FRIEND OF THE NATION

EPS 4 MARLON AND MARLIN

EPS 4 MARLON AND MARLIN

Light rain creates white streaks in the air. A few days have begun to fall, starting the change of season. The cold began to infiltrate the skin and create fog in the Baliem valley. Some people grilled meat and yams under piles of rocks stockpiled with burning wood. Instantly the fragrant smell of burnt meat gushed everywhere.

Since the planting period was over, the papas were no longer so busy in the fields. They wait for the harvest by tending to the fields and hunting. The tribe led by Neles Ibo was a small tribe of twenty-five people from four families. Other tribes usually call them Ibo because the chief of his tribe is named Neles Ibo. Ibo tribe is only one of the tribes in the large group of Dani tribe in Baliem valley. They keep each other from the interference of other tribes who still like to fight.

Their livelihood is farming. They grow vegetables and sweet potatoes. The yams are their staple food. In addition, the papa also usually go to the forest to hunt, especially wild boar. The mamas also look for fish and mussels in the lake near the forest. Alam Papua is still very awake providing enough food for them. The task of the mama is to cultivate the harvest and the results of the hunt. Finished cooking the mama deliver food to Honai or a special house for men. While the mama gathered in Ebai with the little children and the girls..

The afternoon drizzle was not over yet. After carrying out his duties as the wife of the chief, Perpetua went back up to the room where Joanna lay. Tidied ‘wah’ (skirt tassel from wood fiber) used Yohana and sit it to feed. This afternoon they cook grilled sweet potatoes and saute vegetables and some pieces of meat that has been roasted and seasoned smoke.

“Mama, I don't want to eat,” whispered Yohana almost inaudible.

“But you have to eat son, let it heal quickly,” refer Perpetua.

Yohana kept shaking her head. The condition of Yohana that never improved made Pepertua's heart sad. Yohana is not like a sick person. She's still pretty and shiny skinned. Her smile was still sweet but no sound came out of her mouth, even though she heard it and could nod or smile. His body was also limp because the pain made his appetite decrease drastically.

“Seek a shaman who is able to expel evil spirits from Yohana's body,” Perpetua told her husband Neles Ibo.

“Good. I will seek the help of a great shaman,” said Neles Ibo.

As the chieftain of Neles Ibo, he had led prayers several times and made offerings to Atou (the spirit of ancestors). But they have not been given any help. That's why Neles Ibo intends to find a psychic who is able to repel evil spirits that reside in the body of Johana. Actually he once asked about the pain suffered by his daughter to a great shaman who lived in the forest.

The shaman said, the pain suffered by Yohana and her two aunts is not ordinary pain. They are sick from breaking the taboo in the forest. People believe that the forest is part of them, so if taking plants, fruits or cutting trees must be adjusted to the needs, should not be greedy. Preserving forests is an obligation for citizens.

When Yohana was ten years old her aunts took Yohana into the forest to look for medicinal plants, fruit and leaves to cook. Without realizing it, they go deeper and deeper into the forest and take all the plants they encounter. They even damaged some of the starry plants that they did not actually need to remove and damage. When they want to go home the fruit and starry plants they get are just left behind. Because the fruit cannot be eaten.

Bintangur is a native fruit of Papua. The skin is green and cannot be consumed. Papuan people process it into fuel because of the oil content in it. To obtain the oil, this fruit must be dried first in the sun to dry, after which it is just squeezed and filtered the oil.

Arriving at Uma they headed to Ebai and handed the forest products to mama Perpetua. At night they were still joking while enjoying dinner as usual. But in the morning, Johana and her two aunts could not get out of bed and could not speak. Their bodies become stiff and hard to move. Only their eyeballs could still go around in circles.

“Yohana you why?” ask Perpetua to panic.

Papa Neles went and checked on Johana. However, he became confused by the condition of the princess and her two younger sisters.

“What happened?” he said while looking at his wife's face.

Pepertua only fell silent while shedding tears.

“I'll be out to find out,” said Neles Ibo later.

As chief of the tribe he tried to find out the cause of the disease they suffered. But because they could not speak, he did not get the information he needed. As an effort to heal, every stone burning ceremony, their tribe always made offerings to Atou and prayed for the healing of Yohana and her two aunts.

After two months of illness, both of Yohana's aunts eventually died. The mourning ceremony took several days. Papa and mama cut off one of their fingers as a sign of sadness. To save his daughter's life, Neles Ibo finally complained to his mother, Nene Yoteni. As the oldest person, Nene Yoteni was very wise and experienced.

“That's the problem Nene. How should I behave?” ask Neles Ibo.

“Go to the Mowa tribe. The chief of his tribe is my friend. Ask for help carefully. Only he knows everything,” said Nene Yoteni.

The Mowa tribe is the oldest tribe in the Baliem valley. The chief of his tribe was already ninety years old, but his inner eye sight was extremely sharp. Papa Neles Ibo complained of his grief to Iles Mowa.

The chief of the Mowa tribe fell silent. His head was down and his eyes were closed. His mouth was as if he was talking to someone. Sometimes his face grinned for nothing. A few moments later he opened his eyes. After a long sigh he said to Neles Ibo.

“Your daughter has done something wrong to the forest dwellers. He has damaged the sacred Bintangur tree and acted to threaten the sustainability of the forest,” said Iles Mowa.

“Deliver my daughter's apology for her behavior,” said Neles Ibo.

The Mowa chieftain said that Johana should drink the potion of black orchid for his recovery. The orchid tree is only in a haunted forest under Jayawijaya mountain. And the golden orchid was to be carried by two twins from its place to the presence of Joanna.

‘Two twins?’ inner Neles Ibo. “Marlon and Marlin.?”.