Jurnal ETNOHISTORI, Vol. 1, No. 1, Tahun 2014

The Challenges of Myth Based Coexistence between Christian and Muslim in Kendahe, Sangihe , North Province

Nur Widiyanto Inter-Religious Studies, ICRS-Sekolah Pascasarjana Universitas Gadjah Mada

Abstrak Paper ini mengeksplorasi sumber bagi kerukunan antarpemeluk agama di Kendahe, Kepulauan Sangihe, Sulawesi Utara. Teori dari Jayne Seminare Docherty digunakan untuk menganalisa bagaimana penduduk Kendahe menjaga tradisi damai di antara pemeluk Kristen dan Islam, melalui dimensi simbolik dan material simbolik. Dimensi simbolik muncul melalui eksistensi Mawu, sebutan lokal untuk Tuhan masyarakat Sangihe, yang berperan penting dalam mitos lokal yang disebut Mitos Maselihe. Pesan utama dari mitos ini adalah agar menghindari pelanggaran perkawinan sedarah (incest) atau akan dihukum oleh Mawu. Hal ini membuat penduduk Kendahe membangun sistem perkawinan tertentu yang akhirnya mendorong seluruh klan/marga terhubung melalui garis perkawinan. Sedangkan dimensi material yang muncul melalui alat produksi dalam bidang pertanian dan penangkapan ikan di laut juga memainkan peran penting untuk mendorong penduduk dari agama berbeda untuk bertemu dan saling membantu. Akhirnya, pada perkembangan terakhir, modernitas tak terhindarkan telah membawa beberapa perubahan baik dalam bentuk positif maupun negatif, khususnya pada generasi muda. Beberapa perubahan ini secara langsung memberikan tantangan bagi eksistensi kedua dimensi di atas di Kendahe.

Kata Kunci: Koeksistensi, Mitos Maselihe, Dimensi Perdamaian, Modernitas

Abstract

This paper explores the source of religious harmony in Kendahe antarpemeluk, Sangihe , . Theory of Jayne Seminare Docherty used to analyze how the population Kendahe tradition of keeping peace between Christians and Muslims, through the symbolic material and symbolic dimensions. Symbolic dimension appears through the existence of Mawu, local designation for God's people Sangihe, which plays an important role in local myths called Myth Maselihe. The main message of this myth is to avoid infringement of inbreeding

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(incest) or be punished by Mawu. This makes the population Kendahe establish specific mating system, and encouraged the whole clan / clan linked through marriage line. While the dimensions of the material that appears through the means of production in agriculture and fishing in the sea also plays an important role to encourage people from different religions to meet and help each other. Finally, the recent developments, the modernity inevitability has brought some changes both in positive and negative forms, especially in the younger generation. Some of these changes are a direct challenge to the existence of two dimensions above in Kendahe.

Keywords: Coexistence, Myth of Maselihe, Dimensions of Peace, Modernity

Sangihe, The Islands in Between Pigafetta, a Portuguese voyager wrote on his note on 28 October, Kendahe is the name of villages 1521 he sailed from to the and a sub district in Sangihe Islands, southeast direction and found the North Sulawesi Province. These island of Sangir Besar. He noted villages, Kendahe I and Kendahe II there were four kings rule the people located on the northern part of the of Sangir which are King Matandatu, mainland of the islands, Sangir Laga, Bapti and Parabu”. Hundred Besar, near an active volcano years before Pigafetta, an old namely Awu. The regency, Sangihe ’s scripture, Islands located on eastern part of Negarakertagama written by Sulawesi Sea or between Sulawesi Prapanca noted Sangihe-Talaud was Island and Mindanao, . claimed as the north border area of Lapian (2009) poses that Sulawesi the Majapahit empire namely Uda Sea’s and its people living in Sangir- Makatraya (Ulaen, 2003). Spain, Talaud, Mindanao and East Borneo Ternate and Dutch also arrived to the people are culturally and islands hundreds years after. From economically connected. Velasco those evidences, in the past the area (2010) poses “Nusa Utara” as “the was the busy path for spice trading islands in between” including and the arena of contestation among Sangihe, Talaud and Sitaro Islands1, foreign power over local people, far has very strong connection in before Tsing (2005) offers the term of kinship, culture also trading. “frontier” for similar situation to South Borneo Meratus. 1 Nusa Utara is the popular name for the area Statistically, the inhabitant of including Sangihe Islands, and Sangihe Islands are 205.326 people Sitaro Islands regency which previously which about 67% of them are known as Sangir-Talaud. This term introduced Christian, 35% are Moslems and the by one of local scholar which also a lecture at University, : Alex rest are members of other religion Ulaen. groups, including local religion

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namely Masade2. They live in around geographical character of Kendahe 26 inhabitants’ islands, which Sangir which is like “five fingers” or sub Besar is the biggest. There are 15 villages3. Factually, there are four sub-districts in Sangihe Islands, river separating five villages in including Kendahe. Kendahe’s sub Kendahe, and uniquely, two district, which located about 17 Christian Sub Villages are located kilometers north side of Tahuna, is between Moslems Sub Villages: Soa divided to 8 villages led by a head of Moslems in the East and Sahabe in village called Kapitalaung. Kendahe I the West side of Kendahe area, near and Kendahe II are two of eight the sacred Maselihe’s bay. Kendahe villages, located only about 5 II as the Christian’s majority houses kilometers from Awu Vulcano which looks like located on the ‘enclave” has been erupted sixteen times since area surrounded by Moslem houses, 16 century and killed about 7377 Sulawesi Sea and Awu Volcano. people, mostly Kendahe’s resident ( Similar to other Sangirese, Balai Vulkanology, 1985). Kendahe people use patriarchy Before 1970, there was only one system marked by family name Kendahe Village until the government coming from father’s line. Almost all decided to divide into: Kendahe I for clans have family connection Christian and Kendahe II for encouraged by a local rule Moslems. Located near a rich sea forbidding intra-clan marriage. Even and fertile land, mostly people more, if between two different clans making their life as farmer and already have family connection; they fishermen, but fishermen will go to are allowed to marry each other’s the farmland on the hill when the after four lineages below. This rules season of nutmeg (Myristica comes from the story of Maselihe fragrans) and (cocos Myth telling int the past one of the nucifera) come. Data from the local Kendahe’s king namely government shows about 2034 Samensiarang forced to marry his people live in Kendahe I and own daughter, Doroweli. Few hours Kendahe II. In Kendahe I, from 818 after wedding party conducted at his people or 243 household only 16 palace at Maselihe, about 4 household or 36 people who are kilometers west side from present Moslems. Meanwhile from 1216 Kendahe, several natural disasters; people or 373 household in Kendahe tsunami, volcano eruption and II, only 10 household or about 37 earthquake struck at the same time people are Christian. There are three churches in Kendahe I and three mosques in Kendahe II. People give an illustration to describe the 3 Kendahe II is divided into 3 sub villages (Soa Muslim, Sahabe and Pondole) , meanwhile 2 Sangihe dalam Angka 2012, Biro Pusat Kendahe I is divided in to 2 sub villages (Soa Statistik Kabupaten Kepulauan Sangihe Kristen and Potto)

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as the punishment from Mawu4 for idea of cultural ecology, environment the breaking of taboo incest done by is divided in two types; natural and the king. Thousands people died and modified environment. There are two mostly the palace area sank to the different roles of myth, which can bottom of the sea. The feeling of fear explain its function toward society. for the punishment from Mawu leads Firstly, as the way traditional people developing certain rules as communities interact and adapt to social mechanism to avoid the their natural environment because breaking of taboo incest. It is shown they do not have yet any kind of by forbidding intra-clan marriage and scientific explanation. it. Secondly, applying selective inter-clan give the presents generation certain marriage. knowledge from the past. Kendahe people can recognize some of The Root of Coexistence in natural disasters in the past and its Kendahe certain characters. As long as Maselihe Myth is still reproduced There are many scholars paying across generations, Kendahe people attention to role of myth toward will have knowledge about certain society. Van Baal (Daeng, 2000) natural disaster that can hit them poses that myth as a set of stories anytime. assumed and believed as the truth Regarding to the existence of by certain communities which, peace tradition between Christian referring to De Saussure can be and Moslem’s in Kendahe, we can existed through language explain by using Jayne Seminare signification. In the same vein Eliade Docherty’s point of view related to (Bernard, 2011) defines myth from the dimension of conflict and peace the different point of view. He (Docherty, 2001). Docherty argues believes a myth narrates as a sacred every conflict (and peace) will take history, tells through the deeds of places in three dimension (or worlds) supernatural beings, a reality came which are material, social or into existence and be a part or whole relational, and symbolic dimension. fragment of reality coming from the Symbolic dimension will be related idea of two differentiate worlds; to the cosmological world including sacred and profane (Palls, 2001). worldview, ideas, values, or people Meanwhile, Julian Steward (Laksono, mindset. The social or relational 2001) poses that myth helping dimension has strong connection to traditional communities to explain the existence of social structure and their environment through a process social relation between or within namely cultural ecology. Within the community, meanwhile material world close to the economic or 4 Before Kendahe people become Christian material aspect. In this paper, to and Moslem they have their own and local explain the peace tradition in God named Mawu

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Kendahe, two dimensions, which are batu tamo exist until the present day symbolic dimension, and material as the evidence to people the truth dimension would be used. of tragedy in the past. The main point of the myth is natural disasters Symbolic Dimension ; Maselihe coming as a punishment for a sin Myth and The Existence of Mawu done by the king. People, both of Christian and Moslem, believing that As previously mentioned, one of the the punishment comes from Mawu, strongest sources of the root of the way local people call their coexistence among Kendahe people traditional God. comes from traumatic feeling of Applying several rules to control tragedy in the past sounded by the social system through marriage story of Maselihe Myth5. The myth system bring consequences. One of itself believed by local people as the the positive impacts from this strict real fact in the past and potentially rule is almost all people from could happen again if people break different religion, villages and clans7 taboo incest. The myth placed as the are connected by marriage. It leads a most important shared value for long history of peace tradition present people. There are few between Christian and Moslems. community members dare to reject Until the year of 2013 there is no any the truth of the myth. Not only serious conflict related to religion uneducated and elder people, but issue, on the contrary, they usually also young and well-educated help each other. When Awu Volcano people believe the truth of Maselihe erupted in 1966 and 2004, some of Myth. If someone tries to ask the Christian family went to the Al Fath evidence of the myth, people will mosque in Soa Moslem to get take them to Maselihe Bay by using protection from the strong building pambut6 and show them batu tamo, and they were safe there a small piece of land about 2 meter (Widiyanto,2012). In early 2012 high from sea level alocated 50 when Al Ikhlas mosque in Sahabe meters from the beach. People sub villages had a renovation, the believe batu tamo is the only land as priest from GMIS8 led his members part of Samensiarang palace which to do mapaluse and help their did not sank to the bottom of the Moslem brother in renovating the sea. They believe that Mawu making mosque9. In the same vein, when Christian people conduct the

5 Although the locus of the Maselihe Myth story is located in Kendahe, but this myth also 7 Marga known and believed by people all around 8 Gereja Masehi Injili Sangihe (and Talaud) Sangihe Islands. 9 Mapaluse is local term for working together 6 Pambut is the name of traditional boat for (gotong royong) both for public or individual Sangirese people. They use it for fishing needs. This term also used by Minahasan on activity or use it as a mean of transportation the mainland Sulawesi for the same purpose

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“potong Tamo” traditional ceremony (Bawele, 2009). People call the name in the church, some of Moslem’s of this previous belief is Mawu women help preparing ceremony. religion. It comes from the figure of Religion issue does not become a local god, namely Mawu which is sensitive issue in Kendahe. It is usual believed has two sacred spirits if in a family there is son or daughter helping Him to rule Sangirese: Adi having different religion from the Tinggi staying at the peak of Awu parents. It develops a real Volcano and Mawendo which rule coexistence among Kendahe people the sea surrounding Sangir land although they have different religion. (2009: 9). Referring to the previous It can be reflected from the words of punishment to Samensiarang, Adi Mananda Macpal living in Sahabe, Tinggi made the volcano eruption Kendahe II: and a big earthquake, meanwhile Mawendo created medaluhung, a “..My mother has Manabung as local term for tsunami which her family name, she was a devastated the palace. The main Moslem until she died 6 years point here is the strong connection ago, meanwhile my father is a between the myth and the existence Chritian’ Macpal. My older of Mawu. It means that if people is brother, Martin Luther and my older sister Beatric Macpal are still believing Maselihe Myth as their Christian but my younger traditional values, Mawu will be still brother and I are Moslem. My believed beside they have their wife, Sunani, has Dahula as her “new” God referring to the family name, and she is a Christianity and Islam’s faith. Here Moslem, but her younger sister the existence of Mawu cannot be who previously a Moslem is separated from the way Kendahe converted to Christian following people reproduce Maselihe Myth her husband, which is a local from generation to generations. For Pantekosta leader. There is no any problem with that in this big the time being, beside Christian family (Widiyanto: 2012:38)”. Kendahe and Moslem Kendahe pray for their own “new” God, people still Before almost all Sangirese are believe traditional and local God converted to Islam and Christian coming from the ancestors. More which their own Gods10, they believe than that, some of religious leader in some sacred and invisible ruler both of from Christian and Moslems start delivering a kind of campaign to 10 Islam is believed firstly arrived in Sangihe recognize the existence of Mawu by in15’s century and brought by Mindanao and placing Mawu the same as Allah Ternate people, meanwhile Christian brought (Widianto, 2012). This approach by the Dutch about 16-17 centuries. Before namely contextualization strategy, converted to Christian, some of Sangirese were Chatolic regarding to the relation fo local used by both Islam and Christian rules (king) both to Spain and Portugese leaders to make those new religions colonial (Ulaen, 2003)

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to be more accepted and more the last prayer, all of participants will integrated to local belief. stand together and give the pray for As previously discussed, the role Mawu by singing the local song of O and function of the existence of Mawu Rendinganeng11 (Widiyanto, Maselihe Myth and Mawu as a 2012:39). symbolic dimension is to memories a tragedy as the important lesson Material Dimension: Means of learnt for the present generation. Production in Kendahe Avoiding the same mistake as done before by Samensiarang, later Docherty poses material world as Kendahe people develop strict one of the peace dimension. It is marriage system both of inter and related to the way community intra clans leading to the access and manages economic development of all Kendahe people resources. If the community as “ one big family” connected by manages the resources well, on the marriage line. The existence of one hand, it can encourage peace Mawu is relatively similar to the condition within communities, but on situation in Maluku in the past as the contrary it also can bring conflict. described well by Bartels (2000) Kendahe people might be able to be posing Nunusaku religion as an put as one of the best examples important shared value among where material dimension can be a Moluccans. If in Maluku pela good vehicle for developing and gandong plays an important role as a maintaining coexistence between vehicle for the co existence, in two religion groups. As mentioned, Kendahe, Maselihe Myth and the the majority of Kendahe people marriage system, which is inspired make life by planting nutmeg and from the myth, play role as the coconut, meanwhile other by vehicle of peace tradition. The myth catching fish from the sea. Beside of brings the condition of peace and seasonal commodities, farmers in harmony because of the feeling of Kendahe also plant short-term unity though they are divided into plantation like chili, cassava and hundreds of different clan (marga) vegetables to fulfill their daily life. and religions. The harmony between There is no rice field in Kendahe and religion groups can be seen when they are conducting any kind of 11 The O Mawu song uses Sasahara language, public meeting involving of both an ancient and sacred Sangirese’s language; Christian and Moslem. They usually O Mawu rendinganeng, I kami mangaelang, O open the meeting by praying using Mawu kaselaheng, Bae darodo matelang, the host religion ( Christian, for Tembonang kawanua, Ahako surarengu, Suike Kapulunu ( Oh God, please stays with us, we example) and will close the meeting are Your believer, now and in the future, Oh by praying using the way guest’s God, you are the greatest one, Teach us religion (Moslem, for example). After please only the goodness, Please allow us to stay in your heart” )

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farmers use their saving from island because they are afraid of previous nutmeg or coconut12 meeting armed Philippines fishermen harvest for buying rice as the staple using bigger boat namely puso. food13. There were some cases in the past Each family usually has job when local fishermen robbed by a distribution in managing their group of armed Philippines farmland. Several of “hard” activities fishermen and all of fishes were such as land preparation, cutting taken15. Only less than 5 people in trees, carrying log or processing Kendahe having pajeko, a kind of big coconut into copra usually done by fishing boat that can carry more than male, meanwhile some lighter 10 people and can be used to go activities such as bringing food and fishing for days until Halmahera Sea. water to the farmland, planting Local fishermen go fishing for vegetables, taking care vegetables several hours in the early morning and cleaning the area near the and after landing, wife’s will sell plantation will be done by female. fishes to the neighbors or bring it to Meanwhile, on the sea usually only the traditional market in Kendahe I man going to the Sulawesi Sea by village. using 3-5 meters long traditional Some of rich people have boat namely pambut14. They usually “bagang”, a kind of ‘fish nest and catch fishes such as tuna, skipjack, trap” and put it in the sea, about 8- crabs, sting ray, octopus, kind of 10 miles from the beach16. Until 2014 coral fishes or even shark. there are three bagang owned by Sangirese only go fishing to the area Kendahe people, one owned by near from the beach or about 4-7 Sasiang’s clan, a Christian family miles because they only use basic from Kendahe I and two bagang are equipment and have limited fuel. owned by Manabung’s clan , They are worry to go too far from the Moslem family living in Sahabe sub village, Kendahe II. The function of ‘bagang” itself is to trap some small 12Coconut usually will be sold in the form of fishes in the sea, especially tuna and Copra after several processes ; harvesting, drying and baking.. skipjack (cakalang) regarding to the 13 Before the year of 1970’s cassava and palm size of the fish. If the baby tuna, tree (sagu) are the staple food of Sangirese, baby shark or baby skipjack entering but after central government massively the nest, they could not escape from delivered campaigning rice, they shifted and it makes dependency of outside product as their staple food until present days. 15 In the year of 2010, there was news about 14 Pambut is a small traditional boat having the robbery of Sangirese fishermen hunting two “bamboo wings”called “sema-sema” at sharks near the border area between both of right and left side and only can carry -Philippines by Mindanao’s hijacker. maximum 5 people inside. It is made from big Not only robbed some of shark fins, they also tree and using fuel. Sangirese also has more kill two from 5 Sangirese on the boat. than 17 traditional boat such as ; , 16 In some other places, bagang also known pelang, kora, pajeko, pamo etc (Lapian, 2009) as rumpon, jermal or .

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the nest and they will life inside the harvesting time, processing coconut nest safely. After the size of fishes into copra and selling commodities already economically valuable, the to the city or buyer. Here, owner will decide to harvest and take partnership among farmers from the fish first and after that, he will different religion group becomes allow his neighbors catching the rest. inevitably. Naturally, it leads to the If the moment happens, dozen or peace tradition between people from might be hundreds of pambut from different religions into people’s daily Kendahe will go together to the life. bagang, no matter they are Moslem Secondly, Sangirese has a or Christian, and then will try strong sea tradition. In the past, harvesting fishes. This is can be said before the asphalted road as a kind of economic and social connecting Kendahe to Tahuna, the safety net owned by Kendahe capital, was built people used people, also another evidence of the traditional boat as a main means of peace tradition between different transportation. At present days, religion groups. some people still use boat to go to There are some reasons to the capital for several purposes. explain farming and fishing activities People especially in the as important material dimension of neighborhood have a tradition to coexistence in Kendahe. Firstly, the lend pambut each other though from area of farming activity especially, different religion. Pajeko, the big both of nutmeg or coconut boat owners also never consider plantation are not segregated by religion in selecting local fishermen village or religion affiliation. It means who will join the boat for long and far that farmland are scattered fishing. Bagang owner from Sahabe, randomly, meaning many of Kendahe II not only allow fishermen plantation owned by Moslem are from the same religion or clan to go located beside those owned by catching fishes in his bagang. The Christian. Mostly the farmers in main point here, boat and bagang as Kendahe have a huge area with the means of production never hundreds of coconut or nutmeg become the source of conflict trees and they are not able to protect between religion group or different and manage their plantation by clan, but on the contrary, become themselves. Farmers need to build vehicles of peace tradition by giving partnership with closest neighbors people from different faith the who are maybe from different opportunity to use the same means religion. Usually farmers will help of production. Here, both of each other in protecting their symbolic and material dimension plantation, especially nutmeg as the have worked together from decades most valuable commodity, carrying ago in creating and maintaining from the farmland to the village after peace tradition in Kendahe.

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the city, electricity, machine based Modernity and the Challenges of boat, machine based nutmeg and the Harmony copra processing also the latest one, internet. These developments bring The concept of modernity is both of positive and negative impact developed from the English word; at the same time. The arrival of modern which linguistically taken asphalted road, followed by from the Latin; modo meaning “of electricity in 2007 makes people today” as opposed to earlier periods. much easier to go the city for several Modernity marked by rationality, the purposes such as trading, education growth of technologies and modes and health services. On the contrary, of production, in turn facilitating an it starts changing life’s orientation of unprecedented rise of material living the local people, especially the standard. Consequently, religious young. Motorcycle, for instance dogma and traditional value become making some young people could increasingly dominated by rational not continue their elder ability in thinking leading to the notion of traditional boating, fishing skill, and individualism, secular culture, mass harvesting or processing coconut consumption, and global humanism into copra. Young people in Kendahe (Boot, 2008). Unfortunately, as tend to leave fishing and farming as what’s brought by globalization, it their elder, replacing to go to the city also brings vulnerability (and such as Manado, Bitung or Makasar violence) for certain groups as for working as a laborer. traditional community and peasant ( Another worrying trend was said Lewellen, 2002 and Kirby, 2006). by Sahrudin Samalam, one of The emergence of modernity and Moslem leader from Pondole Sub globalization as the battlefield of village in Kendahe II ; investment, information, trade, and “….only very few of young people discourses has therefore served to both of Christian and Moslem in expose an increasingly public Kendahe who want to learn and maintain the ability of speaking concern to what Held and McGrew our old, traditional, and sacred have called “some of the most language namely “sahasara”. fundamental issue of our time” Instead of speaking Sangirese (2006: 2). Modernity has two faces language, they prefer to use both in negative and positive sides. Indonesia-Manado as their daily For religion or myth modernity with language and only speak their its rationality might emerges as a own language with their parents. I difficult challenge. am so worried in few coming The same as what happen to years there are no people in Kendahe who understanding and other places, the arrival of modernity speaking Sasahara (Widiyanto, is inevitable in Kendahe. It is marked 2012). by the asphalted road connecting to

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Regarding to the myth and Mawu To protect and continue as the source of peace tradition, reproducing process of the myth as disappearing of the ability of a source of coexistence, people can speaking sasahara17 can give a use two different ways; by doing serius problem to the existence of some actions to protect the these myths in few coming years. existence of sasahara or by replacing There are two ways usually used by it to other accepted vehicle. The people to introduce the myth to next problem is people do not have generation; firstly by daily anymore any kind of respected adat conversation among people, and institution. As found by Bartels secondly, by using some of (2000) in Maluku, the process of traditional ceremonies such as centralization of administration potong tamo, tulude and mesambo. system posed by central government During these ceremonies, the leading to the destruction of adat traditional/adat’s leader will tell the system. The representation of adat is history of Kendahe from the the Majelis Tua Kampung (MTK), an beginning, including tragedy institution that is put under the head Samensiarang in the past by using of village authority. The role and sasahara language. For the time authority of this institution is very being, there are only few elder who limited while at the same time there able to do that on that ceremony. are a lot challenges, including the Here, the role of sasahara language influence of the flowing of is important as the vehicle to information from outside through reproduce the myth as the one of the internet. As in other places, mostly roots of the co existence between people, especially the young have religion groups in Kendahe. If the and use mobile phone including to language disappears, they will lose access internet. Through internet, one of the important vehicles to they easily can access a lot of maintain their harmonic social information, including those, which system. This is one of the important are actually fake and provocative, challenges of Kendahe people in the related to the religion, social or present days in protecting their key political issues. Without any social capital as a heritage from establish psychological and social ancestors. preparation, it potentially disturbs the coexistence between religious

17 As a comparison to Javanese language, groups. Religious base conflict in Sasahara can be said as “kromo inggil” which other places, islands or countries is relatively different from daily common can lead them to change the way language used by common people in they see their neighbor from different Kendahe or Sangir. Usually it is would be used in traditional/adat ceremony such as potong religion. This is the reason why tamo, tulude (Sangirese calendar new year Kendahe people need to strengthen celebration) or by fisherman who want be safe the role of adat institution. on the sea.

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Modernity brings many only have financial function, but also opportunities for the young people to social function by giving opportunity see wider and broader world easily. for people from different religion They can go to the big city for groups to meet regularly in a mutual studying, travelling, or working and symbiosis relationship which then accepting modern way of life. producing respect and sense of Finally, some of them find that village belonging each others. is not the best place to reach their modern dreams and decide do not Reflection want to go back. At the same time, directly after the arrival of motorcycle The people of Kendahe are divided and car following the asphalted road, into two different religious group, slowly young people leave their which endowed by religious parent’s tradition as fishermen and coexistence within the people. farmers. It can be seen as a worrying Uniquely, one of the important trend for a community, which source of coexistence between endowed by peace tradition coming Christian and Moslem comes from a from the collaboration of the using of local myth namely Maselihe myth means production both in farmland, telling about the tragedy. The myth or on the sea. If parents usually work encourages later Kendahe people to together with their neighbors from develop some adat rules controlling different religion, young people living strictly marriage system both intra outside Kendahe only have limited clan or inter clan. The consequences opportunities to get the same. It will of the rules are encouraging each decrease the chances to interact clan to extend their family line to each other and to maintain a good other through marriage. It brings relation with people from different almost all of clans and people in religions which playing important Kendahe are bond in family line, as a role in decreasing prejudice. The big family. One of the reasons why only way to anticipate this worrying people obey the adat rule is because trend is by making young people of the existence of Mawu, which is sure and confidence living in the still believed though people already village can also provide good future. converted to Islam and Christian and Nutmeg, copra, and tuna are kind of have their “new” God. valuable commodities until present Maselihe myth and the existence days, which can guarantee good life of Mawu are the form symbolic in the village. In line with that, people dimension of peace referring to what need some protection especially posed by Jayne Seminare Docherty. from government to support The symbolic dimension itself is managing commodity and produce Mawu and the vehicle in playing role significant economic benefit. Here, to support the peace tradition is means of production in Kendahe not marriage system derived from the

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idea of the Maselihe myth. This people tend to think that a big city symbolic dimension is completed by will provide all of their dreams. It material dimension of peace existing makes only few young people willing in Kendahe in the form of means of to do farming and fishing. Here, production. Without considering modernity has effectively given a religious affiliation, people work hard challenge to both dimension of together in farmland or go fishing to peace and making people stand on the sea at certain activities. It gives a the cross road in front of their own lot of opportunity for regularly tradition, leave it slowly or go back meeting and develops strong sense and protect it. of belonging each other’s. It is also reflected on the way people help each other for several religion ceremony, daily, and family life. The List of Reference combinations between two dimensions are effectively protecting Biro Pusat Statistik Kabupaten and maintaining coexistence within Kepulauan Sangihe, 2013. community. Sangihe Dalam Angka 2012. At the same time, modernity Boot, James. 2008. Does Karl Marx’s inevitably comes and gives pressure Theory of Alienation Explain to the harmonic situation through Contemporary Social several ways; infrastructure, Disaffection and technology and information. Recent Disappointment?, A Review development shows that young people tend to leave village and go Dieter Barltels. 2000. “Your God is to the big city for studying and No Longer Mine: Moslem- working. Living in the big city and Christian Fratricide in the accepting modern (and rational) way Central Moluccas, After a of thinking lead them to start Half Millenium of Tolerance questioning many things, including Co-Existence and Ethnic the truth and the existence of Unity, Maselihe Myth as the root of social www.geocities.com/ambon6 capital in their home village. At the 7 same time, technology as Direktorat Vulkanologi, 1985 , motorcycle and machine boat have Gunung Awu ; Edisi Khusus brought young people loss their Vulkanologi, Jakarta ability in using traditional boat or climbing coconut trees. Socially, Daeng, Hans.J. 2000. Manusia, young people tend to see fishing and Kebudayaan dan Lingkungan farming activity as their less favorite ; Tinjauan Antropologis. choice, the same as Sangirese Pustaka Pelajar, Yogyakarta sacred language, sasahara. Young

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