At Gallu Bakul, 2.5km down the road from the modernising village of Kabonduk, is Sumba’s heaviest tomb, weighing in at 70 tonnes. At its eastern end is a separate upright slab with carvings of the buried raja and queen, buffalo and cockerel motifs. The raja’s son lives right by the tomb and can tell its story. He’ll also ask you to sign in and make a donation (20,000Rp to 50,000Rp).
It is said that 6000 workers took three years to chisel the Umbu Sawola tomb out of a hillside and drag it 3km to town. The tomb is a single piece of carved stone, about 6m long, 3.5m wide and nearly 1m thick.
