Ritual strengthens Muslim-Christian ties

M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Mamala, Central Maluku

Thousands of residents from every corner of Ambon municipality and its vicinity gathered on Tuesday in Mamala and Morela subdistricts here.

Incessant rain did not dampen the spirit of these people, who wished to witness directly the pukul manyapu ritual (whipping by villagers using brooms made of split coconut leaf ribs) in a field somewhere in the border of the two subdistricts.

Mamala and Morela, located some 35 kilometers north of Ambon, can be reached overland in about 45 minutes from Ambon.

Pukul manyapu has been an annual ritual, celebrated on every 7th day of the month of Syawal in the Islamic calendar, or seven day after Idul Fitri. The ritual, full of religious nuance, is packaged attractively and performed by youths from both villages.

In the function, they are divided into two groups and will whip their "opponents'" bodies with brooms, which will eventually cause wounds all over their bodies. After the attraction, the bodies of all those participating in the function will be anointed all over with coconut oil that has been blessed with verses from the Koran.

The oil used has restorative power to heal the wounds, which will leave absolutely no scars on the body.

The function dates back to Dutch colonial times. The story began in the 17th century, when Dutch invaders, in their pursuit of spices, were locked in a war with the indigenous people. This was known as the Kapahaha war.

Heavily armed Dutch colonialists eventually won the war, and for security reasons, they drove out local residents from a strategic mountain area to build a new settlement in coastal areas.

The residents, who professed Islam, then descended from the mountains and built villages along the coast. Along with them, they also built mosques in their new settlements.

The story has it that, while a mosque construction was under way, the main pillar suddenly collapsed without warning.

The incident forced the customary and religious leaders, consisting of Imam (the head) Tuni of the mosque, head of customary rule Mamala Latulehu and chief mosque builder Patikiambessy, to convene a meeting and discuss the incident.

The meeting concluded that Imam Tuni had to pray and ask for Allah's (God) divine guidance for completion of the mosque.

While he slept one night, according to folklore, Imam Tuni was approached by an old man who asked him not to worry.

The man advised him to smear the damaged pillar with coconut oil, which had been blessed with verses from the holy Koran, and then wrap it up in white cloth.

Imam Tuni told Latulehu of his peculiar experience, and he was advised by Latulehu to do exactly what the old man had urged him to do.

One night, the wooden pillar was smeared with the coconut oil and wrapped in white cloth. The next day, the white cloth was removed and the broken pillar was already repaired. The ointment was later known as Minyak (oil) Tasala or Mamala oil.

From then on, the descendants of Imam Tuni have been making the ointment for curing wounds. It is believed that it will possess even stronger restorative powers if it is made on the eve of 7 Syawal or the seventh day after Idul Fitri.

"After the wooden pillar was miraculously restored, Tasala oil was later tested on humans, firstly, by whipping the whole body with a broom made of coconut leaf ribs until it was wounded.

Cuts on the skin caused by the whipping were later smeared with the ointment and the wounds later healed, leaving no scars. The event was then celebrated as an annual event on 7 Syawal," said Mamala Abdul Karim Hatuwala, a community leader.

The ritual, which occurs only in the two villages in Maluku, is an attractive spectacle as it draws visitors from other areas.

Besides local visitors, the attraction also draws foreign tourists. But since the bloody sectarian conflict in 1999, only local visitors would attend.

As sectarian conflict had recently subsided, the annual event was more lively this year compared with the last four.

Thousands of local Muslims and Christians were seen gathering together on Tuesday, watching the ritual without being suspicious of one another. Besides visitors from other areas, the function was also thronged by residents from desa pela or a fraternal village, who are usually Christians.

The residents included people from Waai, whose residents are Christians.

Reconciliatory nuances at the function were strengthened with the celebratory theme, "We are brothers, and with our custom and tradition let's build a new Maluku, in a fraternal atmosphere."

Apart from the residents, also present at the ritual on Tuesday were top leaders in Maluku. They were Maluku governor Karel Albert Ralahalu, chief of Pattimura military command overseeing Maluku Maj. Gen. Agustadi, speaker of the legislature Zeth Sahuburua, Ambon mayor MJ Papilaja and Central Maluku regent Abdullah Tuasikal.

After the event, Governor Ralahalu said, the ritual would enrich the culture of the territory and the nation. It also showed that Mamala and Morela possessed a unique and extraordinary tradition that had to be preserved.

"This tradition has to be maintained; what's impressed me most about this celebration is that it can also be a moment of reconciliation between Muslims and Christians, who were once locked in bitter conflict," he said.