The Pasola Festival of Sumba | If the Worms did not

The Pasola Festival of Sumba | If the Worms did not -

1994, when travel journalist Ron Gluckman observed the Pasola ritual in Sumba, all the "characters" were good - the precious Nyale worms were abundant, was of the spear reindeer spilled a flourishing crop and much blood suggesting riders. Twenty years after Gluckman of which account of the blood of the sacrifice and death, I the island of Sumba in eastern Indonesia visited more about this animistic festival to learn that in February every year and March happened. But in 2014, the signs were not good. not come Worms and confusion reigned on Sumba.

Now the ancient ways of Sumba change because of the new variables, including the introduction of Islam, tourism, climate change, overfishing, poverty and environmental damage. This has on their shamanic culture had frightening implications, which is closely intertwined with the fragile dynamics of island ecosystems. Sumba is one of the poorest islands in Indonesia to be economically and include sources of income Ikat (fine cloth), tourism, fisheries and agriculture.

During my visit to the Pasola Festival I in the house of Jefry Dapamerang remained, who worked in the Department of Culture and Tourism of West Sumba. "The function of this department is that potential [ sic ] of West Sumba tourism within and outside the country to promote is. To bring the initiatives tourism, opening up new job opportunities for Sumbanese to Sumba, including guided tours, nature trekking guide and ikat cloth-making, "said Jefry.

On my second day in Waikabubak, I decided to buy myself some Ikat and attended the traditional villages of Kampung Tarung and Kampung Waitabar where it is possible to stay overnight for a donation. Among the horses and dogs, the villagers looked at me curiously show before me their traditional goods. I chose a thick fabric with a white horse motif and a family invited me to her house - a stove was burning, which they used to make thick coffee. I found to be open and friendly villagers, but there was also a strain of sadness. They seemed aware that their living standards were "poor" compared to the other islands in Indonesia, whereas before they had lived culturally rich life, full of pride at their bravery as they risked their lives in their celebrations - now they lost their self appreciation. I wanted to see the Pasola and learn more about this diminishing culture

Pasola is an ancient animist festival, hurt in the experienced riders (and kill rare), the other with bamboo spears -. Blood must be shed in order to ensure a good harvest.

by Jefry house, I go near to the beach where the Pasola Festival takes place every year in February at dawn to the left toward the line of cars and motorcycles that were waiting to park at Beach. We went sickly locals wearing empty bucket, which stated that the worms come Nyale not had. "If there is no Nyale, there will be rats," said Ezra, as we looked around fragile areas Gold. At the beach, the ratu (shamans) staring wistfully at the ocean while waiting for a late shaman to start the divination by reading the intestines of a sacrificed chicken.

As the shaman waited we heard booing from the other side of the beach - without their signal the Pasola had already begun. Confused, we ventured to the men who have already had to control their horses in a circle, brandishing their spears. Tensions were high, and tried a drunken man on a horse, to stab another participant, who ran to the sand dunes for safety. The crowd dispersed in a cloud of adrenaline and I later discovered that historically, some men with resentment until the Pasola would wait their chance for revenge.

This afternoon I Kodi in West Sumba for Pasola line to Kodi Bawa. Stay in a losmen I ventured at the festival at dusk, but we discovered that worms had not found there either. Drinking coffee in a makeshift tent was a man with a damaged eye from a Pasola injury. He explained that the lack of worms was because of iklim (climate change) and the fish stocks declined. I stuck out like a sore thumb - In Kodi there were fewer tourists, the locals more traditional and many wore Ikat seemed. Some people drank alcohol early in the morning, as the Pasola started and I breathed the amount of exhaust gases of kretek smoke. Since the spears flew, a man was hit, almost losing his eye, and the circle curled with cheers

resorts in Sumba essentially sell the "savagery" Sumba -. An inherent spark that was lost from the CCTV worlds of development. But the Sumbanese ready for tourism? Anthropologist of Sumbanese Culture, Janet Hoskins, believes that the tourist gaze is seen as threatening or aggressive to the locals, so how can the tourism in Sumba more responsibility?

"Tourists can Sumbanese use traditional clothing or use attributes clothes in a polite manner and no alcohol in the arena of Pasola consume" suggested Jefry. He believes that "the preservation of tradition and culture of West Sumba is an essential thing" and tourism is a way to generate revenue. However, he admits concerns about the "penetration of amoral cultural habits such as drugs and alcohol from other cultures in our younger generation."

If the tourists can be respectful, could be a great relationship, to allow the people of Sumba, are developed sustainably develop and preserve their culture. "People still have a strong belief in this cultural rituals. This was the first time the elders have made a wrong prediction," Jefry, the later explained magic did not say that the crops were in 2014 prospering

Maybe stagnates. it must evolve with time, as many new factors for the ecosystem have been added and nature has become more unpredictable. Hopefully the perceptive seers are among them continue to penetrate these secrets and maintain their magical culture.

Tweet