Page 244 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

the Austronesian family they are distantly related to languages in the Regions of Biak,
Waropen and Raja Ampat.
The language relationship between Papua, Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara is
strengthened by traditional architectural forms which are almost the same, as shown in
the following pictures of dwelling houses:
In addition to language relationships, there are some similarities in the culture of
Papua, Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara, including systems of marriage, the circle of life,
initiation, headhunting, the names of land and many others. In the marriage system,
there are several similarities of the marriage system known in Maluku, Papua, East Nusa
Tenggara, namely the request marriage system, running marriage system, and entry
marriage system. Besides this, in the area of East Nusa Tenggara, and Papua (Sentani and
Biak, there is also a continued marriage system, based on interviews and observations in
the Sentani area). In the past, in the request marriage system, the elderly male contributed
more to find a mate or life partner for his son. One of the ways was through an indigenous
dance party or a youth dance (based on interviews conducted in several ethnic groups in
Papua in 2013, and 2014. Besides that, in the marriage system of the people of Maluku,
East Nusa Tenggara and Papua, there is a gift exchange system, such as payment of dowry
from the male to the female, usually paid back by the provision of a reply from the woman.
In the culture of the life cycle, it is considered a taboo for a mother who is pregnant and
about to give birth or a girl who is having a menstrual period or menstruation to live with
their family. In this view a mother who gives birth or a girl who menstruates will discharge
dirty blood or she is experiencing a period of cleansing, so that if she got into contact with
others, especially her husband, it would lead to bad luck or lack of luck on the activities of
the livelihood of the husband or other people in the house, for example, while hunting.
They believe if they come in contact with women who are menstruating or giving birth, it
would cause them not to be able to catch the hunted animal at all. For the woman who is
about to give birth or menstruating, normally a particular home or cottage will be built. It
can be in the forest, but it can also be behind the main house. However, if it is behind the
main house, it should be at a considerable distance. In this cottage the mother in labor
or girls who are menstruating are lodged until the process of childbirth or menstruation
has been completed. For example the Yakaka house in the people of Abun and Karon
(Kridalaksana, 1991), Liliposu house of the people of Huaulu Seram (Koentjaraningrat and
Bachtiar, 1963), and some ethnic groups in East Nusa Tenggara.

244 Chapter 6

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