Guti Nale Festival, an annual event celebrating the tradition of catching nale or nyale sea worms, was held on Feb. 17-18, 2025, in Pasir Putih Village, Nagawutung District, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province.

The event is not just an occasion to catch nyale, but also an effort to preserve local culture that has been passed down from generation to generation by the Mingar community. The guti (taking) and nale (worms) tradition is the core of the festival, which is held every time nyale appear in February to March along Pasir Putih Beach.

Pasir Putih Village Head Wenslaus Bala Papang revealed on Feb. 17, 2025, that the festival's main activity where residents and visitors catch nyale provides direct experience for all of them to get to know Lembata culture better.

"The Guti Nale festival will be held starting today (Feb. 17, 2025). This festival will be held for two days. On top of visitors getting to catch nyale, the results will be processed directly on site to be enjoyed together," he said.

The festival also presents various other interesting activities, including the culinary exhibition Wenslaus referred where the nyale caught will be processed into special dishes by local women. In addition, there is also a micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) exhibition that promotes local products, from handicrafts to special foods.

The Guti Nale Festival is an attraction for both locals and tourists. It is hoped that the event would support the continued development of Pasir Putih Village's tourism sector and have a positive impact on the local economy.

The Guti Nale Festival couples the stunning beauty of Pasir Putih Beach and the richness of cultural traditions to become an example of how cultural preservation can go hand in hand with the development of tourism and the empowerment of the local economy.