REBA FESTIVAL OF NGADHA TRIBE IN FLORES;
PRACTICES AND PHILOSOPHY

by Andreez Dhenameda- Travel Writer & Tour Organizer

Reba, a greatest day of Ngadha tribe where people express their admiration and gratitude to God through their ancestors for all lucky and successes that had been gained during the past year and on the same time Ngadha Tribes also beg and pray for guidance by which they could live with good fortune on the years to come. Guidance to manage their life for future that can be predicted and seen in signs shown through the hearth of sacrificed animals.

Reba is celebrated at the end of a year cycle and while beginning a new year. Reba is held from December to February in different schedule of every village (nua). But lately in the spirits of “in-culturation” the Catholic Church has found positive values of local teaching on Reba festival and the Catholic Church opens the festival with a holy mass (misa Reba) prior to every cultural stage of Reba. So community of Christian from some villages celebrating Reba together concentrating in one village and turns to other villages on the next Reba season. Bena Village the oldest village usually be the first to celebrate Reba on 27 December every year

This festive act referred to the agricultural society (as Ngadha tribes ties their whole life to the yields of the soil) where a success of life is measured by fertility of UWI a kind of wild yam or cassava that cultivated for life. On this community of farmers there are some principles of ethic and moral set by Sili-the first born and the ancestor of Ngadha tribe from the early age who has taught a way of living for human being at least for Ngadha tribes. Sili is supposed to be the first came and brought enlightenment for human being. For Ngadha Tribes on this Reba celebration, Uwi is considered as the main diet that keeping and supporting life.

This festival generally celebrated in three to four days consists of some stages beginning with Opening rite or Dhke Reba, Offering Rite or Su’i Uwi followed by the rite of offering named Dhoy, and Enclosing rite named Dhoro which is know as Roa Suki Uwi

SU’I UWI

Dh’ke means going or stepping up to the inner part (sacred) of man existence before the ancestors. Dh’ke also have meaning to begin for something very important. One day before the celebration all the family members will come to the main house (Sao Meze) bring along with rice, pig or chicken  (the materials for offerings) while the females will prepare everything for the next stage. In the evening while sun set the males will go down to Loka Tua nee Mata Api – a special site as an altar bringing together with foods and beverages as an offering on the altar. This place is believed as the last site where the last and newest generation of ancestors gathered in communicating the principles of their clan. Besides offerings, the males will also bring Su’a Uwi that will be put on the sacred altar, to remind that each Sao Meze there is a treasure of land inherited by the ancestor where the new generations may cultivate soil to gain uwi for life. On this gathering, the elders will teach the history from the beginning, from the age of darkness ( pu’u ola giu gema) move on and on, through the steps of enlightenment up to now. To the new generation the elders teach every thing inherited to their social life; each name of ancestor that symbolized in Ngadhu (male ancestor) and Bhaga (female ancestor), each Sao Meze and  and the member of each from the old generation up to now. On this occasion the clan leader and other old man will also brief moral and ethic teaching for the new generation. A short advice for managing life on the next year will also be advised based on the guideline of ancestors seen on the signs seen on  the offerings. This session will be filled with offerings  acts. The offerings consist of yam or cassava (now changed with steamed rice) chicken and/or the heart of pig  and palm milk (tuak). The members of clan (purely male) who gathering on this offering session will take part in this banquet until the sun is nearly rising. Women are staying at home (Sao Meze) to do some preparations for the next stage of ceremony.

On the end of this session the men will sound up and announce (Sa or bhga) a phrase of words that always chanted by the people during this festival:

O Uwi,… O Uwi Meze Go,  O,…. Uwi Lewa Laba
Koba Rako Lizu, Ladu Wai Poso

A word of expectation and also conviction for a better future and success of life in the future where their works of cultivating Uwi (a symbol of life) will be great just like Go or Gong (a round shape of bronze metal of music instruments) and to be long like a drum, Uwi will be fertile and growing up to reach the sky (heaven) and it will be supported by the highest volcano.

DHOY

Dhoy is a local word to express an action of taking harvest on the shoulder from the field to the village. The word of dhoy also has meaning of taking boiled things from earthen cooking pot (podo or bhogi) to be served and ready to be consumed. Reba celebration is the time of thanking for good harvests and fortune those have been gained in a year, and the local people express their gratitude by serve an offering of food and beverages to the ancestors who have led them for success in the next coming year. On this session, every Sao Meze will serve an offering for their ancestors. A short prayer generally as follow:

Mai si Ine Ema nee Ebu Nusi Mai si moku bhou utu mogo. Kami sa se ngaza miu nga mai masa. Kami gta se mori miu nga mai moli….Ka si maki nari, Inu si tua teme. Kami tii miu de mami, tii si gami the ngeta. Bho si koko molo Nitu si rura zia, noa go ngaba le mala, roga le noa. Nidi lagha si masa-masa noa go kasa wi mae bana, ulu wi mae mu….

There is a tradition of Ngadha tribe to gather for eating and drinking before an important action. Through an offering Ngadha tribe build up an intimacy and communion with their ancestors and among the livings (ka papa fara inu papa pinu) by which fortune will be poured by their ancestors (mai ka maki nari inu tua teme…kami tii miu de mami miu tii kami de ngeta) In a communion with the ancestors and the living in wine and dine there is a time to pass on a principle of life and wisdoms from one generation to other generation (bho koko molo, nitu rura zia). There is a moment of granting strength, health, wealth and protection for all the clan or family members in every ways of fighting for life (Noa go ngaba wi le mala, roga wi le noa, noa kasa wi mae bana, ulu wi mae mu)

As it is done by the clan leader in smaller scope, the older will teach the young generation all the important thing in relationship the heirloom of their house, advice for moral, ethic and sometimes distribution of wealth and job run on this occasion.

GAJA GORA

The most remarkable event of Reba is Gaja Gora. Gaja Gora is begun with a dance of Kelo Ghae an invitation dancing starting from the main entrance of the village. This is a dance with higher rhythm and quick movement a bit running to call up and invite all the villagers to come out from each house and join a colossal dancing moving into the village plaza. They wear traditional cloth. Male will hold a sword (Sau) or a high decorative bamboo with a curve on the top side tied with palm leaves of fruits on it (looks like Balinese Penjor); while female with hold a decorative stick (tuba). Reaching the village plaza they configure a round of people, dancing and singing together and chanting choirs “o Uwi… o Uwi…. in slower rhythms. Some males in the middle of the round will sound up to express admiration to Sili the first-born who came to teach the way of living (Sili ana wunga da nuka pera gua). Some verses of poem also chanted to whether to teach or criticize something in social life. Sometimes drink of arak liquor or tuak is served while dancing to warm up the situation.

DHORO OR ROA SUKI UWI

Dhoro means step down from a higher state or place from being together with ancestors to a normal life. Roa Suki Uwi means an enclose of the ceremony when the people will collect all rubbish to throw out from the house and from the village mentioning that all the series of celebration are ended. It is expected that nobody will come and enter the village or main house during or after this session as it is believed this is an indication of unlucky and bad future for those who come on this time. On the other hand, it is strongly believed when someone come in and enter the house right on the opening rite and preparation, take part in all the rite, eating and drink together with the ancestors and family member; he or she will be granted with grace, lucky, strength for living.

TOUR ON REBA EVENT

Every body is welcomed in this event. On this Reba celebration, every family will be proud to invite and host the visitors and the looker on for lunch in their house. They never lack of foods and drinks. No any ticket for watching this event. Tour will be combined with a visit to Komodo, Rinca island and Kelimutu the three colored lakes. There are two possibilities of flight from Bali to Bajawa. From Bali by Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MNA) to Ende with one night stop in Moni for a morning tour to Kelimutu or from Bali by Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) or Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MNA) to Labuan Bajo with two nights onboard sailing for Rinca and Komodo island then drive eight hours to Bajawa.

Atmasanta Travel & Tours organizes trip for this event on December through February every year. For those who want to join a tour to Flores – Bajawa, please get further information and booking. Please contact to

ATMASANTA TRAVEL & TOURS – PT BHUWANA ATMASANTA

Jl. Tukad Pancoran No 39 Panjer Denpasar – Bali – Indonesia
Tel. +62 361 8813138,  Mobile +62 81338999446 Fax +62 361 701707
E-mail: atmasantatravel@gmail.com MSN: atmasanta@live.com