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It may be the largest port and town on Sumba, but WAINGAPU is still far from a modern metropolis. Pigs and chickens roam the backstreets and locals still walk around barefoot, with ikat tied around their heads and waists. One half of the hourglass-shaped town is centred around the port, and the other around the bus terminal. It's only a fifteen-minute walk between the two, but an endless army of bemos do the circular trip (Rp500). The bay to the west of town has a harbour at the extreme northern point of either shore: the eastern harbour serves ferries and is right at the foot of the town, the western harbour is for larger ships and requires an eight-kilometre journey all around the bay. PRAILU is the most visited of the local ikat-weaving villages , just a ten-minute bemo hop away. After signing in at the large, traditional house (Rp1000), you can inspect weavings that weren't good enough to be bought by the traders. The ikat blankets of East Sumba are ablaze with symbolic dragons, animals, gods and headhunting images. The cloth worn by men is called the hinggi , and is made from two identical panels sewn together into a symmetrical blanket. One is worn around the waist and another draped across one shoulder. These are the most popular souvenirs, as they make great wall-hangings. Most pieces retailing at under US$100 will use a campur (mix) of traditional vegetable dyes and manufactured chemical dyes. Many cloths under US$50 will use only chemical dye. A tight weave, clean precise motifs and sharp edges between different colours are all signs of a good piece. Dealers in the towns will often give you better prices than those in the villages.
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