URLIK Tatubeket, men aged 46 years Mentawai Island Sipora origin, was selected as Chairman of the Board of Alliance Peduli Mentawai Indigenous People (AMA-PM) in the Mentawai Indigenous People Congress, in Tuapejat, Sipora, two years ago.
As the head of an organization of indigenous peoples mengatasnama, Urlik seemed far from a noose Mentawai known through the photographs for this. So also with the 265 congress participants, mostly men, who come from different corners of the village in the Mentawai Islands.
Urlik and none of them has a tattoo as a body ornament Mentawai. While tattoos are called by the Mentawai 'titi', is part of the Mentawai culture is important. At least, this has been able to prove that tattoos have started a tradition left by the Mentawai.
"Since 1950s, after the government requires that people must embrace one of the five major religions recognized government, the Mentawai people no longer decorate her body with tattoos, except in some rural villages in Siberut still have up to now," said Urlik.
Sipora, North Pagai and South Pagai are three islands in the Mentawai people dwelt there no longer menato himself since 1950s. According Urlik, on the island of Sipora the people Mentawainya now around 8000 people, who still have tattoos not more than 10 people. Three men and the rest women. Those above the age of 70 years.
The same thing also happened in Pagai. Although 11,000 more populated Mentawai people, who still have tattoos also no more than 10 people. They are also aged over 70 years.
"Could be, in 20 years there will be no more people Mentawai Sipora and Pagai who has tattoos on her body," he said.
There are several causes, according to Urlik, why tattoos disappear in Sipora and Pagai. First, the teaching of religious beliefs that prohibit Arat Sabulungan, belief to the spirits, and the tattoo is part of the trust.
Second, the ritual begins with the tattoos create a series of ceremonies in the long (six month's fastest) and prohibition (prohibition). The ceremony is called 'punen'. Therefore, many Mentawai people who do not want to run it because it is very heavy.
Third, there is shame for the Mentawai people, especially to a school outside the region to menato itself, because other people are considered as the symbol of backwardness and primitive. Mentawai group of people, this modern feel relieved irrespective of culture Arat Sabulungan.
Because No shame 'Bulepak'
Protestants who go to Mentawai since 1901, according to Urlik, is the most religious beliefs prohibit loud Mentawai people older than Catholic who entered since 1955 and Islam since 1952. Therefore, Sipora and Pagai the Protestant majority enclasp faster cultural missing, including the tattoo tradition.
"I still remember the little people have the Mentawai bertato expelled from the church by clergy," said Urlik also a pastor GKPM (Mentawai Protestant Christian Church) Saurenuk, Sipora.
To be able menato themselves, a tribe in Sipora must do 'punen' quick spend the most time in six months. Punen begins with establishing uma (custom house typical Mentawai) cut with a number of pigs and the various taboo. Of them could not do sex with his wife, a woman may not look, can not eat and drink before the event to eat and drink together, and so forth.
"The event is the peak punen to travel to the island of Siberut Mentawai people as origin, the event called 'Bulepak', there gondola ride up to 40 people, if it is safely back through the big waves of Siberut with beads special Siberut, all citizens are allowed menato tribes themselves, "said Urlik.
Ceremony like this is that heavy people Sipora. According Urlik, the event 'Bulepak' last dilakuan people Sipora the 1950s. After that no more people in the Mentawai Sipora who do that. As a result, they do not dare menato themselves, because the condition does not exist.
"They embarrassed themselves because menato never 'Bulepak', after that no more people Sipora the bertato, the same thing also happened in the Pagai," he said.
That Ditato Pain Management
In Siberut, the largest island in the Mentawai Islands and is the center and origin of Mentawai culture, there is still a number of rural villages that still use tattoos. In villages in Sarereiket, Ugai, Matotonan, Madobak, Simatalu, Sakudei, and Simalegi still wear tattoos.
Though in some villages the youth and adult girls who start remain ditato body, but leave the tattoo tradition much more. In general, they have been interacting with two modern, such as education to junior and senior high school which is located only in the capital district or to the Padang.
"Generally kampongs tatonya tradition that there is still a Catholic confession, the Catholic and the more loose sekeras Protestant does not prohibit them, but young people are no longer wanted ditato," said Urlik.
Tattoo tradition that began in the Mentawai abandoned, along with the pangaruh the outside world. If the first person bertato regarded as the symbol of a healthy and strong in the Mentawai, now that suspicion has been that as the switch behind.
"Ditato the sick and lagian symbol primitive," said Gerson Saleleubaja, 24 years old, the youth home Maileppet, South Siberut, who is now a journalist at Tabloid Puailiggoubat, a local newspaper in the Mentawai.
Irrespective of the actual tattoo is a traditional Mentawai treasury of the world. Ady Rosa, researchers from Indonesia tattoo Visual Arts Department, State University of Padang, concluded that the Mentawai tattoo tattoos including the oldest in the world.
Unfortunately, not many meanings, and examine the types of tattoos in the Mentawai. Ady Rosa investigate the use of its own new tattoo on the Mentawai people in some villages in Siberut and not examine the tattoo on Sipora and Pagai. In fact, according to Urlik, tattoo Sipora and Pagai have certain differences from the tattoo Siberut.
For example, in Sipora have three tattoos curve in the cheek and a straight line from the chin to the neck. Tattoo tattoo-this has not been examined and will soon be lost because users are already pregnant.
160 Motifs Tattoos
Tattoos by Mentawai people not only work for the beauty of the body, but also the symbol that indicates the position or the degree of wear.
Ady Rosa, researchers tattoo's Visual Arts Department, State University of Padang concluded, tattoo art that is called by the Mentawai 'titi' start in the Mentawai Mentawai people since coming between 1500 and 500 years before Christ. They are the tribe that protomelayu came from Yunan, and berbaur with Dongson culture.
"Tattoos are in Siberut Egypt long before the nation began to make a tattoo around 1300 BC, so not a tattoo of Egypt's oldest in the world, but Mentawai tattoo," he said.
Ady Rosa in the reports on the research entitled 'Function and Meaning Tattoos Mentawai' (2000) concluded, there are three functions for the Mentawai tattoo. First, as a sign of tribal areas and know the main envisaged through tattoos. This kind of marks card (KTP).
Second, as social status and profession. Tattoo motif described this explains what the professional user, for example sikerei (physician and healer), tracker, or the common people. Third, as a body ornament or beauty. This is envisaged through the quality and strength of expression of the tattoo (called 'sipatiti') through the images beautiful.
Menurt Ady, there are around 160 tattoo motif on Siberut. Each different from one another. Each Mentawai people, both men and women can use dozens of tattoos on her body sekujur.
Making process through their own tattoo rituals, as part of the trust Arat Sabulungan (keparcayaan to the spirits). Materials and equipment used obtained from the natural surroundings. Only a needle that is used to perajah which is the iron from the outside. Before a needle, a tool that is used pentatotan is a kind of wood karai, Mentawai native plants, which ends the diruncingkan.
Sipatiti (the tattoo) is a man and woman may not. Before creating a tattoo must be 'punen patiti' (ritual pentatoan). Ceremony led by a sikerei. The ceremony is conducted with some of slaughter pigs are to be financed by those who ditato and only done in the early pentatoan.
Make a tattoo done in the Mentawai three stages. The first stage at the time a person aged 11-12 years, performed at the base of pentatoan arms. The second, aged 18-19 years with menato the thigh. After the third stage of adulthood.
The process of tattoo takes time and re-repeated. Of course, cause pain and even cause fever.
By : Phie
