 |
Feasts Wahora Both Keuning and Suzuki [31] mention the existence of a big feast - wahora - that is celebrated once every few years in the North-eastern part of the island. Unfortunately a good description of this ritual is lacking. Helfrich [32] reports that wahora was a feast in which the whole population of the island participated. Two priests, dukun, led the population to a place between Malakoni and Karakuwa where most of the spirits lived. There the population was divided into two groups. The men then went to cut and collect wood in each other's area, after which they returned to the ritual place. Women and children joined in, and they shouted the words: "Destroy all the caterpillars, then the harvest will be abundant and there will be as much as the amount of wood that has been collected." [33] The dukun led this ceremony. After this everyone participated in a communal meal. | |
