Request Rain

Request Rain, The Kaili tribe in Central Sulawesi undergo the Mora'akeke ritual

Image caption A danger and makatoko kaada dancing around a vunja tree in a Mora'akeke ritual in Sigi District, Central Sulawesi.

The rain that has never been down for several months makes thousands of hectares of paddy fields owned by residents in five villages in Sigi Biromaru sub-district, Sigi regency, Central Sulawesi, experiencing drought. The traditional elders in Sigi District also intervened by performing custom rituals for rain or Mora'akeke.
Hundreds of residents from the villages of Oloboju, Bora, Sidera, Soulove and Vatunonju in Sigi Biromaru sub-district, Sigi district, Central Sulawesi began arriving to witness the rituals held in early September 2015.
This ritual aims to ask God to dim the sunlight that causes a long drought as well as increase the dry water Vuno River.
On the banks of the Vuno River, various rituals of Mora'akeke custom procession were prepared.
Two topogimbas or drummers began to beat, a sign of the procession begun.
After slaughtering three goats on the banks of the Vuno River, the traditional elders carried the blood of the three animals as offerings for Nteka or rivers in Kaili. The meat of the three goats will be cooked by the villagers as gratitude for the implementation of this customary ritual.
An 80-year-old woman, watching everything. His name is Harija. He must make sure that everything is going accordingly: watching all the readiness of the custom procession, from the physical condition of the animal to be slaughtered to the offering to be offered to the river.
"This custom is only made once, so I have to make sure everything is complete," Harija told reporters from Palu, Erna Dwi Lidyawati.

Bayaha

Husni, one of the local customary elders, said the next customary Mora'akeke ritual was to slaughter dogs and pigs on banana trunks by facing the river or Mora'abinangga. It must be painful for animal lovers and animal rights activists, but it is mentioned, this is an important condition of Mora'akeke rituals ..
Dogs and pigs to be slaughtered must be one year old. The slaughtered pig should make a sound if they want to take the blood.
"The custom is true. If the dog should be cut off on the banana trunk by facing the river. If a pig is cut, it just does not break up just drawn his blood and his voice. This indicates that the customs for requests from these old people can be granted all, "said Husni.

Image caption Aco, a bayaha in the Mora'akeke ritual.

The ritual that has been done from generation to generation is always led by a bayaha or a man who is dressed up as a woman, who is also descendant of the previous bayaha.
Bayaha in this ritual called Aco, who dresses Kaili custom women.
"I am a man, I am a landowner here. I dress like this because it is custom Sigi, "said Aco.
Wearing Kaili's traditional yellow and green attire, Aco with two middle-aged women or so-called makatoko ka'ada began to circle the Vunja tree.
This vunja is an artificial tree, specially constructed for this custom. Vunja tree was then plugged in the ground and then decorated with yellow leaf and hung a few rhubes that have been cooked before.
In addition offerings of white rice, boiled bananas, raw lombok and grilled chicken prepared on a piece of banana leaf lined in front of the vunja tree. Various offerings of a pack of cigarettes, whiting and betel leaf also complement this custom procession. Then, they begin to circle the Vunja tree with the continuous accompaniment of the wash of the gimba.
The dribblers are getting faster, the three continue to revolve around the Vunja tree until one makatoko ka'ada enter the spirit and then fall. Gimba stopped playing.

Image caption The Vunja tree with a rhombus.

Mixed religion

Professor Juraid Abdul Latief, an anthropology lecturer at Tadulako University in Palu, said the customary rituals of Kaili in Sigi and Donggala regencies, Central Sulawesi, have been carried out hundreds of years ago. However, in contrast to the past, the rituals of today are mixed with religion.
"Mora'akeke ritual has been done for generations. But now the ritual is somewhat different because customs and religions are united, "Juraid said.
According to him, the ritual is loaded with symbols. One of them is the removal of animal blood slaughtered into the river.
"It means that blessings flow like blood. Blood is always involved in every sacred Kaili custom ceremony, "Juraid said.
Mentioned Juraid, the ritual means the rain in a broad sense.
"The rain is expected not only rain water, but also fortune. Well, the fortune can come in various forms, including rain, "said Juraid.

By Dimisril