Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Lamaholot tribe of East Nusa Tenggara uphold a variety of traditional rituals, including the mystical Lewak Tapo ceremony. This ritual is performed to determine the cause of an individual’s death, especially when the death is considered unnatural.
The Lamaholot people, an indigenous tribe, inhabit several islands in East Flores and Lembata Regencies, East Nusa Tenggara. They believe in a supreme god known as Rera Wulan Tana Ekan and honor the spirits of their ancestors, referred to as Ina Ama Koda Kewokot.
According to a study published in the Humaniora, the Lewak Tapo ritual serves as a medium for the Lamaholot people to communicate with both their god and ancestral spirits, seeking answers to questions surrounding untimely or mysterious deaths.
The Lamaholot believe that individuals who die at a young age or in unnatural ways—such as through murder, accidents, or illness—may be suffering punishment for their past transgressions or the unresolved sins of their ancestors. To prevent similar deaths in future generations, the community conducts the Lewak Tapo ritual as a form of spiritual inquiry and purification.
Symbolic Ritual Tools and Process
The Lewak Tapo ceremony involves a series of symbolic tools, including Tapo (coconut), Wua-Malu (betel nut and areca leaf), tuak (palm wine), and belegan (white cotton). Each item carries significant spiritual and cultural meaning.
Before the ritual begins, a molan—a spiritual leader or shaman—offers food to the god by pouring tuak onto the ground. This act symbolizes reverence to Rera Wulan Tana Ekan, asking for blessings and guidance in uncovering the cause of death. While tuak holds a religious role as an offering, it also carries social symbolism. Participants take turns drinking tuak, signifying their collective commitment to the ritual’s outcome.
Participants are also offered Wua-Malu, or betel nut and areca leaf. In the context of Lewak Tapo, betel nut and areca leaf represent unity between the living and the deceased. Socially, the act of sharing Wua-Malu fosters solidarity among attendees. Symbolically, Wua (betel nut) represents femininity, while Malu (areca leaf) signifies masculinity—together symbolizing harmony and collective purpose.
Another essential item is belegan, or white cotton, symbolizing the purification of familial sins. The molan determines the quantity of cotton needed to cleanse the family of their transgressions. The cotton serves to purify participants and ensure the ritual is approved by the divine.
The Tapo, or coconut, is central to the ritual. It symbolizes the human head, which the Lamaholot tribe believe controls both moral and immoral behavior. By splitting the coconut, the ritual seeks to reveal the underlying cause of the unnatural death, unveiling any misdeeds that may have led to divine punishment.
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Spiritual and Cultural Significance
The Lewak Tapo ritual goes beyond its mystical purpose of communicating with the divine. It holds profound cultural significance, fostering unity within the community and strengthening their spiritual connection to the creator. The ritual reflects human vulnerability and the community’s plea for protection against untimely or unnatural deaths in future generations.
Through its rich symbolism and spiritual practices, the Lewak Tapo ritual underscores the Lamaholot tribe people’s deep respect for their ancestral traditions and their belief in divine justice and harmony.
(Raidi/Agung)
