Page 245 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

After a child is born, there is a tradition of welcoming the new member to the family.
The ritual is done as a sign of gratitude for the birth and safety of the mother and child.
When the ritual is performed, usually the child will be given a name that has meaning
based on the existing culture of each ethnic group existing in all three areas above. The
name is called a “land” name, which is derived from the name of the ancestors, the name
of a place, the name of a particular god which has a good meaning, besides the name after
the bath or wash or the current name. Furthermore, once a boy is considered old enough,
he will go through initiation an (traditional education), when he is taught elements of
traditional knowledge including methods of warfare, including headhunting.
Headhunting culture is conducted by ethnic groups living on the north and the south
coast of Papua, Maluku and Seram, whereas in East Nusa Tenggara, it is conducted by the
people of Manggarai. According to Muridan Widjojo and Kal Muller, headhunting aims to
initiate, his own and his group’s existence, as well as efforts to absorb foreign powers of
the victims of headhunting and foreign objects looted. Headhunting also serves to raise
the prestige and obtain women and slave labor (Blust, 1974).
In addition to cultural similarities in the people of Papua, Maluku and East Nusa
Tenggara, the link of these three areas can also be seen through their mythologies, such
as the mythology of east cloth, Nunusaku mythology and the history of Flores. Among the
population of Flores, there is a history of the migration of the Maluku people to Flores. As
a result of the migration, according to several people of Flores, they actually may not be
married to people from Maluku due to their kinship. Meanwhile the migration of Papua
people from Biak Noemfoor, is one of the largest migrated groups from Papua who live
in Maluku. The Biak-Noemfoor people who sailed to Halmahera, Tidore and some small
islands in the North, are proud to mention their origins and clans. This is related to the
political ties between Biak-Noemfoor and the territories under Tidore’s power. With
that identity, they can be accepted by the locals. Furthermore, the relationship between
Tidore and Biak-Noemfoor was united by emotional ties as a result of Gurabesi’s marriage
(a legend of Biak-Noemfoor) with Boki Taiba, the sister of the Sultan of Tidore (Sultan of
Tidore, Ternate, 24/8/2015). Until now, the descendants of the Biak-Numfor who sailed and
then settled in Halmahera and other islands around it, can still be found such as the clans
of Dimara, Kabarek, Rejal, Sroyen, Rumbial Imnsen, Mofu, Kapitarau, Mayor, Kapisa and so
forth. They spread out among others in Tobelo Morotai, Sahu and Seram. Their presence
there used to be associated with the shipping of the tribute to the Sultan of Tidore and
doing barter trades. Many of their descendants have gone back and work in Papua.

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