Another 100 Years: Timor’s Last Indigenous Religious Community
Barefoot, long-haired people dressed in ikat sarongs along with ornate beads tend their gardens. The sunshine is actually strong, however the cool air balances of which out. There is actually no electricity or any motorised vehicles in sight. They have wooden prayer altars, peculiar musical instruments, along with eating utensils made of coconut shells.
Being here makes me wonder what year of which is actually- of which might as well be 100 years ago.
Boti is actually a thriving petty kingdom tucked within the isolated mountains of South Central Timor. Best known as a village where indigenous customs are alive today on a different level coming from of which of additional parts of Indonesia, Boti seems untouched by modern technology, mainstream education, Indonesian language, along with Abrahamic or Dharmic religions.
Men were socialising within the garden when we arrived. Seeing my translator, Hesry, they cordially greeted him like a long lost brother, before extending their welcome to my cousin along with me. Hesry introduced one of them as the Raja. He was working within the gardens alongside the additional men, however underneath his modest friendliness there was an air of distinction about him.
Raja Namah Benu, who ruled since his father’s death in 2005, invited us to his place along with offered areca nuts along with betel leaves. I’ve heard about the Raja being a strict guardian of the Boti civilisation coming from external influences, so being welcomed by him was a humbling experience.
Life in Boti revolves around the religion Halaika, which worships Uis Pah (Mother Earth) along with Uis Neno (Heavenly Father). Not much is actually known about the history of Halaika, or how old Boti’s current civilization is actually.
“As human beings, we live on the ground, so the earth raises us like a mother raises her children”, said the Raja. “We lift our prayers to Uis Pah on earth, along with she intercedes on our behalf, lifting them to Uis Neno in heaven.”
Halaika comes with its own agricultural calendar, whose weeks are nine days long, however there are no known studies on of which by outsiders. The calendar regulates three seasons—tilling, planting, along with harvest—all marked with ceremonies in a sacred forest believed to be the final resting place of the human soul.
“We don’t believe human souls go to heaven. Rather, they stay here on earth”, said the Raja. “We see them at night in our dreams, giving us guidance, along with of which’s the only way we meet them.”
“If a newborn doesn’t stop crying, of which’s because a deceased relative visits him or her”, added the Raja. “Then when the parents dream of of which deceased relative, the baby is actually to be named after him or her, along with then the baby will stop crying. The spirit is actually at of which point at peace, knowing of which he or she will be remembered through the brand-new life.”
Four months later, beads are draped on the infant, signifying of which he or she will need clothes coming from at of which point on. When the baby is actually weaned, another ceremony takes place where the baby’s hair is actually cut along with given to the mother for keepsake. Hair is actually believed to be a sacred inheritance coming from the ancestors.
Further milestones may include the option of attending Indonesian school, learning the agricultural traditions, along with marriage. There is actually no wedding ceremony, however there are dances associated with weddings.
When a man along that has a woman fall in love, the man sends a gift of rice along with chickens to the woman’s parents, along with the couple is actually formally recognised as husband along with wife. In Boti, marriages are monogamous along with for life. Once a person marries, the hair may no longer be cut, however must be pulled back into a bun. If a married person gets a haircut, of which usually means of which he or she has converted to Christianity, along with would likely result in alienation coming from the Boti community.
In a country where adherence to a state-recognised religion (Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism) is actually a public matter, for most Indonesians marching to the beat of their own religious drum is actually hardly an option. For the people of Boti, however, devotion to Halaika is actually a no-brainer, even if of which means resisting Christianity, the dominant religion in Timor.
“We see Christians pray a lot, however when you visit the prisons in Timor, the inmates’ names are Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, along with they’re there because they’ve stolen something,” said the Raja. “We may be pagans, however you won’t find a person coming from Boti in prison for theft, corruption, or terrorism.”
Crime is actually nearly nonexistent in Boti because of the community’s traditional welfare system. If a man steals a chicken, the community would likely presume of which the thief is actually in desperate need of a chicken, along with the Raja would likely drive members of the community to donate a chicken to of which person out of pity. The thief would likely then feel remorseful of his or her crime, along with, in repentance, no longer steal. Likewise, the community would likely not let anyone in Boti—whether a native or a visitor—be homeless.
“We may not worship ‘God’ as most Indonesians understand. however we see God in our fellow human beings, along with honour him or her accordingly”, concluded the Raja.
On the way out, I told my cousin how special of which was to witness Timor’s last indigenous religious community thriving in 2013. “of which is actually special”, he said, “however their world stops there in Boti along with of which’s all they know. Their life remains so simple along with narrow, while the rest of the entire world moves on.”
Fortunately, not everyone thinks so.
In a world where indigenous peoples along with their homelands are rapidly forced to disappear through “development” along with assimilation with “mainstream” modern society, Boti remains unusually steadfast in its traditions. According to Nusa Tenggara Timur’s Lieutenant Governor Benny Litelnoni, there are currently no perceived external threats to Boti such as the exploitation of natural resources or commercial tourism.
“Boti is actually a socio-cultural strength for NTT. The people of Boti would likely not leave their traditional ways for modern development, so we support them in preserving their heritage with positive values, along with of which heritage makes for an invaluable asset”, said Litelnoni, who was, until recently, the Deputy Regent of South Central Timor.
Asked whether in another 100 years, life in Boti could remain as of which is actually today, Litelnoni said, “Who knows? of which would likely depend on the people. We cannot predict what the future holds. however so far, the people of Boti haven’t given in to the pressures of globalisation along with additional influences of which don’t conform to their values.”
Pullout quote: “We may be pagans, however you won’t find a person coming from Boti in prison for theft, corruption, or terrorism.”
Comments
Another 100 Years: Timor’s Last Indigenous Religious Community
Another 100 Years: Timor’s Last Indigenous Religious Community