Nira Extract and Its Meaning in the Habits of Nobolekan People

Editor: Silverius 

Introduction

Nira or in the habits of the Nobolekan people commonly called "Tuak", apparently contains many meanings behind the way of extract. A million meanings are also implied in every media used in Nira's wireextract.

Here I will use the term "Tuak" as a familiar name for the Nobolekan indigenous people.

 

Bungamuda Village Natural Scenery

The Nobolekan indigenous people have had a hereditary habit of extract tuak.

No wonder about 20 years ago, we can still see some adult men extract sap into the middle of the forest under the slopes of Mount Ile Ape.

For example, in several forest locations which are known by the Nobolekan community as forest areas "Hapeng Kore", "Bejawa", "Leway", "Hukum Bala", and the closest forest areas are "Kukun Oenen" and "Hurungen" where this area is located. , we can still see some Tuak trees that were tapped by the ancestors of the Nobolekan people still standing tall and strong.

We can see the former place to put our feet on the trunk of a tuak tree when climbing in the Nobolekan language called "Tenangin" or bamboo twigs tied to a palm tree. In addition, there are still many forest areas that we can find where the sap-extract area is located.

Brief About Nobolekan

Nobolekan is one of the traditional villages that is still one with the Napasabok indigenous people. These two villages are administratively separated from the government, but still come from the main traditional village, namely Napaulun.
Over time, Nobolekan was government known as Bungamuda Village. Here I will use the name Nobolekan instead of the name Bungamuda Village.
Why is the name of this village so important? Because not only can it be called Bungamuda or Napaulun or also Nobolekan, but it has nicknames and deep meanings. The nicknames and meanings are found in all the villages in the administrative area of ​​​​Ile Ape and Ile Ape Timur sub-districts.

But I will not discuss them one by one.

Nobolekan which is currently known as Bungamuda Village has a nickname in the lamaholot malay, namely "Bunga Baran Tawa, Muda Nulan Gere", Napasabok Village is called "Lewo Ulun Napa Sabok, Tana Weran Doro Aran", Lewotolok Village is called "Lewo Tolok Lama diken, Tana Diken Tena Lema", or the traditional village of Bungamuda and Napaulun, Napaulun, also has the nickname "Lewo Ulun Lela Koli, Tana Weran Nara Wayong".

These villages are located within the administrative area of ​​Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia.

 

Habits of Nobolekan People Extract Nira

In their daily life, some residents do have a livelihood as tappers for sap, in addition to farming, fishing, and laborers.

However, extract nira, the Nobolekans have a deep meaning. There are important parts of the extract process that are very interesting.

Alright, I'll try to describe one by one even though it's incomplete.

Image of Cuba in Nobolekan Lamaholot Language. Cuba that has been bugged by Niranya.

I used to be a nira tapper and some time ago I was still doing this activity after 10 years I was out for school. To make it easier I will discuss it part by part.

Part 1

The preparation of this tool does not require special requirements, but when preparing it you must pay attention so that the knife used is not used as a kitchen knife.

After finishing preparing the tool, you have to hit the male fruit of this tuak tree with a special technique and with hard wood so that it feels a little soft on the beaten part, its function is to lure the sap water to drip and be tapped. This piece of wood used by the Napaulun people is referred to as "temotal".

Part 2

At this stage you have to prepare a special knife that is held on a wooden stick until it is sharp. In the belief of people who tap this sap, if you use a stone, the sap will decrease by itself.

This is not a myth, I have experienced this kind of problem myself. Scientifically it does need to be studied, however, the belief system is hereditary, if it is violated it will result in punishment. This punishment is not direct but by reducing the tap water sap.

However, some people I met use grindstone and admit that the sap water does not decrease due to the effect of its use.
From this we can see that the tuak tree seems to know what to use to sharpen the knife even though the tree does not move from its position to your house.

Part 3

At this stage you have to prepare the sap leaves in Nobolekan terms called "Nabhu", to be used as a funnel to the top of placeholder. The process of wrapping the sliced ​​sap is called "Gabu". After the "gabu" is wrapped, it begins with the installation of an extract place made of bamboo sticks. The technique after this "gabu" is called "Hawing" and the extract place of the bamboo blade is called "Nawing".

The container is usually used from bamboo stems that are selected from bamboo that has dried and been cut away from one of the books.

According to the statements of several people who were asked, that the use was dependent and had no effect, maybe in ancient times there were no plastic bottles, it's just that using bamboo sticks in the Nobolekan traditional ceremony cannot be replaced with plastic bottles.

So that the magical value of bamboo as a place for extract gets a good place in the process of extract sap, besides that it is also a symbol of respect and a typical extract medium for the Nobolekan people.

Part 4

Nira extract is done every morning and evening. If the sap water is taken to drink then usually in the afternoon then he takes it. Because in the morning it is customary for the community to accommodate it first so that there is plenty of juice. But there are also those who take it in the morning to drink. This picking activity is called "Lekang" while the slicing activity itself is called "Perey".

This activity economically brings money but I limit to discuss this.

This part I feel is not very important for you to know, but if a Nobolekan man who, when his parents were still alive, then tapped the sap for them to drink, and those around him such as friends and others, received a symbol of respect in language terms as " Ola Kelekay", "Tuak Ikan Alawen".

He would be seen as a chivalrous and responsible man in this sense, I can't quite define well. But I can describe in Indonesian so simple.

Essence

Until now, the Nobolekan indigenous people still use Tuak as part of the symbols in traditional ceremonies. In addition, the symbol cannot be separated from the traditional life of the Nobolekan people. In addition, men who carry out this activity usually receive a symbol of respect in the Nobolekan language expression as an "Ola Perey". I use this term to represent another more appropriate customary term.