I met Daeng Joha in December 2022 two months ago for the first time, as a teaching volunteer from Anak Muda Mengajar; Young People's School community. For three days, with Andi Alfian and eleven other people. I stayed at the house of Daeng Joha, a friendly old man with a firm face typical of Makassar men, which is right behind the temporary school house under the house in Bara Hamlet, Maros.
The second time, I met Daeng Joha again, this time with Lisa, Daeng Olleng and Alfat at the same place. At that time, the 12 children of Bara Hamlet were sitting on board chairs while paying attention to Lisa's directions, and I was slinging a blue towel over my back, getting ready to shower in Mrs. Saba's wooden bathroom.
Saba's mother is the owner of a wooden house which was used by the residents of Bara Hamlet as a temporary school house for the children of Bara Hamlet.
That day, because I wasn't the one on duty as a teacher, I was late showering. Even though I sported a shorter haircut, Daeng Joha still recognized me. Daeng Joha smiled, I shook hands and pressed my forehead against Daeng Joha's arm.
“Ki u'rangija daeng?: Daeng still remember me?”
“Yeah.” Daeng Joha smiled broadly.
"Nakke riolo daeng, abbangngi' riballatta' tallung bangngi' siagang campuro se're baine: Yesterday, I was the one who spent the night at Daeng's house with eleven women."
"Yeah, agannaki Piang?: Oh yeah, we are Pian's friends?" Daeng Joha asked while patting my arm.
"Yeah, siagangma' anjo katte Piang: Yes, that's right Daeng, I'm with Pian too."
After getting reacquainted with Daeng Joha, I said goodbye to take a shower. I begged Daeng Joha not to go back to his house, because I still wanted to chat longer.
I then rushed to the bathroom.
In the bathroom, after dousing myself with cold mountain water like refrigerator water, I heard Daeng Joha chatting with Daeng Olleng about the research results of Andi Alfian, my friend who had researched in Bara Hamlet for two months.
After quickly showering and getting dressed, I returned and stroked Daeng Joha's arm.
“Edede, my annakukang' anne rikatte Daeng.: I really miss Daeng Joha.”
Hearing me speak strange Makassarese, because I said the word "miss' which should have been called "nakku" instead "annakukang," Dg Olleng laughed out loud. I also saw Daeng Joha laughing too.
"Punna nakku' maki' antu, sipannakukang ngasengi antu tawwa: if you miss someone, the person you miss, you will miss too," said Daeng Joha, which made me blush and be amazed at Daeng Joha's poetic words. Daeng Joha is indeed an old man who has a bunch of kelong-kelong tau riolo; Makassar oral literature in the form of proverbs.
"Kipacinikkangi bede anjo Andi Alfian's report, Dg Joha ri Laptopta': please show the results of Andi Alfian's research report to Daeng Joha which is on your laptop," requested Dg Olleng.
"Eh," I thought for a moment, I don't remember whether I saved the results of Andi Alfian's research report on the laptop, "Oh yes, Adajie."
After fiddling with document storage, I got a pdf draft in power point form, from the results of Andi Alfian's research report which he had shared via Whatsapp message for Andi Alfian's presentation to the Partnership.
While opening the laptop to make it wider, I read one by one the points summarized by Andi Alfian as "Developing Inclusive Citizenship Based on Indigenous Knowledge in the Bara and Cindakko Indigenous Communities," to Dg Joha.
When reading out the points of the Balianja traditional procession' Daeng Joha said, "Kadde napauji Piang kana nanaerangi anjo mange ri Jakartareportna, kupaissengang ngaseng ji anjo adaka': If, Andi Alfian explained that if the results of his report would be brought to Jakarta, I could explain more knowledge- traditional knowledge," said Dg Joha. “Mingka anjo adaka' tena nakkulle ri pau punna lebba'mo ri Tarima ngaseng: but not all traditional knowledge can be spread once it is received.”
"Napaujie kapang daeng, mingka anjo Bahasayya tena indeed nasigappa dudu, ka Piang Bugisi language napake' katte Mangkasara language: Andi Alfian may say he will present the results of his research to the Partnership to Daeng Joha, but Pian can only speak Bugis, so communication is not going well, " my word. "Anjo again nakke daeng, Mangkasarajie language kupake nania tong linguistica' tena dudu kusengi kabattuanna: this is all Daeng, I who speak Makassar cannot understand some of the terms Daeng says."
“Muko nia anjo balianja' ri bokkong mata, kapunna erokki amminawang miki: tomorrow there will be a balianja' implementation in Bokkong Mata, Cindakko hamlet. If you want, you can come along.” Daeng Joha said with a firm gaze, as if he wanted to explain that during the implementation of the balianja, the original traditions of Bara and Cindakko would be celebrated.
"Yes, amminawanga ri katte daeng, ero dudua anjo anciniki ri kanayya balianja': Yes, allow me to join the daeng, I really want to see the traditional event called balianja'"
After taking Lisa on foot for two hours under the hot midday sun to Toa village, RT 01 Dusun Bara, to stay overnight at Nur Azizah's house, Alfat and I went back down to Dg Joha's house and we arrived at 20:00 in the evening.
While waiting for Alfat to use the bathroom, I talked again with Daeng Joha. While chatting, Daeng Joha wore pro biker style gloves. Even though I knew that Daeng Joha wore gloves to protect his hands from friction wounds while shelling corn, I still asked to tease Daeng Joha.
"Kullei tawwa anjari pambalap daeng dih, punna jai tawwa bonena kokonna: we can be racers, daeng, yes, if our garden has lots of produce?" I asked.
“Why nakulle kamma anjo?” asked Daeng Joha while showing a surprised face.
“Anjo Kucini makes fun of pambalap t-shirts.”
Daeng Joha laughed out loud, and responded to my teasing, which was in danger of being overpowered because he dared to joke to my parents, "Anjari tojengi tawwa yes pambalap, mingka pambalap tena motoro'na: we can really be racers, but racers who don't ride motorbikes."
I laughed out loud with Daeng Joha.
After that, Daeng Joha talked a lot about his youth. Daeng Joha is a native Cindakko resident, he moved to Tanah Berua in Bara Hamlet, 43 years ago.
When telling about his beautiful romantic times, Daeng Joha often repeated the name Karaeng Gajang. Daeng Joha witnessed how rattan was pulled in the forest: Karaeng Gajang who took a car into the forest for the first time, and bought and sold rattan in Makassar.
When I asked when Karaeng Gajang served as village head, Daeng Joha couldn't remember the exact time. Daeng Joha only answered that when Karaeng Gajang took office Daeng Joha was still my age. Then I guessed that Karaeng Gajang took office around 1989.
Before Karaeng Gajang's time as village head, said Daeng Joha, people had to feel the itch to live. Because every person who clears planting land has to cut wild plants that cause itching on the body for months.
Apart from that, to seek his fortune outside or at the foot of the mountain, Daeng Joha had to walk for twelve hours while breaking through tall leaves. When explaining the route down the mountain, Daeng Joha demonstrated how he walked through the romang, with two arms crossed behind his neck to protect his face from sharp sticks and leaves that could injure his face, in order to get to the village center in Masale.
After Karaeng Gajang died and the position of Karaeng Gajang was succeeded by his son, according to Daeng Joha's testimony, the lives of Bontosomba residents did become more open, but the leadership of the village head was no longer as fair as that of Karaeng Gajang. Daeng Joha said that Karaeng Gajang was the only village leader who really respected the original Bontosomba customs.
Me, Alfat and Daeng Joha continued to discuss the political atmosphere and the authenticity of traditional princes and the appreciation of customs until it was past 21:30 in the evening. Daeng Joha invited us to sleep, because tomorrow morning we had to walk to Bokkongmata. Exactly 22:00 I fell asleep.
At 06:30 in the morning, we set off on foot from Tanah Berua in Bara hamlet to Bokkongmata in Cindakko hamlet. Maybe five minutes of walking later, Daeng Joha apologized to me because he was covered in a sarong. I, who also felt the morning cold that was still biting, could only say, "Iye Daeng."
While following Daeng Joha's back, I was amazed to see Daeng Joha's footsteps, which were still so light on stepping over steep rocks at his age when he should have been weak.
Every time Daeng Joha's feet hit the rocks, Daeng Joha's calf muscles seemed to make fun of my weak legs. I continue to pay attention to my calf muscles which are very different from the firm calves like Daeng Joha's calves. While I continued to visualize the shape of the calf, Daeng Joha continued to chant kelong-kelong which Dg Joha always started with the phrase, "Nakana tau panritayya."
One of the kelong pap put from Daeng Joha, which I did not have time to note down, conveys the meaning of the ancestors' warning to humans regarding a warning if humans forget their identity.
In one fragment, which I can remember from one papatta, “Ada' passikokannna buluka.” which means that customs are strong bonds, which if continuously maintained will protect humans from the threat of environmental crisis. If traditional values are forgotten, the survival of people in the mountains, in this case the Bontosomba mountains, will bring disaster.
While I was on the suspension bridge over the Bara village river, I stopped and tried to take a picture of Daeng Joha's back while catching my breath because I was tired. Meanwhile, Dg Joha continued to talk about Bontosomba traditional values. Not wanting to be left behind, I quickly followed Daeng Joha.
In my heart, “Kuatko calf.”
After catching up with Dg Joha, he also spoke while regretting the actions of a few people and the innocence of the Bontosomba residents. Daeng Joha said, "Every time a council member runs for office in Bontosomba, there is always a promise of paving roads and building bridges, but once they are elected, there is only a short cast, just to cover the council members' genitals, which once exposed to rain water will easily damaged."
Before arriving at the picture above, when the morning sun had passed over the ridge and the distance was starting to get close to the Parang Luara settlement in Cindakko hamlet, Daeng Joha directed us along the road cutting from Bara hamlet to Cindakko hamlet.
The road goes uphill with a slope of about 30 degrees. Daeng Joha said that he had passed that road with Daeng Lallo, a researcher who was much bigger than me. Daeng Lallo had to crawl like a reptile, because he couldn't get through that road. I almost became a lizard myself, but because I was curious about the balianja' procession I didn't want to linger because of the fatigue I was experiencing.
In my mind, I realized that curiosity is a force that can push us through an extreme climb for 30 minutes.
While on the road, Daeng Joha gave life lessons, in a regular tone of voice, like someone who speaks while sitting without ever feeling tired, which I think is very impressive, "We can only be grateful, in this world in whatever things and circumstances, gratitude is entertainment.”
At eight in the morning, I took a picture of Daeng Joha's back on the Cindakko bridge after passing the Parang Luara settlement. While passing several houses in Parang Luara, Daeng Joha occasionally invited people to attend the balianja' event, joking, "Namaijiki antu Bela abbalia' do, ka katte anne nacippakki helping, assembei anjo balianjaka." Daeng Joha's joke model was the same as, "I quickly went to the mosque for Friday prayers because I was going to go to the sermon. In fact, it's not.”
In front of the bridge, there are two road intersections leading to the two RTs in Cindakko hamlet. Go left for RT 02, go right for RT 03. Our destination was RT 03. Unfortunately, after passing a bridge and a small river, there was still an extreme incline that made your calves pop. The climb is not an option, in order to get to Bokkongmata, where the balianja' is held.
After resting at the house of the Cindakko hamlet head for thirty minutes, we continued our journey through the rice fields of the residents of Cindakko hamlet. While setting foot on the rice field embankment, several times, I almost fell into the rice field. At that time, I was busy admiring the landscape of Cindakko Hamlet which made me cry.
At nine in the morning, Daeng Joha arrived at the place where the palappassang kanre was being held, which I thought was balianja'. There, Daeng Joha chatted with local residents. Behind Daeng Joha, I eavesdropped on the conversation, while spreading a smile to everyone who looked at me. At the end, I saw a mother wearing a pink shawl who was speechless communicating with another mother while demonstrating the shape of the headband that I was wearing. I know, he was curious to see foreigners who were at the Palappassang Kanre implementation. After meeting eyes, I smiled at him.
Meanwhile, I heard Daeng Joha complain to several residents who no longer remembered Daeng Joha, even though Daeng Joha was a native of Cindakko.
"This is the importance of implementing customs, so that everyone can meet each other and remember each other as brothers," said Daeng Joha. "If there is no longer any implementation of customs, kinship with nature and kinship with the past will also disappear."
While I was at the place where the palappassang kanre was held, I witnessed the mothers serving coconut turmeric chicken and songkolo while saying the name of the head of their family to be prayed for by Daeng Sau, one of the princes of ada' as pinati.
According to Daeng Ramallang as Galarrang, the mention was a prayer so that their family would be given strength while looking after the rice plants and carrying out the harvest. Apart from that, Palappassang Kanre is a form of gratitude from Cindakko residents for Cindakko nature, because the rice they have planted has started to grow.
After the endowment of pinati to the Cindakko community's dishes was complete, the women worked together to cut up the coconut turmeric chicken to share with the attendees.
The mothers served pieces of coconut turmeric chicken with songkolo on banana leaves. On the spot, I got chicken breast, I ate it while chatting with the friendly ladies.
At 10:45, after carrying out palapangkat kanre in Bokkongmata, the group moved on to carrying out balianja'. Passing the terraced rice fields, I cried again seeing the very beautiful landscape.
At the Balianja implementation location, I saw many children enlivening the Balianja implementation. Interestingly, there are one or two women who sell snacks in large plastic bags.
Around saukang, a small stilt house, the residents of Cindakko arrange the backdrop for the implementation of balianja' from palm leaves and banana leaves. Then, the mothers arranged the dishes, including: boyo fruit, banana slices, sweet potatoes, turmeric, chicken and pa'leo.
In the neat balianja' courtyard, the mothers work together to arrange the dishes on it. Soon, the princes were there: Pinati, bali karaeng, karaeng, gallarrang, and panre sat side by side to grace the cindakko's dish with some ritual gestures; holding rice in the right hand above the smoke from the coconut shell; reciting mantras; sprinkle rice on three sides of the body: left, right and head; then sprinkle the rice towards the serving. Each traditional prince gets a turn and performs the same movements.
After the balianja' ritual movements, there are still ritual movements; transfer the plate from one hand to another to the residents, who circle the serving area three times.
The next ritual movement is to stick small bamboo sticks filled with blessed water in a cross shape at six corners. While the prince is sticking the bamboo sticks, the mothers work together to arrange the dish in small groups on banana leaves.
A prince then blesses the dish on a plate and walks carrying the dish around, towards the left side of the body, the balianja courtyard.
After walking around, the prince brought the plate to a large rock, not far from the balianja's courtyard. There, the prince shouted the mantra in the local Makassar language three times, while sprinkling rice on his body and towards the front of his body. In that shout, I can only interpret a few phrases, which mean the hope of the Cindakko people that Cindakko nature will provide fertility for every plant they plant, and for every crop they eat, and the crops they spend.
To end the implementation of balianja' a dish of turmeric chicken with Songkolo is served on banana leaves, and a woman is tasked with distributing the dish to everyone who attends the implementation of balianja'.
After all the processions have been carried out, the implementation of the balianja' ends at one in the afternoon. The mothers who flock to leave the place where the balianja' is being held carry a small bamboo stick as a blessing that they will stick in the rice field. Mothers who walked past me, invited me to come to their house. I can only say "yes, Tarima Kasi" while being amazed by the friendliness of the women in Cindakko Hamlet.
