The Last Megalithic
Sumba is almost untouchable by modern civilization. Here we can see a lot of things you would not find in travel brochures like tomb made of 70 tons stone, wild horses scattered around savanna, clan head with a dozen of wives, villages sitting atop the hills, houses soaring to the height of coconut trees, and funeral procession sacrificing 150 buffaloes.
Time freezes in Sumba. Lies about 80 kilometers away to the south of Flores, the island was framed by Indonesian seas. If the growth of civilization is marked by Prada or BlackBerry, then Sumba is definitely isolated, nearly untouched. A perfect fact against theory of borderless worlds. It took six months for the news about Indonesian independence to reach Sumba, an expression which remains valid even after more than 60 years.
Located 600 meters above the sea level, cold gentle wind flows through the skin and freezes our bones even as the day hikes up to the noon. At Waikabubak, the capital of Sumba, a church magnificently sit behind a white painted stadium. A bit to the north is the market with rows of shop-houses. Snaking wide roads looks rather quiet with only occasionally local public transport appears. Waikabubak has slowly grew from large village into small town.
Beyond those tokens of modernization, Sumba has not changed. The purity of its cultural heritage remains perfectly preserved. The wave of globalization has only touched the surface. The stone tombs remain where they are, whispering the long story of ancient cultural heritage and long traditional procession which brought their existence. Savanna spreading up to the horizon remains in silence, providing peaceful shelter to beautiful wild horses. Tips of the roof of traditional houses soar beyond the tree tops.
Sumbanese lifes in clans, each of which formed their own main village and satellite smaller villages. In the past, villages were battling against each other and thus they were built atop the hills for better defense. Some villages were fenced by stone walls and cactus shrubs. The central part of the village is occupied by tombs of the ancestor and megalith for sacred rituals.
Sumbanese traditionally believes in Merapu, a kind of religion which can only found in the area. Religious rituals are led by a priest known as Rato who holds the authority to pronounce mantras as well as mediating communication with ancestor spirits. In Merapu, harmonious relationship with the ancestors is the utmost priority.
There are many Ratos in Sumba, not because of the size of the community but because each Rato is specialized to one certain kind of ritual. Rato for funeral ceremony is different for the one to lead Wula Podu, new year in Sumbanese calendar. In large scale ritual ceremonies, a number of Ratos are involved in their own specific part of the procession. All Ratos are considered equal. Differentiation only applies as far as seniority, solely due to their age. Rato is not a profession for everyone. It is inherited through the bloodline. Compilation of mantras is inherited from their parent.
Among the the traditions of Merapu is stone tomb, a traditional heritage from the megalithic age thousands of years ago. Similar tradition can be found in other parts of Indonesian archipelago. The difference is that usage of stone in Merapu is not limited to the tombs but also in various rituals. Involvement of stone as an essential part of their rituals makes Sumbanese is also known as the living megalith culture.
Sumbanese stone tomb is distinguished by its size. The stones are usually very large and heavy. The tens of tons one-piece stone is manually dragged by people from the hill, sometimes passing through steep uphill slopes. The process can take months even years. Sometime it takes two years only to cut the stone. Thousands of men are involved to drag the stone whilst the woman manage the logistic. Then a huge ritual conducted, slaughtering hundred of buffaloes, swines, and poultry both for offerings and consumption. In the past the ritual also involved sacrificing the slaves.
A square stone tomb can accommodate up to five corpses along with various valuables like handwoven fabrics and porcelains. It then covered by a thick stone slab. It has to be thick and heavy so thieves could not open and steal the treasure. For extra security, the tomb is placed in the yard of the death’s family or in the middle of the village. The cover will be opened when another family member dies.
The funeral procession is a strong cultural magnet to researchers. Anthropologists from around the world fly in with charter planes just to witness this very rare and unique ritual. Whist recently a modern equipments are involved, the stone-dragging ritual is still as attractive.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
