the ceram exercises
ceram world
myth culture pantheon download as word document
A-exercises
1.1 Look at a world map. Where is Ceram? What other Moluccan islands are nearby?
1.2 Where did the Alifuru people live?
1.3 Who did the Alifuru people descend from? Explain your answer.
1.4 Describe what the island Ceram looks like.
 
2.1 Briefly describe the colonial history of Ceram.
2.2 What are the different ethnic groups you can find today on the Moluccan islands?
2.3 What did the people on the Moluccan islands live from in the past?
2.4 Make a list of the special customs in the Alfuri tradition.
3.1 Why was "headhunting" common among the people who lived on Ceram?
3.2 Why do the Ceram believe in the existence of many spirits?
3.3 What did these spirits look like? What is this phenomenon called?
3.4 What religions can we find on Ceram today?
3.5 What does the Ceram creation myth explain the creation of?
3.6 What already exists before time according to the Ceram creation myth, without it being explained.
3.7 Which gods in the pantheon are responsible for life on earth? Which gods are responsible in the creation myth? Why do you think there is a difference?
3.8 Make a list of good and evil gods or spirits. Also list briefly what they do.
3.9 Which gods could be seen by humans and which could not?
3.10 To what extent does the creation myth show how important "fertility" is and that all life comes from death?
3.11 There were both positive and negative consequences to Hainuwele's death. What were these?
 
4. What similarities do you see between the Ceram creation myth and the creation myths of other cultures?
B-exercises
At the beginning of your presentation make a poster with a sketch or summary of the Ceram creation myth.

Choose one of the following exercises and indicate what the relationship is between the exercise you choose and the creation myth.

1. Dutch explorers arrived on Ceram in the 16th century. You are Dutch colonizers who are discussing what to do about the Ceram traditions. Should they be promoted, tolerated, changed a little or banned? More than 300 years later the same discussion takes place among the Dutch colonizers. Create two different role plays (one for each time in history) that show the differences in the way these discussions might have taken place. After the presentations ask the class if they noticed any differences.

or

2. What would Ceram society have looked like if the the Dutch (or other) colonizers had not conquered the island. Make a short script for a motion picture about this society.

or

3. Discuss with each other what the different plants and animals in the Alfuri religion mean. Then make a drawing in color in which you show this.
C-exercises
What emotions influence the behavior of Ameta and Satene?
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