The book focuses on the historical trajectories of Savu, an island in the Nusa Tenggara Timur province, eastern Indonesia. It blends historical and anthropological methods, using oral tradition, ethnographicobservations, and archival collections. While Savu is a relatively small island, it has gained a wider regional importance.

The text discusses the pre-colonial period up to the 16th century, based on the unusually strong and detailed genealogical tradition, and explains how the various domains emerged on the island. Next it is shown how the early-colonial encounters with the Portuguese and Dutch (VOC) changed the system of governance, how the colonial suzerains functioned as mediators, and how the Savunese provided decisive military support for the Dutch sphere in the Timor region. In the 19th century the Savunese embarked on minor colonial enterprises in Timor and Sumba, and were still largely autonomous vis-a?- vis the colonial state. Protestant missionaries gained foothold after 1870, though Christianization was a slow process. Colonial rule via a Dutchappointed raja was introduced in the early 20th century. The textfollows the fate of Savu during the struggle for independence and the postcolonial era, discussing the dilemmas of modernization and the resilience of the unique local culture.