Sumba is known for being a region with a living megalithic culture that has endured to the present day. Approximately 4500 years ago, this megalithic culture became a historical fact for the people of Sumba. These stones are made of hard white stone and tarimbang stones from Tarimbang Beach. This type of stone is usually more expensive due to its resemblance to marble or limestone. Stone slabs are erected on four stone pillars with a height of approximately 1.5 meters. Tombstones resemble an altar and weigh approximately 40 to 70 tons. To obtain these large stone pieces, the Sumbanese people perform a ceremony called "Tingu Watu" (stone pulling). Before this ceremony takes place, permission must be obtained from Marapu: the spirit owner or guardian of the stone.
There are several ceremonies performed to obtain permission from the "stone owner." First: "Ogo Watu," a cutting ceremony from stone excavation or from the mountain. The Marapu priest will lead the ceremony by offering chickens, rice, and betel nut to the spirit of the stone owner. The Marapu priest seeks the blessing of the ancestral spirits to ensure that the stone pulling ceremony proceeds smoothly. The second ceremony is "Tingu Watu" (Stone Pulling). Hundreds, and sometimes even thousands, of people are needed to move the stone, providing encouragement through traditional poems and songs. The stone pulling ceremony requires a significant amount of money, firstly to purchase the stone at a considerable cost and also to buy the animals needed for the ceremony and food for the many participants in this event. Therefore, the stone pulling ceremony is only for specific individuals who can afford it. The final ceremony involves arranging the graves by painting Marapu symbols on the tombstones. Most symbols are associated with the journey after life in this world.