Mata Wee Lima – village in the Wewewa Timur district on Sumba Island
Mata Wee Lima is a small Indonesian settlement located in the Wewewa Timur kecamatan of Kabupaten Sumba Barat Daya (Southwest Sumba regency) on Sumba Island. At the provincial level, it falls within Nusa Tenggara Timur (East Nusa Tenggara) province, which forms part of the macro-region encompassing Bali and the Lesser Sunda Islands. Based on the settlement's coordinates (-9.4440853, 119.2822076), it is situated in the central-southeastern part of Sumba. Specific settlement-level source material is currently unavailable; therefore, the description below relies on regency- and provincial-level data as well as generally verifiable regional knowledge, which is indicated throughout the relevant sections.
General overview
Mata Wee Lima is one of the villages within the administrative area of Kabupaten Sumba Barat Daya, which was established in 2007 through the division of Kabupaten Sumba Barat under Law No. 16/2007; the office was handed over by acting Interior Minister Widodo A.S. on May 22, 2007. The regency's governmental seat is located in the Kota Tambolaka kecamatan. At the end of 2024, the kabupaten had a total population of 355,022, though the distribution of this population among smaller villages — including Mata Wee Lima — is not currently known from publicly available sources. The Wewewa Timur district, to which the village belongs, is situated in Sumba's interior, hilly landscapes; villages in this area typically sustain themselves through agricultural and livestock activities, and Sumbanese traditional culture — the marapu ancestral religion, traditional weaving, and the characteristic stone burial chambers with cone-shaped roofs — maintains a strong presence in daily life. All of this represents the regional context generally applicable to the Wewewa Timur area, not data verified exclusively for Mata Wee Lima.
Real estate and investment
Specific real estate market data for Mata Wee Lima settlement is unavailable; the following reflects the general framework of broader market processes at the Kabupaten Sumba Barat Daya and Nusa Tenggara Timur levels. Sumba Island as a whole has attracted moderate but growing tourist and investor attention over the past decade, primarily in coastal areas where surf tourism and eco-tourism are expanding. In the island's interior, rural regions — to which the Wewewa Timur district belongs — the real estate market is substantially less developed and liquid than in coastal zones or areas near Bali. Under Indonesian property law (the Basic Agrarian Law No. 5/1960 and its amendments), foreign nationals cannot acquire full ownership (Hak Milik) of land; the property rights available to foreign investors typically include Hak Pakai (use rights), Hak Sewa (lease rights), or Hak Guna Bangunan (building rights) arrangements, which are limited in duration and subject to specific conditions. In rural, less developed districts — such as Wewewa Timur as reflected in regency-level data — infrastructure and public services development is ongoing, which could affect property values in the longer term, though this currently carries significant uncertainty.
Safety and security
Settlement-level statistics or police data for Mata Wee Lima's public safety are unavailable. It may be generally stated that in rural areas of Nusa Tenggara Timur province — and this applies to Sumba's interior regions — public safety typically does not present particularly high crime levels in islanders' daily life, as local communities possess strong social cohesion and traditional community norms continue to play a significant role. However, certain parts of the province experience traditional community conflicts, primarily related to land disputes, inheritance matters, or local customary law disagreements; their nature and frequency are highly location-specific, and concrete information regarding Mata Wee Lima is not available. Visitors and potential investors are advised to consult local sources and the latest foreign ministry advisory information when planning travel.
Tourist attractions
No source-documented unique tourist attractions specific to Mata Wee Lima are known. Within the broader area of Kabupaten Sumba Barat Daya regency, however, numerous sights demonstrating Sumbanese culture and natural environment can be found, which are accessible from the Wewewa Timur district, though precise distances and accessibility from the specific village are not currently documented. Sumba Island as a whole is known for its megalithic burial traditions — large stone-slab-covered grave sites standing in village centers and forming part of the marapu spiritual heritage — as well as the Pasola festival, a ritual horse-game held annually in western Sumba; its exact location and timing vary yearly and are primarily associated with Kabupaten Sumba Barat and Kabupaten Sumba Barat Daya areas. The island's natural attributes — rolling plateaus, river valleys, agricultural landscapes — are also characteristic of this region. These attractions are verifiable at the regional level, but cannot be specifically attributed to Mata Wee Lima village through sources.
Summary
Mata Wee Lima is a small, rural settlement in the Wewewa Timur kecamatan of Sumba Island, within the Kabupaten Sumba Barat Daya administrative unit in East Nusa Tenggara province. Since direct, detailed statistical or tourist data about the village is not available, the description draws on regency- and provincial-level frameworks. The area is characterized by traditional Sumbanese culture and an agricultural lifestyle, with a real estate market that is minimally developed and infrastructure development ongoing. For those interested in Sumba's interior regions — whether for cultural tourism, rural lifestyle, or longer-term presence — consulting local sources and current administrative data regarding specific opportunities is advisable.
