Nusa Roviana

Nusa Roviana is an island in the lagoon off Munda whose ridge carries the remains of a fortified settlement: stone walls, terraces, house platforms and shrines built by the Roviana chiefdom, the religious and trade centre of this coast between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. The walk up the ridge passes the defences and shrine sites, with skull shrines among them. A guide from the landowning families is required and explains the sequence.

History

The Nusa Roviana fortress, with the villages and shrines around it, was a religious and trade centre of the region between the 17th and 19th centuries, where shell valuables were made. Excavation of the fortress began towards the 1990s (Wikipedia, Nusa Roviana).

What to look for

• The ridge fortifications - stone walls and terraces along the spine.
• The house platforms - the levelled sites of the old settlement.
• The shrines - the ritual sites along the ridge, some holding skulls.
• The lagoon view - Roviana laid out from the top of the ridge.

When to go

May to October is the drier season and the path is more manageable. The wet season makes the ridge slippery. Visits are arranged from Munda.

Things to know

The walk up is steep, muddy and overgrown in places. Shrines are sacred and photography and behaviour rules apply. A guide is required and fees go to the landowners.

Nearby

Munda is on the mainland, and Roviana Lagoon is around it.

Key facts