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.”
