INDONESIE _ le combat sanglant des Guerriers de SUMBA ⚔️ ⎮ Documentaire civilisation - AMP

On the island of Sumba, in Indonesia, hundreds of riders fight each year in a ritual and spectacular fight. The Pasola. A long time ago, there lived a very pretty young girl, called Nihale. She was the daughter of the moon, the all-powerful Rajahwala. Her hair was so long that it touched the earth. Legend has it that to guarantee prosperity and happiness to humanity, the moon sacrificed her own daughter and threw her remains at the sea. Her teeth were turned into rice, corn and vegetables. Her skin gave birth to domestic animals and her heart to bananas. Her hair, lips and blood are children of multicolored marine worms that have been drying out on the shores of Sumba every year. The arrival of these worms is celebrated by a set of ceremonies called Nihale. The most important of them, the Pasola, closes this ritual period and inaugurates the time of reaping the rice. Through this sacred fight, the will of the ancestors is expressed, because the abundance of blood that flows will give rise to future harvests. We are five days from the Pasola. This is the only time of the year when wild pig hunting is practiced. To kill the animal, the Sumbanese use the same spear that was once used to fight the Pasola. Located at the extreme south of the archipelago of the small islands of La Sonde, Sumba is very far from the large urban and commercial centers of Indonesia. Extending over 200 km long and 80 km wide, the island is crossed by a single road in bitumen. Very far from this unique communication route, the region of Lomboya, located in the southwest of the island, remains very attached to its animist traditions. Aged 35 years old, Jauo Kalaga is an excellent hunter. But he was mostly recognized as the best fighter of the Lomboya Pasola and, as such, the idol of his village. Of noble origin, he has an important role in the course of this sacred fight. Like the snake or the buffalo, the pig is an important animal in the Sumbanese bestiary. Jauo has always loved hunting, because for him it is a foretaste of the Pasola. In my village, I am the guardian of the Pasola traditions. The Pasola is an annual ceremony that celebrates our ancestors and honors our gods so that they make the land fertile and thus allow us to harvest well. To determine the date of the Pasola, we rely on the solar calendar and the instructions of the Ratu. Pasola also means the continuity of the cultural tradition of the people of the west of Sumba. During the month of the Pasola, when the full moon arrives, we must not do certain things. For example, it is forbidden to make noise, to work, to crush the corn or to separate the grains of rice. We also do not have the right to drain the water from the sacred spring. Living in the outskirts of the coast, the inhabitants of the village of Lomboya Dete are farmers. They mainly grow rice. The pig meat, like that of the buffalo, is consumed only during ceremony meals. It is also used as an offering to ancestors and spirits. The pigs are here prepared for the dinner that will conclude the day of the Pasola. For centuries, the island of Sumba was mainly known for its anthropophagic tribes, its skull hunters and its slave trade. The bloody battles between neighboring communities were frequent. The village chiefs were designated according to their age, their ancestors, but also their warrior success. Following the successful pacification of the island in the 1910s by the Dutch, they abolished slavery and established a system of independent territories. Led by rajahs, these kingdoms were composed of a class of nobles and a class of free men. Behind its community aspect, the village of Lomboya Dete keeps the trace of this social hierarchy. Its nobility and its glorious past of warriors deserve to be considered by the villagers as their leader. I participated in my first Pasola at the age of 30. For five years, I have not missed any. But last year, my horse, who was called Melamea, died. Since then, I have decided to stop. In general, when a horse dies, it is buried, as if it were a man. It is wrapped in a traditional fabric and buried. During a Pasola, he received a javelin and fell off his horse. He was seriously injured and had to be transported to the hospital urgently. Now he no longer participates in the fight because he does not have enough strength in his arm to throw the javelin. During the Pasola, when someone is injured and the blood flows, it is a good omen. According to our beliefs, this means that the harvest of rice and corn will be good. John is Jaou's cadet brother. My name is John and I am 18 years old. This year is my first Pasola. To participate in the Pasola, the ideal is to have a horse between 5 and 7 years old. His physical condition must allow him to endure a good day of galloping. If the horse is too young, it will not be able to last all day. It will be used as a replacement horse. For a long time, the Sumbanese have venerated their horses. The death of a horse during the Pasola is more serious than the death of a man and demands revenge. To avenge his honor and that of his family, Jaou relies on his brother John. He will watch over his preparation by transmitting to him all his experience of this fierce fight, which frightens more than a novice. Although apart from the great trade routes between Asia and Europe, Sumba was nevertheless exploited, especially by the English, for two of its riches, the wood of Santal and its horses. Evoking the Arab horses, Sumba's horses are small, resistant and well-proportioned. These qualities explain that many of them have been enrolled in the cavalry of his gracious majesty. The inhabitants of the island have for a very long time been trading, even if trading certain products, such as rice, has always been considered shameful. Nevertheless, in the south of the Amboya region, following the construction of a bridge in the 1980s, a market has gradually developed on the initiative of women. Betel leaves, nutmeg, coconut, chicken, tabasco or salt are among the most commonly sold products. But on the market, there are also horses. Jaou and John came to look for a mount with exceptional qualities, worthy of participating in the Pasola. The agreement between the rider and his mount must be perfect to hope to fight effectively. When buying a horse, a certificate of ownership is required, in order to avoid the sale of stolen horses. Here, horse thieves are severely punished. The matter is quickly concluded. John is delighted and convinced by his first fighting horse. The daily life of the women of the Amboya is mainly paced by the preparation of meals, in which the pilonage of rice holds a great place. I live here with my father, my wife and my son. This is my brother Kadimoto, one of the best riders of the Pasola. My house once belonged to King Kadimoto Melameha. Here are the ornaments that my horse wore, which died last year. This is the ornamentation for his head, with the horns to make noise and give courage to the horse. This is the rattan tie to command the horse. All this is only used for the Pasola. These iron spears were once used for wars between villages. Now they are used for pig hunting in the forest. Not so long ago, they were also used for the Pasola. Now we fight with these wooden spears, which are less dangerous. The houses of Sumba, called Uma, are built according to a highly symbolic traditional model. The roofs rising to the sky are a call to the Merapu, the divine being of the Sumbans. On the roof, we also find the symbols of the two sexes, male and female. Each house is divided in two, with one part for men and one for women, to which separate entrances correspond. Sumba is known for the finesse of its icates. The technique to make these fabrics requires a lot of skill and patience. Before weaving, many manipulations are necessary, such as the weaving of the cotton, the dyeing, or the knotting of the chain threads. In the old days, it took about nine years to make a quality fabric. Today, thanks to the progress of the dyes, nine months are enough. This figure is obviously not a coincidence, because the making of icates symbolizes precisely the process of creation, and in particular, the birth of man. In Sumba, weaving is essentially a woman's affair. In some villages, when a death occurred in the community, weaving was immediately interrupted, because they feared that the spirit of the deceased would come to take revenge by breaking the threads and spreading a disease among the weavers. Depending on the colors and patterns used, different powers are attributed to icates. For the Pasola, the fighters cover the fabrics supposed to protect them from enemy attacks. The women, like everyone else on the island, make a mixture of cabbage, nutmeg, and betel leaves, which redden the lips and teeth. We are four days from the Pasola. Djaou gathers the riders of his village. He speaks to the future fighters to motivate their zeal. The Pasola is a difficult and dangerous fight, for which a physical and mental preparation is necessary. The secretive address of the Sumbanese is explained by the fact that the horse is still the main means of locomotion on the island, especially in its western part. For the Pasola, each rider uses various elements of decoration, usually made by himself. In the absence of salt, the harness is the main piece of the horse's ornament. The only weapon of the fighters is the spear. According to the belief, when it rises in the heavens, it comes into contact with the ancestors and falls according to their will. As an attentive big brother, Djaou tries to convey to John his experience of the fight. When the horse is on the ground, it is very difficult to control the horse. It is very difficult to control the horse. Intrepid, always ready to rush towards the enemy, Djaou was the idol of the village during the Pasola. Even if he decided not to participate anymore, he does not despair that John will ensure their relief with brilliance. Come on, let's go! Striking with the aridity of the east of Sumba, the landscape of the western part of the island is composed of plateau rice fields and green hills. The forests of Boite-Santal have been replaced by coconut trees. The Nyalé ceremonies begin with the de-frication and cleaning of the sacred spring. Presided by the ratus, the spiritual guides of the village recognizable by the particular noise of their turbines, this ceremony symbolizes the renewal. It is a call to the rain, necessary for the re-picking of rice and the abundance of future crops. As in many founding mythologies, that of Amboya makes a wide place for the sacred python. The legend indeed wants that at the dawn of time, a python linked Sumba to the other islands of the probe as well as the earth to the sky. Mediator between the gods and men, guardian of the springs, symbol of permanent renewal, the snake is often invoked to make the rain fall. May the rain fall to allow the villagers to plant the rice. May the food be abundant, from the full moon of the month of Padu until the full moon of the month of Nyalé. May the eels that live in the water of the spring multiply, as a sign of good omen for the village. In the prayer of the ratus, the snake is present in the form of an eel. According to tradition, the ratu must take care of the preparations of the Pasola every year in the month of Nyalé. He must keep the drums in human skin, build and maintain the ritual houses of Sumba. He must also monitor the arrival of the seagulls. He must prepare the offerings to the spirits and take them to the beach the day before the Pasola. The ratu is the guardian of traditions. The cult of the ancestors, the Merapu, is based mainly on offerings made up of ritual vegetables, such as nut or coconut, and sacrificed animals, the most common of which is the chicken. For the Sumbanese, as for all the animist Indonesians, some animals, plants, objects and even substances possess a vital energy, a kind of soul called Semangat. Blood and water possess this soul. This is how the blood of the sacrifices evokes the water of the rain, which will give life to the earth and the rice. Generally, the food offered to the spirits is then consumed in groups, so that the participants can commune together with the spirits. May the rain fall to allow the villagers to plant the rice. May the nourishment of the spirits be abundant from the full moon of the month of Padu to the full moon of the month of Nyalé. Another important ritual of Nyalé is that of chopping the rice. For the Sumbanese, rice has a soul. To preserve this soul, the plants must be handled delicately and tributes must be given to them at each stage of the culture. The wealth of a family is evaluated and the value of this animal is linked to its essential role in the ploughing of the rice fields. Indeed, here the technique is the most archaic. The field, which must be completely flooded, is traversed by buffaloes that are made to run to return the land. Located on the Wallace Line, this underwater fault of such depth that it seems to have always separated the Australian continent from the Asian continent, Sumba is influenced by the hot, blowing winds of Australia that juggle the action of the northwestern mousseau, full of humidity. Clouds full of water approach the coast of the island often late in the year and the periods of drought are even frequent. The village of Sodan, which dominates the region of Lomboya, is one of the most beautiful on the island. Constituted of traditional houses, it is the village of the Ratu, these priests who are eminently respected and listened to by the population. Sodan is located at the top of the hill, which allows to see on one side the valley and on the other the sea. These very heavy stones are tombstones that come from a quarry in the village of Wanukaka. They have been transported here by slaves and prisoners. All this had to be done under the control of a Ratu. To move the stones, it was necessary to surround them with strongly attached lianas. In the house of Katoda, we still keep heads. In the past, we fought against the village of Wanukaka and other villages in the valley. We cut off the heads of the enemies, then we hung them on the branches of a tree, the skull tree. Ours burned a while ago. We cut off the heads of men and women without distinction. The skulls that are preserved are introduced into the roof of the houses. Thus, their inhabitants are protected. Merapu means divinity, ancestors. They are represented by the ritual houses. The houses of Sumba have very high roofs that rise towards the sky. They are turned towards the Merapu. They can then descend from the roof to communicate with their occupants. Used to bury the priests and once the Rajahs, the megalithic tombs sculpted by Sodan are the oldest and most impressive on the island. Lomboya is a particular region because its landscapes, which extend from the coast to the interior of the land, are very varied. The other regions are much more homogeneous That is why the inhabitants of Lomboya refer to the buffalo to describe their region. The front part of the animal corresponds to the interior land and its rear part to the coastal part. We are three days from La Pasola. The long-awaited rain has finally arrived. Jau, Kadimoto and John return to Kodi, a region further north. The three brothers want to attend the Pasola that takes place there every year, a little before that of Lomboya. Although Kodi organizes a Pasola like Lomboya, the traditions of these regions are distinguished on many points. Moreover, despite the small size of the island, the communities of Sumba are very disparate. They often speak different languages and have particular customs. In other communities, such a union would be incestuous. Cultural misunderstandings largely explain the wars of the past and the animosity between clans that still remains sometimes. The meaning of hospitality, however, seems to be shared by all Sumbanese. Not accepting to receive strangers can even be perceived as a major outrage. On the road to Kodi, our Transi horsemen stop to regain strength. Jau informs their kind hostess of their destination. He also tells her that he is proud of his little brother John, who is getting married the next day and is nevertheless preparing to participate in his first Pasola. The men, warmed up, resume the road under the greetings of their hostess, who wishes good luck to John. The fighters who are going to take part in Kodi's Pasola put on their protective jackets and a traditional fighting suit that distinguishes them from the inhabitants of Lomboya. Once the horses are armed, they all meet at the center of the village. Before the departure, the chief of the rats blesses the horsemen. After the blessing, everyone gathers on the battlefield. Young people have put on their most beautiful attire because the Pasola is a good time to meet. The single fighters want to show their address and courage in order to seduce young girls at the age of marriage. A few glances during the fight can turn into exchanges of more supported gazes during the evening meal. The night of the Pasola will allow couples to form. Traditionally, the Pasola opposes the coastal villages to the villages inside the land. More than a hundred horsemen per team face each other. In the past, hostilities began with a ritual fight between the chiefs of the rats of the opposing villages. Today, they are content to open the Pasola by an invocation of the Merapu. Groups of horsemen then move towards each other following a circular movement that symbolically imitates that of the stars. At first, the fighters observe each other, provoking each other, but without letting go of their spears. It is above all a matter of showing their knowledge of combat A first javelot is launched and announces the beginning of the fight. Quickly, the spears fly everywhere. In the assistance, the women hum, the drums rumble. Everyone supports his side and vibrates with him. The Pasola allows the rival clans of the island to settle their scores. The ancestral quarrels between villages find in this ritual fight a space of expression that avoids the return to the violence of yesteryear. The Pasola is no less of a bloody spectacle. Spears continue to fly in the sky, and some fly. The violence of the Sumbanese is explained by their belief system. For them, aggressiveness is above all a fundamental form of communication with the other. In addition, human blood contains an important vital energy and when it flows, it symbolizes fertility and fertility. During the Pasola, the trajectory of the spear is supposed to express the will of the ancestors. The victim would thus be punished for past misdeeds or for those of the members of his family. John, we must always monitor the movement of the riders. In the shelter, the enemy is everywhere. For the fight to be loyal, the opponents must always be in motion. To throw the spear, there are two schools. Either throw it from above or throw it from below. In my opinion, the best method is from above. If a horse is injured, its owner and even the whole village feel ashamed. The family will have to wait for the following year to be able to take revenge. John is ready for the Pasola of Amboya. He will show himself brave and fight like our brother Kadimoto. But since it's the first time, John may be afraid. It is possible that he will not fight. The charges continue again, again and again. Over the hours, under the heat, the fight becomes more and more dangerous. With fatigue, the riders are less lively and the spears hit more often. Present around the battlefield, the police observe the movement of the fighters with a certain apprehension. As the Dutch colonial army, which took control of Soomba after more than two centuries of effort, the people of the island are difficult to control. The blood that flows during the Pasola foretells good harvest. And the death of a man is celebrated as an even better omen. As often at the end of the day, the police must intervene. To calm the spirits, if within the first Muslim country in the world the public authorities still tolerate the animist rite of the Pasola, they do not approve of the extreme violence. But the fight continues despite everything. It will last until twilight. We are two days from the Pasola of Amboya. The period is considered conducive to the celebration of marriage, because associated with the fertility of the lands, are also symbols of fertility. And it is precisely on this day that John's marriage, planned for months, will take place. For this exceptional event, Jaou prepares John's horse, which they bought together by cutting off his mane. For the Indonesians, the hair of humans or animals has a lot of vital energy. Thus, during a rite of passage, the hair of a new man is cut. Likewise, during the ceremony of marriage, it is customary for the spouses to exchange a strand of hair. The whole village participates in the ceremony. As in all of Indonesia, dance plays an important role in the traditions of the island. The dancers, dressed in precious yucca, dance to the rhythm of the music. The dance of women is characterized by slow gestures, small steps and graceful movements of the arms and hands. The men, they raise their knees high and shake their arms with their cuckoos. Marriage is obviously a crucial moment in the life of the Sumbanese. On this big day, at the time of the ritual of dressing, John's wife has the heart that beats the shamad. Even if she doesn't really know John yet, she is delighted to marry the brother of the famous Jahu. After the horse, Jahu takes care of his brother. He gives him a traditional ikat around his waist and gives him a kup-kup, a weapon of defense and a tool of labor at the same time. In Sumba, marriage is conceived as an exchange. At first, the terms are negotiated, then the exchange itself begins. The dowry of the bride is often composed of ikat and jewelry in ivory. A noble-origin bride most often offers buffaloes and gold jewelry. The ceremony itself is celebrated at the in-laws' house. After the party, John and his wife go to the parents of the latter to bring them the payment of the nuptial exchange. In Indonesia, marriages were often accompanied by bloody customs. Everywhere, ritual fights were organized and the blood that flowed was a good omen for the new couple. In Sumba, the cut head of an enemy was a gift of great value. The warrior soul of the Sumbanese manifests itself at all times. Thus, for the greatest joy of all, a boxing match is organized between two teams. Jau, flanked by his brothers, would not miss it for anything in the world. Young and old laugh at the spectacle. Yet the blows are less to be held back. One of the men even needs to be reanimated. Jau himself has to call for a rematch because he has lost his grip. But for an animist, the body is only a carnal envelope without importance. What matters is the soul. According to local belief, men have a soul made up of two elements, the Dewa and the Mawo. The Dewa is the eternal soul. After the death of an individual, it becomes the spirit of an ancestor. The Mawo is a temporary soul. It is the one that escapes from our body when we faint or fall asleep. The Mawo is the soul in the woman's womb. We are on the eve of the Pasola. The ratus of the village of Sodan gather. They are about to spend a night of prayer and invocation to their ancestors. The ratus prepare the betel nut. This mixture of ashike serves as a fine and exciting cut. The heat ingested at the end of the ashike is responsible for the visible bleeding of the gums. Broken regularly, it attacks the roots of the teeth which do not last very long. Everyone appreciates the virtues of the betel nut. Like every year, the priests make the drums made of human skin resonate. These skins were those of enslaved slaves specially fattened for three years before being skinned alive. The sound of these drums allows the spirits to call so that they follow the ratus and receive their offerings. The priests, all together, begin a procession towards the sea by a sacred path. On this path, the legend tells about the phantom dogs whose bite drives them crazy. These beliefs do not prevent a bunch of children and young people from following the procession. The eminence of the path excites the spirits. The Sumba communities are distinguished by the ceremonies they follow. The one on the west coast of the island celebrates the Nihalé which coincides with the arrival of the sea worms. Others, especially the communities of the interior of the lands celebrate the Padu, which intervenes a few months earlier during the transition from the dry season to the wet season. The region of Lamboya, made up of interior lands and coastal areas and therefore includes the two types of communities, is the only one to follow these two great rituals. This particularity makes Lamboya proud and gives the ratus of Sodan the feeling of being the spiritual guides of the whole island. The rain is just in time. The prayers of the ratus of Lamboya seem to have been heard by the ancestors of Merapu. Soon, the re-biting of the rice will begin. At nightfall, they arrive on the beach. Traditionally, the night before the Pasola was the time of love meetings. In the past, if a young man managed to slip into the bed of a young girl at his parents' house during the night, the next day, the father could not refuse his hand. On the other hand, if he was surprised, he was harshly reprimanded. The warrior spirit of the inhabitants of Sumba manifests itself very early, as evidenced by the pleasure that young people take to embark on an immense night fight. All night, by their offerings and prayers, the priests invoke the ancestors. The appearance of the Nyalé worms in the sea leads to an abundance of food for the inhabitants of Lamboya. The rain falls to allow the villagers to plant the rice. The day of the Pasola has finally arrived. At dawn, two priests go to the sea in search of the Nyalé, these worms that arrive naked on the shores of Sumba, pushed by currents caused by the fog. In a sacred gesture, they scoop up the water with their two hands together. Finding these worms is the best omen. But this morning, they are not at the rendezvous. This is bad omen. To change course, the blood will have to flow abundantly during the Pasola. Already, along the beach or coming from the land, the riders rush to Lamboya. The riders gather on the battlefield which evokes the tournaments of the Middle Ages. The first riders take off. John, dressed in a green coat, takes his momentum to participate in the fight. After a few skirmishes, he returns to his starting point. He does not judge the moment at the gate. The spears fuse, the spectators scream, the tension rises. John throws himself again, but once again, he retains his mount. Jahoul observes. He knows that the first time, it is more difficult than it seems. Violence and danger are very real on the battlefield. The blood has finally flowed. The bad omen of Eñalé is thus erased. John looks at the battle. He is more and more worried. The loads double in aggressiveness. The atmosphere is heated. Jahoul is a little disappointed with his brother's behavior, but he understands it. During his first pass there, he too had been impressed by the violence and the brutality of the fight in which the slightest fault of inattention can cost life. He too had been mesmerized by this bloody and sacred spectacle offered to the Merapu. Before taking part in the clashes, he had hesitated. Then he threw himself into the battle with the crowd of beginners. John, yes, will not take the step this year. But Jahoul is convinced that next year, his brother will be really ready for the pass. This exceptional fight that defines more than anything the inhabitants of Sumba.