C. Sulawesi nomads keep old customs alive

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Poso, Central Sulawesi

Some of the women were dressed in clothes that left their shoulders bare. They wore basic make-up and brought baskets made from leaves.

Some women carried baskets full of their daily needs on their heads, some slung them across their shoulders, while others were carried by hand.

To Wana people demonstrate how to wrap a dead
tribesman in a traditional ceremony. (JP/Ruslan Sangadji)

Some of the men were wearing socks, others used waistcoats made from tree bark; some were just wearing sarongs and head cloths. Others came bare-chested and walked along carrying spears, blowpipes and machetes.

Suddenly someone, probably a headman, walked forward followed by a woman. Both spoke in the local language -- a language very difficult for an outsider to understand.

Apparently both were reciting traditional poetry in a conversational style, in the local language -- an activity called Kayori.

This is but a snapshot of the To Wana society, the community that lives in the forests around Morowali Regency in Central Sulawesi.

Last month, this community, which is primarily made up of itinerant farm workers, took part in a theater performance representing their cultural rituals.

Their performance made up part of the 10th Lake Poso Festival.

While the principals were involved in Kayori, a group of people behind them accompanied recitations with traditional music using the talali or flute, the ngeso-ngeso, an instrument similar to a violin, and a due or popondo -- a single-string instrument with a front part that acts as a resonator.

There was also a tutubuaa percussion instrument made from bamboo, drums and gongs.

Amirullah Sia, the coordinator from Morowali Regency for the Poso Lake Festival, said he hoped the Kayori recital of traditional poetry and music would encourage more and more To Wana people to stage their cultural arts in Central Sulawesi and elsewhere in Indonesia.

After finishing Kayori, the To Wana people also performed the Dendelu dance. This is a movement performed in a circle and accompanied by poetry recited and sung by the dancers. This dance is performed to remember certain events, such as the commemoration of a death or to console a grieving family. This is why the movements of the dance are so slow.

They also performed the Salonde dance. This dance was carried out by women from the To Wana community, as an expression of their thanksgiving at harvest time and to welcome important guests who come to their region.

The To Wana people also staged the Tendebomba dance. This dance is more about general activities and can be performed on any occasion by men or women. In this dance other people are also invited to take part.

"A performance of the Tendebomba dance usually takes the whole night. That is why some people who follow that dance watch it till they fall asleep," said Amirullah Sia.

The To Wana people have a very rich traditional culture. Apart from their dances and songs, they also have a community play they call Wawinti.

This is about a calf race and can be performed only by men. This play is only performed as a pastime while waiting for rice crops to ripen.

This play was staged at the start of the season when the people plant rice -- and at the end when they harvest their crops.

One or two or more men can do Wawinti, or the contest with the calf. They take it in turns until there is a loser. Contestants will be judged the loser when they are kicked by an opponent who is playing the role of the calf.

If the contest is one man against two or more people, they will link their feet together in a way so they can kick out.

Apart from these activities there's another tradition belonging to the To Wana people -- shooting with a blowpipe. This is one of the activities that is important in the daily life of the To Wana. They use blowpipes to hunt birds, monkeys and pigs for consumption.

Blowpipes are very important for the To Wana people. They are not only used as a tool for hunting, but also as a lethal weapon for self-defense from attacks by wild animals and against those who threaten to destroy the lives of the people in the forest.

The blowpipe dart used by To Wana is made from sharpened bamboo. Later it is laced with impo, a special ingredient that is very poisonous.

So that whoever is struck by a blowpipe dart fired by the To Wana people definitely won't recover.

The To Wana people also have a treatment ceremony for the healing of sick people they call Momago or Mobolong.

This is the use of the invisible spirits of the natural things in the world, such as big trees, hills or springs.

In this ceremony the role of a paranormal, or Walia, is important as the mediator directing the strength of the invisible spirits to cure people who are sick.

Some offerings such as nuts from areca (a kind of palm), betel leaves, basil leaves and baru (a special To Wana drink) are also used as part of this ceremony.

"This ceremony is usually performed throughout the whole night. The musical instruments such as gongs and drums are a part of the procedures which are very important in this event," said Amin Abdullah, a To Wana researcher.

So before starting this ceremony the musical instruments have to be made ready. The instruments are played repeatedly, which is meant to invite an invisible spirit some believe can cure sick people through a paranormal mediator.

The rhythm of the gong and drum cease and the paranormal starts reading a magic formula to ask for the strength of the invisible spirit to help in this treatment ceremony. "This is called with the core treatment," Amin Abdullah said

The paranormal used a white cloth to detect someone's disease. The white cloth was put on top of the body of the person who is sick or was used to cover the body of the sick individual.

The paranormal moves the cloth, as if putting something into the body of the person who is sick, then makes it shake. At this moment the music stops.

Suddenly the gong and drum burst into their rhythm again accompanying the ritual activity of the treatment. This continues until the paranormal feels the treatment had been sufficient.

If the sick person cannot be cured and dies, the body will be wrapped in a white cloth or put in a coffin, but covered with tree bark representing the simplicity of To Wana society.

There are more demonstrations of distress when the body is buried; the family members who are left crying at the same time struggle to get free while scratching their bodies and roughing up their hair.

"This shows they are unable to be separated from their beloved family," Amin said.

Some 16 days after the funeral, the family then conducts the Momata ceremony to release their longing and to recount memories of the person who has passed away by the ritual destruction of the deceased's house.

The family side is ready with everything that is needed. They maintain their grief and wait for family members who didn't have the chance to attend the funeral ceremony.

Those who didn't have the opportunity to attend the funeral then express their remorse by crying, struggling to get loose and knocking down the house. Although some try to prevent it, the house is knocked down because it is considered to bring misfortune to the people.

After the house that belonged to the person who has passed away has been demolished, the family then moves again to another place to start a plantation and make a new place to live, and that goes on and on, which is why they are usually called nomadic or itinerant farm workers.