Since today is North Sulawesi's 48th Birthday, I'd like to share some old Minahasan folk story, about a man named Toar and a woman named Lumimuut. According to Minahasa mythology the Minahasans are descendants of Toar and Lumimuut. And oh, to get the Minahasan-feel to this folk story, play below video. It happens to be my grandfather's and my father's favorite Minahasan song! We still sing this song at our family gathering events in Minahasa. (;
So here the story goes...
Root of the Minahasa People
A very long time ago there was a beautifully shaped rock on the shore
at the west side of the Wulur Mahatus mountain. This rock was not
attracting much attention of the people because in fact there were not
many people around by that time over there.
One day, in the dry season, the sun was shining so brightly, that the
rock began to sweat. At the same time then a beautiful woman was
created. Her name was Karema. She turned her head upward and spread her
arms to the sky and prayed : ” O, Kasuruan opo e walian wangko! ” ,
which means : “O Great God if you will, say to me where I am and give me
somebody to share my life with”
After saying this prayer, the beautiful rock split, and out of it
appeared a beautiful young woman. Now Karema was not alone anymore and
she said to the young woman : “Because you were created by a rock which
was sweating I give you the name : Lumimuut. Your descendants will
continue to live here and will multiply until they are as many as there
are sand particles on the shore. But first you have to work very hard,
and sweat.”
One day Karema instructed her daughter to face herself southward so
that she may inseminate and give her descendants. Lumimuut did as was
told to her by her mother, but nothing happened. Because the southern
direction did not give any result, Lumimuut was said to turn herself
eastward, westward and northward. This also did not result to anything.
The ceremony was was repeated again. Lumimuut was said to face
herself westward from which a strong wind was blowing. Slowly after the
ceremony was over Lumimuut’s body began to change. It turns ou that
Lumimuut was now with child.
During pregnancy Lumimuut was very well taken care of by Karema. When
the time has come Lumimuut gave birth to a baby boy who was named Toar.
Toar was given all the knowledge and abilities that Karema possessed.
Toar grew up very fast. His body became strong and yet agile. In the
forest, Toar was not afraid of anything and could not be defeated by any
anoa, wild pig or snake.
Upon reaching Toar’s adulthood, Karema told to both Toar and
Lumimuut, “Now is the time for you both to roam in the world. I have
prepared two sticks which are of equal length. The stick for Toar was
made of wood of the tuis tree, whilst the stick for Lumimuut was made of
the tawaang tree. When traveling around you meet somebody : either
female or male, you have to measure each others sticks. If the sticks
turn out to be of equal length, then you have a family relation. But,
when the sticks are not of the same length, then you may join to build a
family. I hope this will happen to both of you, and that you might have
descendants. Your descendants will live separated by mountains and
forests. But there’ll always be a will to unite and to siege”
Karema’s nuwu (message) became a source of strength to Lumimuut and
Toar during their roaming about in the mountains, hills,valleys and
cloves. Toar went north whilst Lumimuut went southward. The tuis stick
in Toar’s hands grew, whilst the tawaang stick in Lumimuut’s hands
stayed the same length.
 |
| Toar and Lumimuut illustration. |
One night at a full moonshine, Toar met Lumimuut. According to
Karema’s instructions they measured each others sticks which turned out
not to be of equal length. Thus the wedding ceremony was held with the
stars and the moon as witnesses. The peak of the mountain where the
ceremony was held glowed like a golden sphere, and the mountain was
therefore named Lolombulan.
After the wedding ceremony they went to seek for Karema, but did not
succeed to find her. They later stayed at the mountainous area on which
many buluh tui (small bamboo stems) grew. There theylived, had their
children and their children’s children. Generation after generation were
semakarua siyouw multiples of nine. Each new generation was welcomed by
the cry of the wala bird which was the sign of good blessings.
*)Translated by Manda Ratulangi from the tale “Toar dan Lumimuut”, in
the book titled : ” Cerita Rakyat dari Minahasa”, by Aneke Sumarauw
Pangkerego from PT Gramedia Widiasarana Indonesia, Jakarta, 1993
More old Minahasan folk stories from the same source:
* Kokokuk
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