Page 338 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

The traditional political culture of Biboki would be guided by the political community in
the future by naming Biboki Kingdom as follows: Banu // Anonat, Tahaf // Nafanu, Tnesi //
Aluman, T’eba // Tautpah, Bukifan // Taitoh, and Harneno // Manlea, which is known as klunin
boes ma baat boes, or ten pillows and ten roots (Boy, 2013, Neonbasu, 2009, 2011, 2013).

Ecology: Symbols, Signs, and Myths
The way the Timorese people understand ecology can be explained by reviewing the
relationship among 1. Ecology and the sacred, 2. Ecology and myths, and 3. Ecology and
symbols. First, ecology helps humans to understand the meaning of the sacred. Humans
know the sacred substance because of their meeting with ecology so they can appreciate
all experiences they get with the sacred. Everything in the universe becomes the bridge for
humans to illustrate the way they think about the meaning of the sacred. The second thing
can be compared to the first because it is just another formulation from it. The stories used
are taken from the context and every day’s life. Thus, myth is an engineering of people’s
meeting with the environment, where ecology becomes the foundation of people’s
creativity to formulate myths. The third, in using a language (including the usual language
style), humans appreciated their meeting with ecology in an artificial way. However, to
give a sufficient picture, humans do not only use an everyday language. There is another
style of language with which humans can see their limit for vulnerability. Humans can see
through everything, the limitations of our brain, intention, and feeling to find a newer
perspective in order to capture the reality behind usual things. In this case, humans need
symbols that are the engineered meanings behind the reality one can see with one’s eyes.
Although experts always differentiate the religious symbols from profane signs, in
general Timorese people only know the functions of symbols and signs to hide the deepest
reality of normal things. Symbols and signs always have connection to something pure,
something sacred, or in everyday life we say: ‘should not be said in vain.’ There are always
rules on when and where symbols and signs should be used. Timorese people use signs
and symbols in every ritual event, a strategy to create a proper atmosphere to meet a
sacred reality.
Usually there is a change in someone’s manner when a symbol or sign is said to start
a stage of something sacred. This change is usually preceded by a change of people’s
mindset from the usual to the special way of life. Psychologically, humans who go through
a change from usual situation to sacred and spiritual one are marked by the way they use
simple words when starting the elements of a religious ceremony.

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