Learning Tolerance
From Lamaholot Culture
'Orang Lamaholot' is a nickname to call of a person from one ethnic group
in East Nusa Tenggara. The ethnic group
is Lamaholot. The Lamaholot is indigenous people live in East Flores, Adonara,
Solor and Lembata, with the characteristics
of speaking
Lamaholot Language as their mother
tongue and for daily life as well.
Lamaholot comes from two (2) words namely Lama: kampung, Holot: series. So that Lamaholot is interpreted as series of village.
Every person born as a part of
a large family members of
Lamaholot truly believes that every fortune and convinience in any works
is because of Lewotana (hometown) and a blessing from ancestors.
Lewotana molo nage kame
dore, ti pana akene todok, gawe akene walet (The hometown
goes first, then we go after,
so that our journey will have no
danger and obstacle) Kame pana mai, seba wata piri tou, buku
biliki teratu, balik maan gelekat lewo, gewayan tana (We go to earn some rice for living, to search
for knowledge, then finally to return to home for the
awesome of hometown). This is
a prayer of every Lamaholot when they are traveling. The prayer
saves and at the same time gives fortune
while people of Lamaholot are overseas.
Lamaholot's ancestors have inherited how to coexist without hostility.
Religion comes later, long after belief "Taan kakan noo arin. Ake pewone
geni" (Living side by side as fellow brothers. Don't
hate one another).
The form of togetherness of people of Lewotana, either those
in their hometown or those overseas is by eating together. It is an
awaited moment where young children, adults, young adults,
men or women of all religions without exception, attend and merge together in
celebration of having meal together.
All Lewotana children
get a message to bring a mission
of peace, unity and tolerance with other
fellows wherever they are. Through sacrificed animals and eating together, parents
give strength and blessing to all Lewotana’s
children to continue working wherever they are.
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