We of the Catholics Church have a tradition of valuing nature, not worshiping nature, but we respect animals and plants as God's creations. At the Nilo the flowers and animals there are well cared for not only as decorations but also as a testament to God's goodness that give beauty to the Holy Place. Some animals are considered to have mystical powers and can bring good luck or bad luck if found at certain times. Traditions and religious values are are felt strongly for us Maumere' people. However, as time has gone by many people have received proper education some traditions that are considered detrimental have begun to be abandoned but we still maintain the norms in tradition and goodness in religion.
The statue of Maria Bunda Sagala Bangsa Nilo is one of the religious tourism in Sikka. Located on the Keling Hill, Nilo at Nita sub-District is about 7km from Maumere' City. This statue is made of bronze and was erected in 2004, has become a special attraction for pilgrams both local and foreign. Statue of Mother Mary is 28 meters tall and stands above a height of 1600 meters above sea level and faces the Sea of Flores with the city right below as if to protect the city. The statue is built on a concrete foundation in the form of four pillars with carious patterns of Sikka traditional ikat. Beneath the statue is a small chapel where visitors can pray.
White Bush flowers, Lantana Camara, one of the flowers that we rarely find in urban areas and we can see around Nilo. Maybe we often see this lantana flower with various colors. This plant grows in an area of 1700 meters above sea level so Nilo Hill is a very suitable as a lacee for this flower to grow. In addition to being beautiful this flower also ahs many benefits, such as, a bruise healer and antidote.
This is a portrait of one of the types of butterflies that we can find in Nilo. We can see quite a lot of this beautiful insect of Lepidoptera order around Nilo. This beautiful butterfly is often referred as the lace butterfly or the female Hypolimnas Bolina. This butterfly is a medium size with a wingspan about 5cm. When perched on flowers or leaves this butterfly likes to spread its wings to attract attention of a male butterfly. It is quite docile and calm so it is not so difficult to take a picture of this butterfly.
Another type of butterfly in Nilo that was caught on camera is the Dusty Knight butterfly or Ypithima Archtorus. This insect is relatively small with a wing span of 3cm. These butterflies have the same pattern on each side of the wings The wings have large black circles with yellowish-brown frame. The favorite flowers for this butterfly to land on are the touch-me-not plant and grasses.
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