Kaupelanese Mythology

Geopoeia
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The Kaupelanese mythology received various influences – from Papuan, Hindu-Javanese, Timorese and Moluccan culture – over its ancient Austronesian basis. Some mythological entities are described below:

Nai Watera (from Kaupelanese, ‘the Lord Sun’) – is the great Sun-King, the most powerful mythological entity that rules upon the Earth and the Heaven. He has a long and gray beard and wears a black sarong with a white band along the waist and a red headdress. His body is full of tattoos, necklaces and gold bracelets. Legends tell about Mawaungi, the Night-Princess, a virgin that was furious when the king chosen her sister, the Moon-Queen, as wife.

Yoisi (from Waimahui, hūoitji ‘Moon-woman’) – The Moon-Queen, or Naihin Unin as she was also known, wears a black, white and blue sarong, an orange stole and silver ornaments. She, with her pale skin and black hair arranged in a long plait, enchants people with magical songs at the moonlight.

Yukewi (from Old Hubian, *iul keue ‘devil’s blood’) – also called Nahin Songi, or the Witch-Queen, wears a red sarong, a white shirt with a red ornamented stole and several silver ornaments and necklaces. She has long, gray and frizzy hair. This very old and wicked woman uses to frighten people in the dark nights. Legends tell about her devotion to an ancient evil spirit, called Yaruk or Aramjaat.

Ninafel (from Palayanga dialect, nina féél ‘mother water’) – also called Puri Tasi, the princess of the sea, she helps sailors and fishermen cast away from her kingdom in the bottom of the sea. She has a huge tiger shark, Puhut, as servant. She, with her blue skin, wears white feathers and a black sarong with white and yellow stripes.

Tempe (from Wisanyo dialect, tèwo impe ‘bug man’) – These minute people are merry gnomes that used to trap men that dare to come into their domain, the forests. Their conversation, in a secret language (sometimes supposed to be the old Libaru, the ancient language of Wisanu) is many times masked by the blowing wind in the shrubberies or by the bird songs. They wear orange headdresses and blue sarongs.

Moi (from Moinate, ‘stone’) – Also called Masar Rata, or the Giant of the Mountain, dwells hidden in the mountains of Nilau. This creature is shy and terribly strong. His food consists of trees and human beings. Whenever he walks, an earthquake occurs. He has a gray skin and wears ritual white paint at his face and a primitive plaited grass vest.

Buhut or Ulnut (from Old Narikese, ulnwut ‘ten heads’) – The Dragon of the Volcano, or Naga Rataahi as he is also known, is in fact a demon that dwells in the center of the Earth. He has ten heads and spits fire, provoking eruptions when he is angry. The myth is based on Ravana, the Devil-King of the rakshasas, from the Hindu epic of Ramayana.

Yambak (from Old Hubian, *ia mbakə ‘protector spirit’) – They are ancestor spirits that protect a family or clan. These guardian angels are represented by the ancestors’ bones and skulls stored on the top floor of the huts.

Rauntawamati (from Old Narikese, ra’u ntamwamati ‘wraith killer’) – This hero is reverenced by the Narikese people as the general from abroad that lead his warriors through the volcano crater right to the hell where he fought and defeated the king of the demons and his army to save the kidnapped princess Mawa.