A Little Thing in Our Life

Sumpang Bita Prehistoric Park is located at Sumpang Bita Village, Balocci District, Pangkep regency, South Sulawesi Province. In this area, there are two prehistoric caves which are Sumpang Bita cave and Bulu Sumi cave.

Sumpang Bita and Bulu Sumi cave are natural cave formed since ancient time. For the first time, Sumpang Bita cave found on 1931 by Frist and Paul Sarassin from Swiss. But, some say that Sumpang Bita cave found by a local named Lantara Dg Paduni on 1974.

Sumpang means door and Bita is a name of village that is located behind the cave. So, Sumpang Bita was the gate to the Bita’s village.

After Lantara Dg Paduni found this cave, Preservation for Archaelogy Heritage Office of Makassar in collusion with Department of History and Archaelogy of Literature Faculty of Hasanuddin University held an excavation as Sumpang Bita cave and Bulu Sumi cave. Based on excavation result, and also in the framework of preservation of those caves as cultural heritage that needs to be protected and conserved, then an act of structuring  both in the caves and its surroundings is accomplished, such as installing iron-wire fence around, stairs-path making, garden making, information house making and guard post making.

The preservation is carried out upon central government sponsored funding and also from local government of Pangkep such as land allowance for 22 ha. 

Sumpang Bita cave is the largest cave at Pangkep Regency even at South Sulawesi. The cave is facing to the east. It’s oral cavity has 10 meters high, 14 meters wide and 50 meters depth. The inner area is divided into to large rooms and bounded by a middle wall. Room 1 located at the north, containing of rock art painting of jumping big deer facing some negative hand stencil paintings. While at the south room there are rock art painting of Sampan (small boat) below the two deer-hog painting which the heads are in downward position. There are a lot of negative hand stencil paintings in this room. Those are using red paint. There are two negative hand stencils, with forearms and the others are not.

 

The total of negative hand stencils:

The total of negative foot stencils:

Based the information of some experts that the color of red symbolizes of braveness, hopes and life. Furthermore, the meaning of negative hand and foot stencil paintings and Sampan painting are a hope for salvation, free from dangerous in life. However, some say that food stencil painting means a prayer for someone who traveled far away to get a salvation. While deer-hog painting is a symbol to get animal easily. Then Sampan painting means a pray to get marine safety or a transportation for spirit to the heaven.

Based on those painting evidences at Sumpang Bita cave, concluded that the cave is a place for ceremony and not a place to get and produce food.

As picnic resort almost every day, Sumpang Bita get so many visitors, off course it will make many advantage. But, beside that many visitors also can cause the bad effect to this archeological park. Sometimes, the visitors did some actions that can make the environment around the cave, spattered the walls, seat, and information board with handwriting. This thing can decrease the beauty of the cave and made it look dirty.

As a Picnic resort, Sumpang Bita has many advantages. One of them is the Contribution of Sumpang Bita toward society. Sumpang Bita could increase the foreign exchange. Based on this situation, absolutely it can make profitable toward the government. Not only that, the historical remains of Sumpang Bita could be a valuable cultural heritage.

To keep the perfection of this heritage, there must be the preservation of the cave. This preservation is done to make the next generation can enjoy the culture. Based on the observation that we have done directly through interviews with the tour guides in the archeological park. There are some things that we have to do to preserve the cave f Sumpang Bita. Such as: