WHAT’S IN A NAME : FLORES or SNAKE ISLAND ?

In former time the island was named : NUSA NIPA ( SNAKE ISLAND ).

“ ULU GHETA LEJA GEJU,EKO GHALE BAJO BIMA “ means :

Head faces the sunrise in the east and tail towards the sunset in the west.

When in 1566 the first Portuges S.M Chabot came,

he named the island CABO DE FLORES ( CAPE OF FLOWERS ).

In 1636 official named FLORES by Dutch Governor Hendrik Brouwer.

I still prefere the name NUSA NIPA, because people still respect snakes on this island.

A snake in the ricefields gives luck and wealth.

You can find the shape of the snake in some woven fabrics.

And nowdays there is a university called Nusa Nipa in Maumere.