Monday, December 17, 2012

It happened in Pulau Tello

It happened in Pulau Tello


During the inauguration of the renovated traditional Meeting Hall of our ancestral Village, we had the opportunity to learn about the history of our Ancestors in Pulau  Tello.

In the early 14th Century, one son of the tribal chief in Southern Nias  together with his family and friends sailed to the island of Pulau Tello, one of the Batu (Rock) islands group. There they set up a village and named it Barayu Lasara (Rocky Island) and took up the Clan name of "Laowo". The son did this so that they all will remember his Father, whose name was Laowo Wau.

In the second half of the 16th Century (around 1560), one of the Descendants by the name of  "Sobaruyu Laowo" persuaded every one in the village to help built a traditional Big House (Omo Sebua), where the Chief resided. (This Big House was pulled down in 1976 because it was damaged). Only the stone blocks have been grouped together as a monument to remember.

In the center of the village courtyard, a traditional Meeting Hall was rebuilt/renovated and was only recently completed. Hence the Inauguration Celebration.

In the early 19th Century, a number of Chinese immigrants came to Nias and Pulau Tello. Some of them became traders and Merchants and in Pulau Tello they specialised in Sea products and Copra (dried coconuts for making coconut oil).

Around the year 1835, one of the successful traders by the name of "Gho Ka Tjai" married the Chief's daughter named "Lagasi Barasi Laowo". The wedding was a traditional wedding celebration, which means that it was with the agreement of all Village elders and all the bride's family members.
The Bridegroom had to give a dowry amounting to 170 pao (=10 Gram) gold coins and donated for the celebration a total of 21 pigs.

The 8 of us, who went to attend the Inauguration celebration are the Great/Great Grandchildren of our Ancestor Gho Ka Tjai.

The Great Grand Sons : Gho Tjeng Tat and George Putrasahan.
The Great Great Grand Sons : Oei Keng Tin and  Oei Keng Hin
                                               Gho Kong Han and Gho Kong Gie
                                               Lim Tiong Gie and Lim Tiong Bu

It was a Reunion opportunity for us from overseas with our relatives, who are still living in our traditional village on the Island of Pulau Tello..

No comments:

Post a Comment