained with PAS stain. The results showed that the small intestine of the green jungle fowl consists of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Neutral carbohydrates are distributed throughout the tunica duodenum, jejunum and ileum with varying intensity. Moderate intensity (++) was seen in goblet cells and liberkuhn's crypts. Weak intensity (+) is seen on the surface of the epithelium, lamina propria, lamina muscularis mucosa, tunica submucosa, tunica muscularis, and tunica serosa.

Staple or delicacy: Sea urchin exploitation over the last 40,000 years at Makpan Cave, Alor Island

Sea urchins are consumed in many parts of the world today. Human consumption of these marine invertebrates can be traced back to at least the Late Pleistocene in various archaeological sites from Island Southeast Asia. Makpan Cave, on Alor Island in Indonesia, is one of the earliest Wallacean prehistoric sites with an occupation record beginning ∼43,000 years ago. Coastal resources (i.e., shellfish, barnacle, crab, and sea urchin) play a dominant role in the subsistence strategy at this site, with urchins important throughout all occupation phases. In this study, we used three different quantification methods (weight, NISP, and MNI) to analyze the over 13 kg of sea urchin remains recovered from Makpan. Our analysis showed that sea urchins were collected during the initial occupation period, when other coastal resources were sparsely utilized. This indicates that sea urchins were intentionally targeted rather than being the result of subsidiary foraging during shellfish collection. The quantity and consistency of sea urchin exploitation at Makpan indicates that urchin was considered a staple food, especially during the initial phase of occupation. We hypothesize that a focus on sea urchins may have been a key strategy for the colonization of novel environments by the earliest human settlers in the region.

Understanding through the Numbers: Number Systems, Their Evolution, and Their Perception among Kula People from Alor Island, Southeastern Indonesia

This paper aims at documenting and reconstructing the linguistic processes generating and substantiating the use of number systems, numbers in general, elementary arithmetic, and the related concepts and notions among the Kula people from Alor Island, Southeastern Indonesia. The Kula is a Papuan population from the Alor–Pantar Archipelago (Timor area). The name of their language, Kula (or Kola), corresponds to the ethnonym. The language is, currently, endangered and not completely documented. At the level of linguistic features, numeral systems and the terms for numerals from Eastern Alor exhibit, to some extent, unique characteristics, if compared to other languages spoken in other sectors of the island. Therefore, the Kula numbering system is not only significant at the lexicological and lexicographic level, but also represents the essential role of cognitive strategies (e.g., the choice of the base for the numbering systems and the visual representation of counting with the aid of actual ‘objects’, like hands and fingers) in the coinage of numerical terms among the local speakers. Indeed, the development of numeral systems reflects the evolution of human language and the ability of humans to construct abstract numerical concepts. The way numerals are encoded and expressed in a language can impact the patterns according to which numerical notions are conceptualized and understood. Different numeral systems can indicate variations in cognitive processes involving notions of quantities and measurements. Therefore, the structure and characteristics of a numeral system may affect how numeral concepts are mentally represented and developed. This paper focuses on the number system of the Kula people and the lexical units used by the local speakers to indicate (and to explain) the numbers, with the related concepts, notions, and symbolism. The investigation delves into the degrees of abstraction of the Kula numeral system and tries to ascertain its origins and reconstruct it. Moreover, the article applies to the analysis a comparative approach, which takes into account several Papuan and Austronesian languages from Alor Island and Eastern Timor, with the dual aim of investigating, at a preliminary level, a possible common evolution and/or divergent naming processes in local numbering systems and their historical–linguistic and etymological origins.

The Phenomenon Sustainable Competitive Advantage for Alor Island Ecotourism Development: Background Review and Literature Review

Various research results regarding ecotourism development have been carried out, but only a little research has been carried out on Alor Island. This results in the literature on this topic not being sufficient as a supporting theory. Therefore, there is a need to understand the resources that contribute to Alor Island’s competitive advantage. The research method used is qualitative with a descriptive approach, through document and literature studies at national and regional levels related to the research theme, namely sustainable ecotourism. This research fills this gap with a Resource-Based View approach. The main objective of this research is to develop a sustainable competitive advantage for ecotourism development on Alor Island. This research reviews the background and previous literature regarding the definition of ecotourism, sustainable tourism development, resource view, dynamic capabilities, and sustainable competitive advantage. To mitigate or prevent sociocultural and environmental harm, it is imperative for all relevant stakeholders, including the government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and local communities, to collectively address the challenges associated with tourism development that leads to adverse impacts

Rupture Pattern of the 2015 Alor Earthquake Sequence, Indonesia

Abstract A sequence of earthquakes occurred on Alor Island, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia, beginning in November 2015 with the mainshock (Mw 6.2) on 4 November 2015. We calculate the centroid moment tensor (CMT) solutions for nine of the earthquakes with Mw≥3.9, which occurred between November 2015 and March 2016 using records from a temporary array of 30 broadband instruments in eastern Indonesia and Timor Leste (YS network). Our CMT results reveal an interesting pattern of ruptures in this order: (a) three foreshocks of Mw 4–5.3 all with strike-slip mechanisms that occurred with a centroid depth of ∼13 km in the three days prior to the mainshock, (b) the mainshock on 4 November 2015, with Mw 6.2 that occurred with a deeper centroid (∼25 km) and a strike-slip mechanism similar to the foreshocks, (c) followed by five aftershocks with Mw>3.9 at depth ∼3–15km. We further determine the fault plane and rupture direction of the mainshock and the largest foreshock (Mw 5.3) by relocating the hypocenter and examining its geometrical location with respect to the centroid. We find that the fault plane strikes 97°±9° from north and that the fault ruptures westward. We propose that the rupture of this sequence of events initiated at depth ∼10 km, propagating westward and triggering the mainshock to rupture at a deeper depth (within lower crust) on a similar faulting system. The aftershocks migrate back to shallower depths and occur mainly at depth <10 km.

Sequins from the sea: Nautilus shell bead technology at Makpan, Alor Island, Indonesia

One defining characteristic of Homo sapiens is the production and use of personal ornamentation. Evidence from Africa and western Eurasia has dominated discussion, but a growing number of finds directs attention towards Island Southeast Asia. In this article, the authors report on an assemblage of Nautilus shell beads from the Indonesian cave site of Makpan, Alor Island. The highly standardised forms, mostly with two perforations, and evidence of use wear, indicate that these beads were utilised as appliqués. Dating to the terminal Pleistocene, these beads appear to form part of a wider tradition also attested on Timor and Kisar, suggesting an early inter-island network across southern Wallacea.

Geodetic constraints of the 2015Mw6.5 Alor, East Indonesia earthquake: a strike-slip faulting in the convergent boundary

SUMMARYOn 2015 November 4, an Mw 6.5 earthquake struck the east region of Alor Island, eastern Indonesia. Here, we use Sentinel-1 and ALOS-2 data to explore the coseismic surface displacement of this earthquake. Based on the ALOS-2 coseismic interferograms, the first fault model and coseismic slip distribution of the 2015 Alor earthquake are presented in this study. The preferred slip model links to a blind south-southeast striking, south-southwest dipping strike-slip fault with amount of normal slip component and a peak slip of 2.09 m at 2.34 km of depth. Considering the fact that the ascending and descending InSAR prediction of the distributed slip model does not fit the InSAR observations at the northwest and southeast tips with the simple planar fault model. We tried to construct a strike-variable fault model to further improve data fit. The results of the calculated Coulomb stress change imply that the regions with positive CFS changes mainly located at the northwest and southeast extremities of the rupture of the Alor earthquake, and in the lobes north and south of the rupture. The most striking discovery from the InSAR observations of the Alor earthquake is that most of the displacements occurred on a fault whose existence was unknown before the earthquake.

Extreme Upwelling Events in the Seas of the Alor Kecil, Alor Island, Indonesia

Upwelling is a process by which deep, colder, higher-nutrient waters are brought to the sea surface. In the tropics, an indicator that an upwelling event has occurred is lowering of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) to 25°–27°C from a mean of ~28°C. Based on more than one year of in situ data, we observed an unusual extreme upwelling event (EUE) when the near-surface temperature (NST) dropped by 10°C within one hour during the spring tide in Mulut Kumbang Strait of Alor Kecil. The extreme minimum NST during this EUE was ~12°C, and the upward displacement speed of the cold water was ~0.012 m s–1. The increase in salinity from ~30‰ to 34‰–36 ‰ during the decrease in NST indicates a deep source for the cold water mass . From bathymetry and CTD data, the source of the cold water mass was a deep basin (>300 m) located at the southern part of Pantar Strait. In this basin, the temperature at 270 m depth can be as low as 8°C. We suggest that tidal sloshing (i.e., the back-and-forth movement of water) brings the cold water mass through a channel that connects this deep basin to Mulut Kumbang Strait. Interactions between semi-diurnal (M2, S2, and N2) tidal components strongly modulate the tidal signal with a period of nearly one month. That EUEs only occur from August to November also suggests a strong monsoonal influence. Because tides are predictable, we suggest that future EUEs are predictable.

Histomorfologi Dan Histomorfometri Otot Ayam Hutan Hijau (Gallus Varius) Asal Pulau Alor

Green jungle fowl is one of the endemic animals in Indonesia. One of the distribution areas of green jungle fowl in East Nusa Tenggara is the island of Alor. Until now there has been no research conducted to determine the histological structure of the green jungle fowl so that this study was conducted with the aim of knowing the histological structure and muscle histomorphometry of the green jungle fowl. The research samples were pectoralis and bicep femoris muscles taken from three green jungle fowl in Kalabahi, Alor Regency. Muscle tissue was fixed using 10% formalin, histological preparations were made and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE). The results showed that the muscle histomorphology in the transverse section showed that the skeletal muscle of the green jungle fowl was composed of muscle fibers in a polygonal shape with many nuclei at the edges and connective tissue. No intramuscular fat cells were found. In the longitudinal section, it consists of muscle fibers with a light dark line pattern, the cell nucleus is elongated at the edges and connective tissue. The results of muscle histomorphometry, namely the diameter of the muscle fibers, the diameter of the fasciculus and the thickness of the connective tissue in the bicep femoris muscle area were higher than the pectoralis muscle area. The number of muscle fibers in each fasciculus in the bicep pectoralis muscle area is more than in the bicep femoris muscle area. Muscle histomorphometry is influenced by species, breed/race, age, diet, activity level and anatomical location.

Application of the Welch-Powell Algorithm on Graph Coloring in Mapping Village Area in Alor Island, East Nusa Tenggara

Application of the Welch-Powell Algorithm on Graph Coloring in Mapping Village Area in Alor Island, East Nusa Tenggara

Diversity and continuity in the pottery traditions of the Wallacean islands: New evidence from Makpan Cave, Alor island, Indonesia

This study examines a pottery assemblage from Makpan Cave, Alor, Indonesia dating from ∼3300 BP to historic times, constituting one of only a few documented ceramic studies from the Nusa Tenggara Timur archipelago. The assemblage is characterised by idiosyncratic decorative features along with a range of surface finishes not commonly emphasised in other research in the region. The Makpan pottery exhibits a notable consistency over time suggesting an enduring and stable pottery tradition, yet petrographic examination reveals a number of manufacturing locations with the possibility of offshore imports. The study also reports on the occurrence of baked clay, mostly concentrated in levels dating to around 11,500 BP. Finds of baked clay in Island Southeast Asia are little known with only one other major documented example and its use and purpose at Makpan is currently enigmatic.A long history of inter-island communications and contact is highlighted as the key factor in bringing new technologies, including Neolithic pottery, to Makpan and throughout the region. Although Austronesian speakers are conventionally credited with introducing ceramics throughout ISEA, the Makpan case study indicates that a variety of peoples may have participated in the dispersal of pottery into southern Wallacea.

First specimen-based Indonesian record of a rare scorpionfish, Scorpaenopsis obtusa (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Scorpaenidae), from Alor Island

A single specimen of the shortsnout scorpionfish, Scorpaenopsis obtusa Randall et Eschmeyer, 2002 (Scorpaenidae), collected from the south coast of Ampera, Alor Barat Laut, Alor Island, Indonesia, at 5 m depth, represents the first voucher specimen-supported record of the species from Indonesian waters (previous records from Nusa Penida and northern Sulawesi having being based on underwater photographs). At 91.1 mm in standard length, the Alor specimen is the largest recorded individual of the species to date.

Converging on Cannibals: Terrors of Slaving in Atlantic Africa, 1509–1670

Converging on Cannibals: Terrors of Slaving in Atlantic Africa, 1509–1670

Talking Dead. New burials from Tron Bon Lei (Alor Island, Indonesia) inform on the evolution of mortuary practices from the terminal Pleistocene to the Holocene in Southeast Asia.

Burial elaborations are a human behaviour that, in recent contexts can inform on social diversification, belief systems, and the introduction of new practices resulting from migration or cultural transmission. The study of mortuary practices in Mainland and Island Southeast Asia has revealed complex and diverse treatments of the deceased. This paper contributes to this topic with the description of three new burials excavated in Tron Bon Lei (Alor Island, Indonesia) dated to 7.5, 10, and 12 kya cal BP. In addition to the bioskeletal profiles and palaeohealth observations, we propose the adoption of archaeothanatological methods to characterise burial types in the region. Through the analysis of skeletal element representation, body position, articulation, and grave associations, we provide an example of a holistic approach to mortuary treatments in the Lesser Sunda Islands. Our results provide significant new data for understanding the evolution and diversification of burial practices in Southeast Asia, contributing to a growing body of literature describing prehistoric socio-cultural behaviour in this region.

Tectonic Fabric in the Banda Arc‐Australian Continent Collisional Zone Imaged by Teleseismic Receiver Functions

AbstractThe convergent plate boundary in eastern Indonesia and Timor‐Leste captures an active oblique collision between the Banda Arc and the Australian plate. We analyzed ∼5 years' worth (2014–2019) of radial and tangential teleseismic Ps receiver functions (RFs) observed at 30 temporary broadband seismic stations across the area. Azimuthal variations in RF arrivals are observed throughout the region, indicative of the presence of oriented tectonic fabrics (dipping contrasts or plunging axis anisotropy) from a variety of crustal depths. The two main strikes of these fabrics are roughly parallel to the orogen and the plate convergence across the outer arc islands, likely associated with orogenic and strike‐slip structures. We observe distinct double polarity‐reversal arrivals with opposite polarity that reflect an anisotropic layer with orogen‐parallel strikes in the shallow crust beneath Timor and Savu, interpreted as metamorphic rocks. Fabrics oriented E‐W are imaged beneath the Flores and Lomblen that host active volcanoes, where we find interesting correlations with magmatic structures. NNW‐SSE striking fabric is imaged at ∼13 km depth beneath central Flores, which relates to a connected dike magmatic system that feeds the aligned cinder cones exposed on the surface. Finally, we identify convergence‐parallel fabrics on the volcano‐extinct islands of Alor and Atauro, consistent with one main fabric orientation imaged in Timor. We suggest all convergence‐parallel fabrics might accommodate strike‐slip motion generated by the overall NNE convergence of the Australian plate with respect to Eurasian plate and contribute to strain partitioning between the trough and backarc resulting from the collision.

Hominin adaptations in the Lesser Sunda Islands: exploring the vertebrate record to investigate fauna diversity before, during and after the Last Glacial Maximum

ABSTRACTThis paper reviews the available vertebrate record from the Lesser Sunda Islands to explore the effect the Last Glacial Maximum had on human subsistence strategies. By focusing on vertebrate assemblages from Laili and Matja Kuru 2 in Timor Leste, Tron Bon Lei in Alor Island, and Here Sorot Entapa in Kisar, this paper investigates biodiversity and resource availability in these nearby islands through the application of standardising indices and statistical testing. Results indicate that vertebrate biodiversity remained fairly stable through and after the Last Glacial Maximum, suggesting that in terms of available mammals, birds and reptiles, this period did not led to severe resource depletion. Hence, potential variations in human subsistence practices or occupation dynamics might not be due to changes in vertebrate diversity. As such, this analysis contributes to investigating anatomically modern humans’ subsistence adaptation in the Lesser Sunda Islands pre- and post-Last Glacial Maximum.

Terminal Pleistocene emergence of maritime interaction networks across Wallacea

ABSTRACTThe crossing of the Wallacean islands and settlement of Sahul by modern humans over 50,000 years ago, represents the earliest successful seafaring of our species anywhere in the world. Archaeological research throughout this vast island archipelago has recovered evidence for varied patterns in island occupation, with accumulating evidence suggesting a significant change in cultural activities and interaction amongst island communities following the LGM. New forms of technology such as shell fish hooks and adzes appear alongside standardised forms of shell beads, indicating that these technological innovations were accompanied by shared styles of personal ornamentation. Simultaniously, obsidian from a single, off-island source is found in the archaeological assemblages on at least four islands. We explore these implied spheres of interaction across Wallacea, with a focus on the terminal-Pleistocene/early-Holocene cultural materials and customs linking the southeastern Wallacean islands of Alor, Timor, and Kisar, and other parts of greater Wallacea and Near Oceania.

Diversity and Continuity in the Pottery Traditions of the Wallacean Islands: New Evidence from Makpan Cave, Alor Island, Indonesia

Diversity and Continuity in the Pottery Traditions of the Wallacean Islands: New Evidence from Makpan Cave, Alor Island, Indonesia

Model Construction and Potential of Social Entrepreneurship in East NUSA Tenggara Province

Purpose: This study aims to 1) Identify and explore the concept of social entrepreneurship in NTT, 2) Explore communities and figures who carry out social entrepreneurship on Alor Island, Flores and Timor, and 3) Create social entrepreneurship models in the context of empowering local communities in NTT. Research Methodology: This research is descriptive, verification and explanatory, where this research is descriptive because it describes or takes pictures of the variables under study. The method used in this research is a qualitative method. The sampling technique used was nonprobality sampling, be in the form of snowball sampling. Finding: There are several forms of social entrepreneurship in East Nusa Tenggara. Based on the SWOT analysis and the IE matrix above, it can be said that social entrepreneurship in NTT is in the position of cell V. So the strategy used is defense and maintenance accompanied by market penetration and product development strategies. The empowerment-based social entrepreneur model in the context of NTT is a Hybrid model, where business organizations use business methods, but the end result is the creation of social value. Limitations: This research was only conducted in several areas in East Nusa Tenggara so that the depiction of social entrepreneurs in this study does not fully describe the models and potentials of social entrepreneurs in East Nusa Tenggara. Contribution: This research becomes scientific information for business management and entrepreneurship.