The People Behind Every Journey
Our Team
Every Sumba Pasola experience is shaped by people who were born, raised, and deeply rooted in Sumba Island culture — not outsiders interpreting it from afar.
At Sumba Pasola, our team is our greatest competitive advantage. We are not a faceless booking platform or a mainland operator running tours to Sumba as a side business. We are a dedicated team of Sumba islanders, cultural specialists, and luxury travel professionals — united by a single purpose: to share Sumba’s extraordinary heritage with the world, on Sumba’s terms.
As a member of Juara Holding, our team operates to the highest professional standards in Indonesian tourism. Every guide is trained, certified, and deeply familiar with the cultural protocols required to experience the Pasola Festival with respect and authenticity.
👑 Leadership Team
🗺️ Our Field Guide Team
Every field guide at Sumba Pasola is a native Sumba islander — born into the culture they guide. This is not a trivial point. The Pasola is a sacred ceremony, and access requires genuine relationships built over generations. Our guides do not just know the festival — they are part of it.
Yohanes Ndara
WEST SUMBA SPECIALIST
12 years guiding Pasola tours in Lamboya and Wanukaka. Former horseman whose family has participated in Pasola ceremonies for four generations. His connections in West Sumba are unrivalled.
Maria Hamu Anaparasya
COASTAL & BEACH SPECIALIST
Expert in Sumba’s coastline, from Nihiwatu to Tarimbang. Marine biologist by training, Maria leads snorkelling, beach, and waterfalls itineraries. First-aid certified (PADI Rescue Diver).
Thomas Kahi
HIGHLANDS & TREKKING SPECIALIST
Leads highland treks, traditional village visits, and Warinding Hill sunrise experiences. Expert in East Sumba’s interior and the megalithic burial sites of Anakalang. Wilderness first aid certified.
Danu Lende
CRAFT & TEXTILE SPECIALIST
Specialises in Sumba’s world-famous Ikat textile tradition. Leads weaving village tours, helps guests commission authentic pieces, and explains the ceremonial significance of each design pattern.
📋 Our Standards & Training
Every team member at Sumba Pasola meets a rigorous set of requirements before leading tours. Being a local is necessary but not sufficient — our guides must also be trained professionals who prioritise guest safety, comfort, and satisfaction.
✅ Certified First Aid
All field guides carry first aid certification. Remote island locations require preparedness for medical situations far from hospitals.
✅ English Proficiency
All guest-facing team members communicate fluently in English. For guests from other countries, we can arrange additional language support.
✅ Cultural Protocol Training
Guides are trained on the protocols required to enter sacred areas, interact with ceremony participants, and represent Sumba culture with dignity.
✅ Juara Holding Standards
Annual performance reviews against Juara Holding’s luxury service benchmarks ensure our team continually meets premium hospitality expectations.
Meet Your Guide Personally Before You Book
We invite you to connect with our team before confirming your Sumba journey. Ask questions, understand the itinerary, and feel confident in the people who will be with you every step of the way.
💬 WhatsApp Our Team About Sumba PasolaWhat Makes Our Team Different
The single most important factor in a Sumba tour experience is who guides you. We have met countless travellers who visited Sumba with mainland-based operators and left feeling they had seen the island’s surface without understanding its soul. The reason is simple: their guides were imported from Bali or Java, spoke no Sumba dialects, had no community relationships, and followed scripted itineraries that missed the island’s most meaningful experiences. Our team exists specifically to solve this problem.
Every field guide at Sumba Pasola undergoes continuous training — not just in first aid and safety protocols, but in cultural interpretation. The ability to explain why a particular textile pattern represents a clan lineage, why a stone tomb is positioned facing a specific direction, or why the Rato priest has selected this particular beach for the Nyale ceremony — these are skills that take years to develop and cannot be learned from a guidebook. Our guides’ interpretive depth is the single most common point of praise in our five hundred verified five-star reviews.
Our team also includes a dedicated trip coordination team based in Sumba who manage logistics, accommodation bookings, flight recommendations, and real-time communication with guests from the moment of booking to the moment of departure. This coordination layer ensures that the guide on the ground can focus entirely on delivering an outstanding experience while all administrative details are handled behind the scenes.