Redemennu Mentawai

Following a long strenuous trek through knee high mud, a welcoming aloita (greeting) from the Mentawai clan ushered in our stay in their beautiful Umma (clan house). Sheltered from the rain in their wood home under the dried banana leaf roof, we began to observe our surroundings. Skulls of digested monkey and wild boar covered in spider webs, two fire pits and rays of light sneaking into the darkness gave a very distinct energy to the abode. At the onset, children were weary in fear of our unfamiliar faces. They sat close together and clung onto their elder siblings who were watching our every move intently. The man of the house, a young Shaman, soon appeared with his wife and mother-an elder referred to only as Mama. Mama's frail body was covered in ancient intricate patterned tattoos. As fascinating as they were to us, we were to them, and soon our interactions became deeper as we sat in the darkness of the silent night exchanging gifts and clarifying our intentions. Initially a Massai Rungu (hunting weapon) and an Eagle feather were given to the head of the house and beads were presented to Mama. Both were ecstatic! He placed the feather in his hair while Mama said she would make a headpiece out of the small yellow beads and treasure it to her grave. All listened closely and were greatly enthralled that they were now connected by these links to tribes across the globe with traditions so different to their own. They asked many questions about the lifestyle of the Massai and expressed amazement at their ways. Along the course of our stay, a second set of beads and feathers were given to an elder Shaman, by the name of Masa. Accompanying these gifts was a formal invitation from the St'at'imic Nation to the International Indigenous Gathering of 2010. He accepted this enthusiastically and logistics are to be worked out upon our return to Canada. This act of respect and appreciation for their culture led him to extend an invitation for a return and prolonged stay with him in his home. This was a sign of great success for Apo Calypso’s step one of its module; relationship building. In addition, it signaled the beginning of step two, collaboration, as Masa explained that in the next visit he would share the ancient Shaman ways of the Jungle.

As the sun awoke and the wild roosters crowed, every morning we rose with the Mentawai. As the children were off to school we had the privilege of participating with the elders in their daily activities. The Sagu tree serves an integral purpose for the Mentawai as their main source of food. Their elaborate processing of its nutrients is a practice passed down through the generations. They use every part of this being-the inside of the bark is scraped then filtered into a canoe filled with water. It soaks and transforms into an edible mush, which is then collected in a basket weaved from banana leaves, and stored underwater until it is needed. It is then dried and fed to the animals and family. One week’s work by four men for four hours a day provides enough Sagu for three months. Excess bark is sold in neighboring towns for furniture. In the evenings Mama would fill the dried Sagu into Sagu leaves and roast it in the backfire. On special occasions it would be marinated in coconut and sugar and have a mananam (delicious), mild and sweet taste.

The intimate relationship with their surrounding habitat has enabled the Mentawais to foster a deep knowledge of its workings. In preparation for a healing ceremony, we followed as the Shamans walked through the thick bush and collected the appropriate herbs for the illness to be treated. The ceremony itself included a chicken slaughter followed by a mystical song to ward off evil spirits. The herb concoction was then soaked and rubbed on the sick in a methodical cleansing manner. The treatment was miraculously effective, showcasing the strength of medicinal remedies made with nature's ingredients. The traditions of this culture are ample and the preservation of all living things is prevalent. Another close relationship is that with the Cocoa tree. Its savory fruit is eaten and the seeds are sold for the making of chocolate, then the bark is peeled and beaten to create the loincloth for men to dress. The ingenuity of harnessing nature is exemplified beautifully in these people’s organized and waste-less use of their sustenance.

As time progressed and the children witnessed our growing friendship with their elders, they began to warm up their smiles and open our hearts with the joy of their playful laughter and songs. They taught us one song that particularly left a strong impression: Redemennu Mentawai (Remember Mentawai), and we hope they too will have fond memories of us as they grow. The little girls joined as we took part in traditional fishing with Mama and gladly led us to the hidden spots they know so well. The boys marveled at the camera and blew us away with their skilled involvement in traditional dance and pig slaughter. One baby, Alamata, blessed our eyes with a breathtaking scene of him bathing in the river. We grasped the opportunity to capture the pure innocence he embodied for that moment in time.

To create a captivating conclusion to our stay, the Shamans treated us with the performance of a dance ceremony. Fourteen different songs were chanted in praise of varying creatures of the jungle ranging from the Monkey, to the Snake, the Butterfly, and the Eagle. The beats of the drums were entrancing and their magical music played the tune of balanced bliss. We are eternally grateful for their embrace of us in their home and this sneak peak into their worldview.

And so, as time unwinds, we prepare to say our goodbyes to the Indah (beautiful) Indonesia and extend our warmest terima kasih’s to its humble and helpful people. We have learned so much in our precious five weeks in this enchanting place. We hope to produce a piece that truly reflects the wonder of unity in this diverse and rich corner of the world-insha’allah.

Terima Kasih for your support for us here in Indonesia!

Onward and Upward,

Apo Calypso Productions

The Land Before Time

So as not to wait idly on our one-day layover in Benjarmasin, we took a canal ride through its ancient waterways that transformed into an unexpected experience of intimate cultural immersion. It was late afternoon and the floating houses on the river were open and flooding out their residents, all engaging in an age-old tradition of bathing in their main source of survival. People of all ages simultaneously participated in this cleansing ritual-mothers were washing their infants, old women were doing the laundry, men could be seen lathering the soap on their skin, little girls brushed their teeth and little boys flung themselves in the murky waters-splashing and screaming in joy of their chance to swim! It was a time shared and celebrated by everyone as the conclusion of the day. The winding down of the sun’s last rays mixed with the aroma of fish wrapped in banana leaf charbroiled for dinner ushered in the beginning of the night. To our own amazement, we were not made to feel like intruders but rather received enthusiastic waves from the children, some even swimming to the canoe to give us high fives. Elders extended warm invitations for us to eat of their little food and we felt welcomed in these people’s prized moments. This offered us a precious glimpse into the lifestyle of the average Indonesian and showcased the rich relationship of appreciation with the waters of the river.

From weaving through the canals in the canoe, to winding down the arteries of the Sungai Kumai in a kloklit (house boat), we bled into our destination at the heart of Borneo’s rainforest in Tan Jang Putting National Park. The air smelled of the dewy greenery, clean and fresh, and the sounds of birds at dawn and bugs in the evening were a narrative song to the cycle of the day. We encountered many animals such as the Probiscous and Gibbon monkeys, Hornbill and Kingfisher birds, wild boar and many more, however the most enchanting interactions were those with the rare and unique Orangutans. Camp Leeky, an Orangutan rehabilitation center that has been in the park since 1971, has been the largest and longest lasting observation of the species. Its existence has enabled the survival and preservation of these endangered primates, and with this in mind we gained a great appreciation for the opportunity to engage with them. We met many Orangutans, ranging from Siswe the sweet grandmother with a lazy demeanor and playful spirit, to Princess the mother and enthusiastic learner of human skills such as sign language and rowing and her sweet children Percy and Putry. The most intimidating and exciting of all however was meeting Tom-the King, with his gigantic body and commanding presence. It was a true blessing to have even spotted Tom, as he is known to never make an appearance and to deeply dislike humans. In spite of this, it is said by the park rangers that Javid was the human being to get closest to Tom-with a mere three meters between them! Face to face while filming this majestic ruler of the forest, an affirming exchange took place, a mutual recognition of the similarities that transcend the boundaries of human or animal.

Being engulfed by the intensely vivid rainforest, one can’t help but feel overwhelmed by its beauty and vibrant life. The harmony by which it survives, with each form of being interconnected with all the others is quite captivating, In moments of awe at its magical energy, it is possible to feel the whole forest breathe with you. It is the land before time, immanating the spirits of the past and calling out to those in the future. To contribute to that future with our own bare hands, we planted two trees at a forest rehabilitation area- one Mahogany and one Sandalwood. This was the least we could do to pay homage to a place that truly brought our wildest fairytale imagining to life.

On our way, as we were heading out of the rainforest, we stumbled across a deserted Dayak village. Here we were able to observe the remaining symbols of a traditional tribal culture, such as gravestones carved in the image of the deceased and housing with the sign of the hornbill adorning its roof. These images spoke of an eery past life which has slipped away as the forest shrinks in size.

Separation from Borneo was no easy task, as the love we felt for the forest and its inhabitants was deeply rooted. However, we have our sights set onto the next adventure-the meeting and relationship building with the Mentawai tribe. By arranging an insider to translate, we have received confirmation that we will be exposed to the very raw lifestyle and traditions of these people. Our approach is to extend a formal invitation to the 2010 International Indigenous Gathering to be held in Lillooet, British Colombia. By living in a family abode of the clan, we hope to truly immerse ourselves in their worldview and facilitate a genuine understanding. For this we are preparing to embark on a long boat journey followed by a trek into the deep untouched bush of Siberut Island, off the west coast of Sumatra. We hope this challenging road will lead us to a unique and fantastic experience-Insha’allah.

Terima Kasih for your ongoing support for us here in Indonesia!

Onward and Upward,

Apo Calypso Productions

Heading into the Heart

Whirlwinds of diverse and tantalizing sights and sounds have hypnotized our senses in the first two weeks here in the land of Indonesia. Upon arrival in Jakarta, swallowing the warm, humid, thick air of a polluted and overpopulated hub, we found ourselves standing at the outer most exterior layer of this multifaceted place. A drastic contrast and imbalance is blatant between the commercialized skyscrapers on one side of the car, and the slums hiding beneath the highway on the other. After two days of catching sleep stolen from us by a 22-hour flight, we quickly made our way to Jogyarta. There we visited two world heritage sights, the remaining symbols of two of the oldest religions that helped shape these people: Hinduism and Buddhism.

The first monument was Borobudur, a grand architectural masterpiece that was concealed beneath volcanic ash for centuries. It is a true testament of the enduring power of the Buddhist Candi (temple), that even when buried it did not self-destruct. The stories depicted on the walls of its narrow winding corridors, intricately carved in stone, tell the stories of civilizations past. The lessons are everlasting as they are carrying emotions ranging from anguish, triumph, hard work and harmony with nature, to the meditating Buddha. Serenity seeps from the cracks in between the old stone, with each rock placed in its right place so long ago. The Hindu equivalent of this ancient house of worship is Prambanan. Both speak of a time when buildings were narratives and taught morals to be passed on through time, built with care and purpose. Visiting the Sultan’s palace was a learning experience of the national sentiments of this country. Observing how the roof of the Indonesian gathering hall is held up by the pillars of “Unity in Diversity”, with symbols of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam depicted in gold. A lucky chance performance of the ancient Gamelan set the tone of dark entrancement and deeper discovery to come.

After lifting the cultural veil, we dug deeper by watching the sunrise over Mount Bromo. Peering into the core of this active volcano, with its escalating steam reaching for the sun, the blessing of being in the presence of such sheer natural power was possessing. Upon making an offering to the volcano by throwing flowers into its rapturous pit, we sent down our wishes that with the new decade at hand, humanity would come to accept the beauty of the natural world and take it upon ourselves to preserve it.

Continuing to chase the sun, its throbbing unforgiving rays led us to the desolate and tiny island of Gili Meno, off the west coast of Lombok. With a population of only 300 local permanent residents, it is truly a rare sweet spot of this earth. White sand beaches are caressed by crystal clear waters, shimmering an array of baby blues and dark turquoise, luring us to delve deeper once again into the underwater world of coral and marine life. The captivating wonder of this world was humbling. Javid was learning his underwater capabilities quickly, and dedicated many hours to capturing the vibrant patterns of coral and fascinating creatures such as the sea turtle! With mass dynamite fishing having demolished many areas of the reef, and humanity’s continuous denial of its rapidly increasing destruction of the underwater world, it is truly a precious opportunity to have soaked it in with the naked eye. The welcoming and free spirits of the island’s people warmed our hearts and for those interactions with them we say ilhamdulilah.

Almost half way into our journey, the lingering sunset of Meno bids us farewell as we head into the heart of Indonesia’s natural world: Borneo’s thick rainforest. As one of the most biodiverse regions it hosts one of the last Orangutan habitats and is anticipated to be a wild experience. A week trek on a Klotokt (canoe) on the Sungai Kumai River alongside the crocodiles is the adventure at hand, and we are extremely excited to begin. Weather permitting the end destinations of this trek are the villages of the indigenous Dayak tribes.

As for the remainder of the program, diverging from the original path to Irian Jaya (Papua) is for good reason. Research conducted since our arrival has compelled us to head towards the island of Siberut, off the west coast of Sumatra. There we hope to be able to meet with the mysterious and untouched Mentawain tribe inhabiting the land to implement the first step of Apo Calypso’s model, relationship building, and to spread the message of friendship and collaboration. Gifts such as the Massai beads and Eagle feathers from the St’at’imc nation will help facilitate an exchange of ideas and trust. Furthermore, we have been asked by the St'at'imc nation that is hosting the 2010 International Indigeneous Gathering to extend them an invitation to attend and participate in this event. It is an honor for Apo Calypso to deliver this message in person.

Onward and Upward

Terima Kasih for your support in Indonesia

Apo Calypso Productions

Javid Gibson

Cam Boatmen

Rawan Risheq