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| The
native people of Ceram worshipped a whole range of gods, spirits,
and divine creatures. Their belief system is also known as
animism, which means that spirits are present in animals,
plants, rocks, but also in artifacts made by people. Spirits
were such a |
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| common
part of life that they could be seen and encountered by people.
There is no |
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| heaven
or underworld in the native religion
of Ceram. Instead, people shared their earthly surroundings with gods,
spirits and the dead. That is why spirits could be present at a ritual,
be seen in the forest, or appear in a dream. |
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Ameta
was the god who 'fathered' Hainuwele, the Ceram fertility
goddess, by planting the coconut tree from which she grew. |
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Bulane
was the moon goddess who regulated the lunar cycles as well as the
menstruation of women. |
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Butulale
were goblin spirits, responsible for most diseases. They lived in
three different places: on earth, in the sky, and underground. These
spirits could almost never be spotted with the naked eye because
they were very tiny and moved with the speed of the wind. |
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Halita
were evil spirits and a plague to humankind. They were feared and
hated by the Ceram. The Halite were always out to harass people;
they were very unpredictable and harmful. Among other mean tricks,
they were known to kidnap children and eat them. |
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Iola
were the guardian spirits of social traditions and rules.
They could be evil when people ignored their presence and their
rules. The Iola were invisible but had human personalities. |
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Lanite
was the sky god, also known as Upu Lanite. He was worshipped
by the Ceram as the main divinity as well as the guardian of the
island of Ambon. His wife was Tapele, the earth goddess. Their union
produced all life on earth. |
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Lia
Matai was the sun god and husband of Bulane, the moon goddess. |
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Mulua
Satene was the goddess of death
who became invisible after people killed the fertility goddess Hainuwele.
After they die people can see her again.
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Tapele
was the earth goddess, wife of Lanite the sky god. Life on earth
comes from the union of Lanite and Tapele. |
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Waitete
were pesky spirits that could temporarily take on human form.
They would often become a husband or wife, and fool their spouse
with trickery. They could make people sick but luckily they were
also great cowards. As soon as their presence was recognized, one
only had to show them weapons and they would flee. |
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Weddu
were spirits that looked and lived like people. They often took
the shape of powerful and evil people. The Weddu would change into
an owl and fly during the night. |
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| "The
Big Myth" © Distant Train 2009 |
