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MUARA SIBERUT. INDONESIA - OCTOBER 18: In the heart of Muara Siberut, a UNESCO biosphere heritage since 1981, 130 kilometers off the west coast of Sumatra, in Indonesia, one of the oldest civilization villages still survives; With about 3000 years old, the Mentawai or "flower men" are known for their custom of dressing their hair with hibiscus flowers.
The essential belief of the Mentawai indicates that each living being, animal or vegetable, has its own spirit; they believe that the forest is the abode of the spirits of their ancestors, which protect all plants and animals, treating nature with the utmost respect and wisdom. The belief towards the spirit of their ancestors and the wisdom towards the nature of the Mint Hawaii people is called ARAT SABULUNGAN. Everything that is taken from nature must be returned to maintain a balance in the world, a key value for the conservation and preservation of forests.
But in just 74 years, after the independence of Indonesia in 1945, the Government has been delimiting its territory, since in the middle of the last century all the islands of the archipelago could see Mint, however, today, we can only Find small clans scattered throughout the south of the island of Muara Siberut. Its purpose, by plundering its lands, has been, for the most part, for the exploitation of oil palm cultivation and the timber industry. In addition, today, this ancient civilization has gone to the background, as the islands are best known for their paradisiacal beaches and magnificent surfing waves. (Photo by Andrés Velásquez/ChakanaNews)
The essential belief of the Mentawai indicates that each living being, animal or vegetable, has its own spirit; they believe that the forest is the abode of the spirits of their ancestors, which protect all plants and animals, treating nature with the utmost respect and wisdom. The belief towards the spirit of their ancestors and the wisdom towards the nature of the Mint Hawaii people is called ARAT SABULUNGAN. Everything that is taken from nature must be returned to maintain a balance in the world, a key value for the conservation and preservation of forests.
But in just 74 years, after the independence of Indonesia in 1945, the Government has been delimiting its territory, since in the middle of the last century all the islands of the archipelago could see Mint, however, today, we can only Find small clans scattered throughout the south of the island of Muara Siberut. Its purpose, by plundering its lands, has been, for the most part, for the exploitation of oil palm cultivation and the timber industry. In addition, today, this ancient civilization has gone to the background, as the islands are best known for their paradisiacal beaches and magnificent surfing waves. (Photo by Andrés Velásquez/ChakanaNews)
- Copyright
- 2019 ANDRES VELÁSQUEZ
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- www.chakananews.com
- Contained in galleries
- THE MENTAWAI NATION: THE LAST GENERATION OF THE "FLOWER MEN"
