Hello travel. This time we will provide information about the Bau Lolon Adonara Ritual procession in East Flores.
Flores is a place known for Komodo Labuan Bajo National Park and other tourist parks.
One that is no less cool than other tourist attractions is Adonara Island which is still very culturally traditional.
Curious, what is this Bau Lolon ritual? Let's find out.
tour operator & content specialist. Before joining Gotravela, he spent years honing his skills at 'Tourism Industries".
Adonara Island in East Flores
The island opposite (separate a small strait) with Larantuka City it only takes 5 minutes by boat to get from Larantuka to Adonara Island.
The advantages of Adonara Island are in its beauty and socio-cultural values. You can see the beauty with the many beaches such as Watotena Beach, Meko Sand Beach and also others.
In addition, you can see socio-cultural values with a unique variety of cultures, namely the welcoming ritual or the inauguration of drinking water. This ritual is the Bau Lolon Ritual of Adonara Island. The following is an explanation of the ritual.
Sacred Ritual of Lolon Smell
“Wai Gere Lewo” Before “Bau Lolon”
Wai Gere Lewo is the name of the indigenous people of Adonara for ritual when the residents have managed to drain water from the spring to the village. People will not drink water before they complete the Wai Gere Lewo ritual.
According to the Adonara Indigenous People, the water that they have not purified with rituals can bring havoc to themselves and their families.
The community believes that they must respect water which is the incarnation of female ancestors. So, of course, women who carry out this traditional ritual are women.
According to the Adonara community, water and women are something they must guard and protect. This is because they consider women as the source of life.
Also check later, guys:
Things To Do When Performing The “Bau Lolon” Ritual
The Bau Lolon Adonara ritual is a sacred ritual as a symbol of the inauguration of drinking water. In this ritual, eight women will surround a pipe filled with water using traditional sarongs. Then, jars of clay they put on their heads.
After that, the tribal chief completed the Bau Lolon ritual and the women sat cross-legged facing the water pipe. During this ritual the sound becomes silent.
One woman came forward cross-legged and prostrated while removing the betel nut and also the traditional sarong that they had prepared from the start. The woman will then drape the sarong over a water pipe that has water flowing.
After finishing draping the traditional sarong onto the pipe, they put the betel nut right under the flowing water pipe. When that happens, a group of people start beating the gong drum.
After the "Bau Lolon" Ritual
After completing the sacred Bau Lolon ritual, the women then filled the jars they brought with water. The beginning of this procession is accompanied by traditional dances and the sound of gong drums.
Thousands of villagers and also dances accompany eight women who are holding jars filled with water. While in the traditional house of the village head, the water procession has stopped.
In the corner of the traditional house there is a large jar. They will fill the jar with water brought by the women.
Traditional Party After the Ritual Is Complete
The whole village community will hold a traditional party after the Bau Lolon traditional ritual is over. The community can already use the water that has been inaugurated with traditional rituals for daily activities.
If you have understood the process of this Bau Lolon ritual then you will find a mandate contained in it.
That is preserving water by the Adonara community like taking care of a woman who is none other than her mother and sister. Mothers and sisters are the source of life for all living beings that must be taken care of.
See also:
Well how? Of course you already know about the ritual of welcoming water by the people of Adonara Island. Hopefully it can add to your insight.
