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Indonesia - Lembata - Lamalera - Whale Hunters

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During Leva (Ocean) Season Opening Ceremony, Maria Bataona honors holy Mother Mary. Ina Leva alias Mother Mary together with their ancestral saints will always prepare food for this village – which are the whales.

The villagers are all devoted Christians and they have well established a coexistence of their original belief and Christianity – a transition which has been largely influenced by a German priest who arrived in Lamalera some 100 years ago. Even the bravest whale hunters need otherworldly (spiritual) support. During the “Ie Gerek” ceremony on the first day of „Leva Seson Opening“ the leaders of the 3 major clans will adventure to the top of the mountain, requesting the land owner’s permission to open the new Leva Season. The spiritual leader of the Lango Fugon Clan will then sacrifice a chicken near the holy whale stone to call the whale spirit. Chosen leaves of the mountain’s vegetation which bare the whale spirit will be carried down to the beach, to be drowned in the surf.

Before the Catholic missionaries arrived in Lamalera, the villagers believed in Lara Wulan „the god of the sky“, Tana Ekan „the god of the earth“ and „Ina Leva“ the mother of the sea. Additionally they were worshipping their ancestors (which became saints with the rise of Christianity). These forefathers are responsible to faithfully carry the wishes to Lara Wulan. The priests made them believe that water has been created by God. This has been was accepted, as it was quite easy to replace Ina Leva by holy Mother Mary.

Filename
Indonesia-Lembata-Lamalera-747.jpg
Copyright
Claudio Sieber
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5633x3760 / 12.0MB
Contained in galleries
Indonesia - Lembata - Lamalera
During Leva (Ocean) Season Opening Ceremony, Maria Bataona honors holy Mother Mary. Ina Leva alias Mother Mary together with their ancestral saints will always prepare food for this village – which are the whales.<br /> <br /> The villagers are all devoted Christians and they have well established a coexistence of their original belief and Christianity – a transition which has been largely influenced by a German priest who arrived in Lamalera some 100 years ago. Even the bravest whale hunters need otherworldly (spiritual) support. During the “Ie Gerek” ceremony on the first day of „Leva Seson Opening“ the leaders of the 3 major clans will adventure to the top of the mountain, requesting the land owner’s permission to open the new Leva Season. The spiritual leader of the Lango Fugon Clan will then sacrifice a chicken near the holy whale stone to call the whale spirit. Chosen leaves of the mountain’s vegetation which bare the whale spirit will be carried down to the beach, to be drowned in the surf. <br /> <br /> Before the Catholic missionaries arrived in Lamalera, the villagers believed in Lara Wulan „the god of the sky“, Tana Ekan „the god of the earth“ and „Ina Leva“ the mother of the sea. Additionally they were worshipping their ancestors (which became saints with the rise of Christianity). These forefathers are responsible to faithfully carry the wishes to Lara Wulan. The priests made them believe that water has been created by God. This has been was accepted, as it was quite easy to replace Ina Leva by holy Mother Mary.